Jump to content

Name Brands that disappeared

RPM

By RPM
in Daily Texan

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 477
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Gatorubet
Gatorubet

Nebraska Football 

miguelito
miguelito

shaggybevo

Brisketexan
Brisketexan

Say what you will, but Bennigans could bring the fucking thunder when it wanted to......

Posted Images

Celery Man

Celery Man 20944

Posted
Posted
23 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

GM fucked up when they shitcanned Pontiac and kept Buick. They should have kept Pontiac as the performance brand. Chevys for everyday. Pontiac for hot rods. And Cadillac for the ballers.

I think they were trying to make Oldsmobile do something like compete in the luxury performance segment with the Aurora, but it sucked. Agree that there was room for a few different brands, but I don't think they were willing to do anything but gussy up the same car a few different ways with different badges on it and no shit that didn't work. I'm most mad at GM for killing Saab.

btw, Saab. This is not my car but could as well have been my car, dad's old Saab after he got an M5. I fucking loved that car even if it was weird and had electrical gremlins

image.thumb.png.b79e9a8da397158d925040c0ded7c950.png

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MaybeACoordinator

MaybeACoordinator 8349

Posted
Posted

Denny's. If anything goes away in the IHOP pocket of the national 24-hour breakfast restaurant industry it'll be Denny's. There was one kind of attached to this motel I was in fairly long-term a few years ago and Denny's national couldn't even make their food look edible in the food porn shots on their website. I figured if they couldn't pull that off what are the odds it will be any better IRL in any given kitchen?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
YGIFS

YGIFS 19450

Posted
Posted

I loved my Saab.  So much fun to drive, probably the last true manual transmission car I'll ever own (none of this auto-sport pretend shit).  GM took the pride of Scandinavia and drove it into the fucking ground.  I think they at least still make airplane parts.  

Oldsmobile was like Plymouth in that, they were quietly the "innovation" divisions of their respective parent companies.  Pontiac should have been the sport brand of GM, and it kinda was but the problem was while their vehicles were all the faster version of each GM platform...they were also the cheapest made interiors of anything.  But Buick has extremely high brand loyalty and when they decided to keep it, Americans were still buying sedans which was Buick's whole deal (1 or 2 SUV models notwithstanding).  Now Buick makes a grand total of Zero sedan models, Cadillac has her two flagship sedan models that'll probably always stick around in some form or fashion, and Chevy makes the Malibu almost exclusively for fleet sales.  If GM could back in time and shitcan Buick, I bet they would.  

I have no idea what the fuck is going on a Chrysler/Dodge/Ram, and have not taken fuck all look at the financials, but I will say the "rebirth" of Jeep has been cool to watch.  'Cause they were in the shitter a decade ago in terms of models, design, sales, and allure.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MaybeACoordinator

MaybeACoordinator 8349

Posted
Posted

Some more Houston brands soon to go -- James Coney Island and Randall's.

I once heard that fast food places sign very long leases -- like 20 years -- and so some zombie restaurants you see are just operating to avoid breaching those leases. Seems to be the case with all those ever-empty "JCI Grills." Nobody wants to go to James Coney Island for chicken tenders or a burger and hot dog restaurants just can't make it any more. Low end aficionados will just get them off gas station roller grills two for $3 and on the other hand nobody wants to pay $10 for a hot dog, wagyu frank and artisanal bun or not.

Long leases must explain how even a few Randall's remain. Shit, HEB is wiping out Kroger now, and Kroger >>>> what's left of Randall's. (And of course HEB >>>>>>Kroger)

 

 

  • Rage+1 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bolverk

bolverk 29671

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, UTCzech III said:

Perry's (Perry Bros.) (apparently there is one left in Lufkin where the chain started)

Was surprised to find out both Ben Frankin and TSO are still around...

IMG_1823.jpg

Glad you brought up Ben Franklin. I looked them up last night on my nostalgia trip and was also surprised some were still around.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Celery Man

Celery Man 20944

Posted
Posted
53 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Some more Houston brands soon to go -- James Coney Island and Randall's.

I once heard that fast food places sign very long leases -- like 20 years -- and so some zombie restaurants you see are just operating to avoid breaching those leases. Seems to be the case with all those ever-empty "JCI Grills." Nobody wants to go to James Coney Island for chicken tenders or a burger and hot dog restaurants just can't make it any more. Low end aficionados will just get them off gas station roller grills two for $3 and on the other hand nobody wants to pay $10 for a hot dog, wagyu frank and artisanal bun or not.

Long leases must explain how even a few Randall's remain. Shit, HEB is wiping out Kroger now, and Kroger >>>> what's left of Randall's. (And of course HEB >>>>>>Kroger)

 

 

Number one all time hot dog is a chili cheese coney from James Coney Island. I wish i could have that again. I've tried to recreate it at home with shitty dogs, cheez whiz, and thin chili but I don't think I let the onions get stinky enough.

6 minutes ago, Nivek said:

Prodigy was amazing.  Then again, I used to think Print Shop was cool.  

my first experience on the internet was in Prodigy, where i landed exactly here 

images-1.fill.size_2000x1050.v1611702169

 

Man i forgot entirely about The Print Shop. Right there with Encarta in the staple of mid 90s giant boxes on the shelf next to the computer in the game room. Also littered with random shareware I pulled out of the bin at Computer City

61DpfGSvaOL._AC_SY1000_.jpg

  • Hook 'Em 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4387

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, shadow_operative2.0 said:

Great first ‘real’ job at 17. High school girls & moms everywhere. 

 

This was going to be my post. Highlight of a mall trip as a youngster, then they had the big stores later where you could shoot hoops/hit in a cage/putt/etc. 

way back when, the Oshman's off northwest highway in Dallas had a fake ski slope (carpet on rollers) for testing out skis. Got my first set of Rossignols there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4387

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, longhornmatt said:

 

My (probably erroneous) hot take is Kentucky Fried Chicken would be dead already if they didn’t cheat and combine them with Taco Bell locations.  There are tons of better chicken chains now.  

 

KFC is a global monster. No taco hell mashups here.

https://global.kfc.com/our-locations/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vanderpool

Vanderpool 23

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, Celery Man said:

I once heard that fast food places sign very long leases -- like 20 years -- and so some zombie restaurants you see are just operating to avoid breaching those leases.

I feel like that has to be the case with most Wendy’s in Austin. I know of a couple near me in northwest Austin that are always deserted. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage-a-holic

rage-a-holic 4387

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Celery Man said:

I think they were trying to make Oldsmobile do something like compete in the luxury performance segment with the Aurora, but it sucked. Agree that there was room for a few different brands, but I don't think they were willing to do anything but gussy up the same car a few different ways with different badges on it and no shit that didn't work. I'm most mad at GM for killing Saab.

btw, Saab. This is not my car but could as well have been my car, dad's old Saab after he got an M5. I fucking loved that car even if it was weird and had electrical gremlins

image.thumb.png.b79e9a8da397158d925040c0ded7c950.png

My first car was a Saab 900 Turbo. Great looking car, engine/turbo system was shit.

Saab military/industrial is still huge. The auto division was just a small part of their business.

Mine was exactly like this one, but white:

27k-Mile 1980 Saab 900 Turbo 5-Speed for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $25,500 on July 10, 2022 (Lot #78,304) | Bring a Trailer

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rimbo

Rimbo 25924

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Celery Man said:

donald-trump-trump-china.gif

 

To be fair, having eaten at both, KFC in China is infinitely better than KFC here. They didn't even change the menu (much).

 

2 hours ago, tbone_ said:

GM fucked up when they shitcanned Pontiac and kept Buick. They should have kept Pontiac as the performance brand. Chevys for everyday. Pontiac for hot rods. And Cadillac for the ballers.

 

Buick's alive for the same reason as KFC. China. Buick was one of the first Western brands in China, and it was a big hit over there.

  • Hook 'Em 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
F250

F250 28772

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, MrBig said:

Handy Andy 

Paragon Cable

Eckerd Drugs

NationsBank

Solo Serve 

Wynn’s

Paragon to Time Warner Cable to Spectrum.

I gave a girl named Roxanne that worked at Eckerds a ride to and from work one time and she gave me a little something later that night. Anytime I see someone mention Eckerd Drug Store I think of Roxanne.

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Drool 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
MaybeACoordinator

MaybeACoordinator 8349

Posted
Posted

Bennigan's is down to 12 US spots, including such Texas garden spots as Borger and Monahans, and Grapevine as the suburban, delivery-only outlier. And another in Matamoros which almost counts....

They do have a few globally, notably in Bahrain, the UAE and Cyprus. Expansion plans take in all the Central American countries except Panama and Costa Rica, so all the ones that are dangerous and/or poor. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Brisketexan

Brisketexan 105123

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

I once heard that fast food places sign very long leases -- like 20 years -- and so some zombie restaurants you see are just operating to avoid breaching those leases. Seems to be the case with all those ever-empty "JCI Grills." Nobody wants to go to James Coney Island for chicken tenders or a burger and hot dog restaurants just can't make it any more. Low end aficionados will just get them off gas station roller grills two for $3 and on the other hand nobody wants to pay $10 for a hot dog, wagyu frank and artisanal bun or not.

YOU SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH.  I still love me some JCI.  Shit, it was a golden era when there was actually one right here on Congress avenue in Austin, between 6th and 7th.  Grew up loving it, still do.  Hell, when our kids were young, one year for my wife's birthday dinner, that's where she ASKED to go.

I do think the "combination" model makes so much sense for the more "niche" fast food locations.  Have a combo hot dog place and chicken place, or whatever -- almost like a mini mall food court sort of thing, that could make them viable.

3 hours ago, bolverk said:

To answer the question above who else might be on the chopping block, I'd nominate Kohl's as a strong candidate.

Treasured story of the Brisket clan.  Many moons ago, I decided I was going to be super helpful with back-to-school shopping, and on "tax free" weekend, I'd take the kids (not the wife, just me) on a well-planned assault on a variety of stores to get what they needed.  I plotted my journey using sales circulars etc.  Kohls actually had multiple items that we needed, so it was one of the first places we hit.  Out of like 12 things I expected to get there.....they were cleaned out, and I got maybe 2.  As we walked back to the car, I apparently muttered my opinion of the establishment audibly.

A couple years later, kids were visiting grandma, and they're driving down Westheimer.  They pass a Kohls.  "Hey grandma, do you ever shop at Kohls?"  "I guess a time or two.  Why?"  "Dad doesn't like Kohls.  Do you know what he says about it?"  "What?" [the kids look at each other, then answer in unison] "FUCKIN' KOHL'S!"

My mom called me right away to share the story and tell me I was busted.

Fuckin' Kohl's.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Haha 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
bolverk

bolverk 29671

Posted
Posted
39 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Bennigan's is down to 12 US spots, including such Texas garden spots as Borger and Monahans, and Grapevine as the suburban, delivery-only outlier. And another in Matamoros which almost counts....

They do have a few globally, notably in Bahrain, the UAE and Cyprus. Expansion plans take in all the Central American countries except Panama and Costa Rica, so all the ones that are dangerous and/or poor. 

 

The craziest thing about the Monahans one is that it just OPENED only 4-5 years ago.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Drool 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...