Things that aren't here anymore

[penguinsoda]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Why does this not surprise me? :razz:

What? :blink: Hey, I said thats what I was told...



Ok, how about walking home from school and getting excited over finding a pop bottle because we could take it to Jerry's store on the way home and each of us (there were 3 of us) could get a piece of penny candy when we turned in the bottle because it was worth 3 cents.

Thats a bit more innocent.

[Barbaraann]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I also did a lot of roller skating in a rink that isn't there anymore. In fact the way that the water level keeps changing, the beaches that we played in as kids are not exactly the same way that they were either.

I worked in Marshall Field's that is now Macy's. We used to frequent a restaurant called the Kopper Kettle. Great German Chocolate Cake. That's gone now.

Just proves the point that nothing stays the same.

[TraceCub]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

When my parents were kids, they'd get Charles Chips delivered. I love/miss Charles Chips!

There's Service Merchandise. And Home Quarters. I liked HQ because they had a children's center - they developed it after I was past the age cut off but I still thought it was so neat that they had one. I felt the kids were spared a terrible fate because I spent many a boring weekend afternoon walking the aisles with my parents.

My husband greatly laments the demise of Kenny Roger's Roasters.

And here I was thinking there wasn't anything I could remember that was gone! :lol:

[Olympicnut]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

The Air Nat'l Guard at Van Nuys Airport. The hangars and dorms are there, and the only use they get are for movies. But the buildings are all scheduled to be torn down soon, to make way for airport facilities. I miss those big C-130's that would take off and land on a daily basis.

[stinkerbell]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Farrell's (?sp) ice cream parlor. Loved that place! They would bring out the Zoo (it had 24 scoops of ice cream or some ridiculous amount like that) on a stretcher and run it up and down the restaurant while they set off a siren. They had a pig trough of ice cream that my brother finished one time. He got a certificate that said, "I made a pig of myself at Farrell's". The menus had a 1900s theme to them. We always wanted to go there for our birthdays.

That is what sticks out the most in my mind.

ETA: I did a google search and found this website: http://www.farrellsusa.com/story.html I didn't realize it started in Portland. Makes me even more sad that it is gone now.

We used to go after Blazers games! I miss it so much, esp. now that I'm a parent and live in Portland. Bah.

I went to the Farrell's in San Diego for my sixth bday, so I've always had a major thing for the place. :love:

BEST stores? Where they didn't actually have anything in stock, it was just a showroom and then you had to order from a catalog. I used to go there with my grandparents. That's a flashback!

My dad used to drive two hours to go to a BEST store just to order from a catalog! I miss those days, it was actually kinda cool! He esp. used to order jewelry from there. I have a lot of earring/necklace sets that came from BEST. :gladsad:

[Ginarella]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I like this thread O Nut it brings back a lot of memories. A lot of places have been said that I miss.

Helm Bakery Truck - I remember getting cream puffs from his truck and pixie sticks.

Japanese Deer park- I still have pictures from there.

Santas Village- I kept a Christmas ornament I purchased there.

Marineland-I've been there a couple of times. I may have souvenir's somewhere.

JJ Newberry's, Thrifties, Alpha Beta, Farrell's Ice cream, and The Broadway, wow so many good stores long gone.

[Legally Brunette]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I miss the ice skating rink at the Brea Mall where I used to take lessons. I also miss Buffums. It was my favorite department store when I was in elementary school.

[sir clinksalot]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I remember The Treasury (a department store), Zody's (another department store), Pioneer Chicken, Japanese Deer Park, Lion Country Safari and the small water park just north of the Anaheim Sheraton off of I-5.

Zody's, I remember Gemco as well. There is still a Pioneer Chicken somewhere in Hollywood.

Rocketdyne in Canoga Park, where my dad was an aeronautical engineer for reliability in the 60's and 70's, is still there, barely. I think there's one main building out of many many many that are long gone, replaced by.... retail :botox:

I swear, if we don't get some "smart jobs" back to the region, we're ALL gonna be working for a retail business sooner than you think.

Did you ever get to go up the hill to Santa Susana? I got to when my Mom worked there.

The Wherehouse, Sam Goody, and now Tower Records.

Cigarette Vending Machines

Non retractable lap only seatbelts.

Any record store for that matter. I think it's hilarious how easy it was to get cigarette's back in the day.

I have a non-retractable belt in my truck.

BEST stores? Where they didn't actually have anything in stock, it was just a showroom and then you had to order from a catalog. I used to go there with my grandparents. That's a flashback!

There was still a BEST in the valley about 10 or so years ago.

Speaking of record stores:

Camping out all night to get concert tickets!!!!

[dsnylndmom]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Most everything has been mentioned like
Santa's Village
Busch Gardens
Farrell's
Gemco

But also
Frontier Village, I so used to love this place My grandparents took us all the time
Roller World in Fremont, that was "the place to be" in jr high
The Fox movie theater in Fremont, my brother and I got to see ET there w/no grown ups.
King Arthur's Toy Store
The huge toy store in San Jose that had the ginormous toy soliders in the windows, last time I was in the area it was a Chuck E Cheese :botox: Going to that toy store was such a treat when we were kids!

[Olympicnut]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Ah yes D-mom, stand alone toy stores. Not Toys R Us, or Kay Bee, I'm talking the independent ones, which are basically dead now. Mine was Victors Toys on Reseda Blvd. It was always a treat to be taken there.

[spunkymonkey]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

O-Nut, I remember most of the things you mentioned.

Busch Gardens, Factory of Nightmares, Swenson's.

I also remember the SF Valley Fair when it used to be at Devonshire downs. The Waterslide that used to be in Northridge along with Malibu Grand Prix (Go-Karts).

All of the old movie theatres that are now things like auto shops (the one that used to be on Roscoe and Topanga) or gone (Northridge).


Numerous eateries like Pizza Pub, Naugles, Pup N' Taco.

Dr. Clinks-a-lot brings up two of my favorite childhood memories: The Malibu Grandpri on Nordhoff, and Pup-n-Taco (we used to always go to the one on Reseda and Ventura for the slushies after school.

The Roscoe and Topanga theatre is where my dad took me on our special night to see Star Wars when it first came out. A week later we took the whole family to the Winnetka drive in to see it again.

Last night we had a dinner party, and my wife broke out a serving tray from Busch Gardens with pictures of all the old attractions

[spunkymonkey]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

What about the Ice skating rink in Topanga Plaza?
The Creamery on Ventura and Wilbur.
The pony rides on Tampa and Sherman Way.
CSUN"s Football team.

[SummerInFL]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

My figure.
My virginity.
My innocence....oh you mean places!

--There was this great diner my dad and I used to eat breakfast at on St. Pete Beach, it's now a Walgreens.
--Sand Key Beach, there was this great parking spot to watch the sunset, now it's condos.
--The boat docks, I used to go out there on weekends and sit in the car and watch the lights twinkle on the water of the inter coastal waterways. If I left my car lights on, dolphins would sometimes come play in the beams of light, jumping through them.

[RetroMousie]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Oh the memories!
My husband and I grew up in the Pacific Palisades and were huge fans of the Hot Dog Show.
Also Wil Wrights ice cream store (with the traditional metal chairs that were bent metal in the shape of hearts). And they sold 'penny candy'-my fav was the dots on the paper sheets.
Woodury's 5 and Dime.
The Bay theater, with the Saturday matinee that was always a double feature (one sci-fi). They had the 'real' Herbie the Love Bug in the forecourt during that movie's run.
Barton's candy store in Santa Monica.
Oh, the Helm's Bakery truck. The wooden pull-out trays with the donuts.
Colvey's Men's Store--where we bought our Hang Ten t-shirts.
Art Pooles coffee shop--great cinnamon rolls.
Chicken Delight--their jingle was--'Don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight'
The Gilded Prune--the groovy shop in town, black light posters and 'statement buttons'.
The good humor man, I always bought the 'Astro-pop'. It tasted kind of nasty, but it lasted the longest. And the cinnamon toothpicks.
And so many more, those beautiful by-gone days.

[Radiobarry]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Many great memories here...I may duplicate a couple...

Clifton's Cafeterias
Loop's Cafeterias
Naugles
Woolworth's (especially the luncheonette)
T G & Y
Tastee Freeze
Gas "Wars" (price wars, that is) - gas stations that gave away dolls, and cutlery, and encyclopedias to get your business
major league ball parks where you weren't subjected to "sensory overload" every single minute
and oh yes, those drive-in theaters...only one left in LA, Orange and Ventura counties...
Broasted chicken places

[Wotan]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I grew up in an industrial mill town in Connecticut, that had a downtown are with a lot of art deco style to it.

It was an odd kind of a place in that growing up, you knew you were either going to move away as soon as you could, or live your life there. And for those who stayed, a trip of 30 miles to someplace like Hartford or New Haven was something you had to plan for, a big deal. NYC was the end of the earth.

Now, all that is gone. The downtown is a wasteland. The mills are gone. The mall is gone. Even the kielbasa store is gone. I don't know why people still stay, but they do.

The only remaining claim to fame is that you can still get one of the town's famous culinary inventions and delights, the fabled steamed cheeseburger. With home fries. Anyone else ever have one?

[Ms.Skellington]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I grew up in socal so I think all the socal peeps have already mentioned everything I remember!

I'd love to find that one Pioneer Chicken in LA! So much better than KFC.

[spunkymonkey]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I grew up in socal so I think all the socal peeps have already mentioned everything I remember!

I'd love to find that one Pioneer Chicken in LA! So much better than KFC.

1 mile east on sunset after the corner where Sunset and Hollywood meet in Los Feliz. Right next to Circuit city and El Torito.

[spunkymonkey]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

Also Old Towne Mall in Torrance.

[xalesa]

Re: Things that aren't here anymore

I also grew up in SoCal. Covina to be exact. In addition to everything already mentioned, I add to the list of my favorite things that are no more:

Steak Corral -huge memories as a child going there to eat with my family.
Movieland Wax Museum-LOVED that place.