Remembering some of the places while growing up in Tempe...
Lairds Drug Store
The Boston Store (at one time the only place where you could get a Gilliland Jr High Sweatshirt)
Perry's Pool Hall (my grandfather used to play cards there, oh the smell)
The Q
The batting cages in the river bottom
JD's
Joe Sellehs
Petes Fish & Chips on Mill
The House of Toys
Newberrys Dime Store
The College Theater (now the Valley Art)
Leo Davis's Shoe Repair Shop on Mill and Fifth Street
The Tempe Bakery (next to the Q, which used to be Woolworths)
Nevitts ARCO
Erhardts Bicycle Shop
Rundles Grocery Store
The Dairy Queen (originall on 6th Street then moved farther south on Mill and was replaced by the Milk Depot
Hobo Joes (all you can eat pancakes on Tues after the Basketball games...
These were just a few...
I remember getting my first bike, learning to ride it, and just taking off to ride for hours. What a feeling of freedom! At the time we lived at 14th & Wilson, so just rode up and down all of those old streets exploring.
My brother George & I belonged to scout troop 273 at Mitchell School, with scoutmaster Herb Solano. What a great guy - he called us all 'men' (we were 11 and up, after all). Paul belonged to troop 71 at Mt. Carmel. When we wee younger, the cub scout master was Keith Pierce, from whom we learned so much. My Mom served as den mother. I still have those wooden bookends we made.
The Mt. Carmel 7th & 8th graders played flag football against the other Catholic schools in the Valley. Uniforms consisted of white t-shirts onto which my Mom stencilled letters with the school name & a numeral. Tim Barkac played quarterback; we also had Louie Franco, Ross Thompson, Cecil Hernandez and some other stars.
We liked going to the 4th of July fireworks at Sun Devil Stadium. Will never forget those particular smoky vapors that wafted in the warm evening.
John don,t forget Nevitts Richfield at 7th St. and Mill. Rundles at 8th and Mill Campus Pantry a few doors down. Also Lloyds newstand at8th and Mill eastside. He was blind and we bought cigarettes there on the way to Mitchell school. There was also Dails welding at 7th and the railroad track with the donkey Jerico. He would hee-haw until you fed him. And last but not least, Johnny Contreras on his bike Yule sweeping sidewalks and one arm Sam sweeping.
Greg...Livingstons Locker and O'Malleys Lumber Yard. Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips on University, Burger Chef, Uni Burger across from the High School, University Drive-in at Apache and Rural (cherry lime rickys), BoJo's on Rural and University, What-a-Burger behind Rundles Market, Brads (which became Coco's) on Ruraland Ray's Barber Shop.
Yulee was around when my mother attended THS, and then there was also a guy named Johnny who rode a bike all over Tempe, but hung out at Tempe Beach during the summer.
Surfer shirts, and Beatle Boots...Madres shirts that bled when you washed them, and St Christopher medals...Young Life at the Women's Club.
Don't forget pulling the tabs off those Madras shirts. Fruit Loops!
Vic
Vic
A hangin 'fruit loop' was a badge of honor. It said 'I was attacked by a girl' ;o)
