Name Brands that disappeared

[Rudy Rutabaga 8,245]

On 12/1/2022 at 11:20 AM, 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...

Ronald Reagan spreading the word up there?

[Brisketexan 105,617]

Handy Andy – that was the hardware store of choice in SW Houston in the 70s.  Maybe head up the road for some groceries at Wiengartens.

Builder’s Square – the current Travis County annex (where you go register your vehicle, process passports, etc.) on Lamar used to be a BS. 

Montgomery Ward was absolutely “Monkey Wards” in my family.

Shoney’s – there used to be one on Seawall Blvd. in Galveston.  One time, after a morning of fishing the flounder run in San Luis Pass, our crew was damn hungry, kinda cold, and looking for sustenance.  We headed up the road till we saw Shoney’s.  6 of us piled in, drank lots of coffee, and consumed lots of breakfast food.  All while wearing camo neoprene waders.  Didn’t even bother to take ‘em off.  And nobody there even blinked.

Lone Star Café – to have had the brand they did…..their CFS was an embarrassment.  Frozen, prebreaded shit.

Took more than a few dates to Pizza Nizza.  My wife was quite sad when it closed.  Same with Spaghetti Western, down S. First.  And if you liked Good Eats, go to Hoover’s – Hoover Alexander was the chef behind a lot of the grub at Good Eats (see that Judge already made that point).  Also, wasn’t there a Good Eats in Dallas, in the W. End a million years ago?  I seem to recall being dropped off there one Sunday morning by some girls we probably shouldn’t have gone home with the night before…..had to call a buddy collect from the payphone outside to come get us, we were that broke.

If you didn’t have some of your best times with a pocketful of quarters at the Gold Mine, you never truly lived.

Man, I'm a nostalgic mofo right now.

 

[Deej 77,208]

12 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Builder’s Square – the current Travis County annex (where you go register your vehicle, process passports, etc.) on Lamar used to be a BS

You mean Airport, not Lamar?

[Brisketexan 105,617]

You mean Airport, not Lamar?

Yeah. My bad

[hookem48 4,718]

10 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Gindler's Department Store. It was a small chain in Hallettsville, Yoakum, Weimar, Smithville and a few others. 

Every small town also had a Western Auto. You could buy everything from tires to guns.

worked at Western Auto in high school 1980 in my small hometown. I must have put together 300 fucking bicycles/tricycles, toys for Christmas. Sold appliances, delivered/installed them, worked on small engine shit, sharpened chainsaw blades, swapped batteries out of cars. Hell I learned a lot working there.  We also had a White's Auto that was basically the same thing as far as I remember, they had already closed by then.

[Snake Diggity 4,628]

Places I used to go: RadioShack, Blockbuster, Hastings, Camelot Music, Tower Records, Bennigans, Black Eyed  Pea, Furr’s Cafeteria, Luby’s, Jarman Shoes, Foleys, Montgomery Wards, Chelsea Street Pub, Corn Dog 7, Gold Mine arcade, Tilt arcade, Handy Andy, Bag-And-Save, K-Mart, Woolworth’s, Sears, Dunlap’s, Weiner’s, Bealls

My parents always talk about Burger Chef and Hamburgers By Gourmet.

Edited December 3, 2022 by Snake Diggity

[tbone_ 14,293]

It was a Golden Time when both Norm and Randy Galloway were on the airwaves.

This

[tbone_ 14,293]

worked at Western Auto in high school 1980 in my small hometown. I must have put together 300 fucking bicycles/tricycles, toys for Christmas. Sold appliances, delivered/installed them, worked on small engine shit, sharpened chainsaw blades, swapped batteries out of cars. Hell I learned a lot working there.  We also had a White's Auto that was basically the same thing as far as I remember, they had already closed by then.

I worked at White’s in hs one summer.

1st 40hr wk job. Bought a 1985 Les Paul Custom with my earnings that summer.

[Player 4,578]

[DixonHur 11,619]

[NeverMarryAStripper 22,033]

[Loop 1604 227]

[atomheartbevo 90,085]

10 minutes ago, Loop 1604 said:

[usmc0331horn 968]

 

 

 

[DixonHur 11,619]

For the 80's kids...

[CooterBrown 18,098]

[Axle Hongsnort 208]

Kinko’s

[Deej 77,208]

[atomheartbevo 90,085]

 

[Jkwellborn 6,892]

 
Just 2 locations in Houma and Laurel.
 
Corn dogs and fries were great. 

You sure about this one?

[956 Worldwide 34,966]

On 12/1/2022 at 10:08 PM, Brisketexan said:

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

The Monte Cristo sandwich was a thing of beauty.  They should have just spun off a sandwich and salad stand type place with that as the feature. 

[956 Worldwide 34,966]

On 12/1/2022 at 6:20 PM, YGIFS said:

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.  

GM kept Buick because they were (maybe still are) unbelievably popular in China. 

[tx 3 putt 77,951]

On 12/2/2022 at 7:25 PM, hookem48 said:

worked at Western Auto in high school 1980 in my small hometown. I must have put together 300 fucking bicycles/tricycles, toys for Christmas. Sold appliances, delivered/installed them, worked on small engine shit, sharpened chainsaw blades, swapped batteries out of cars. Hell I learned a lot working there.  We also had a White's Auto that was basically the same thing as far as I remember, they had already closed by then.

good friend of mine, his parents owned a western auto in NC by camp Lejune. They made a fortune on their western Union business. 

[Stunns38 3,712]

Wasn’t the Sam’s Club down at Mopac and 71 a Builder’s Square back in the 90s?

I think so but I’m pretty sure the Fry’s electronics building on Parmer and Mopac used to be one as well.

[Stunns38 3,712]

Anyone remember Bombay Bicycle club on 35 and 290 in Austin?
Dominick’s grocery in the chicago area.

[Parliament 14,386]

[utee94 15,891]

1 hour ago, Stunns38 said:

I think so but I’m pretty sure the Fry’s electronics building on Parmer and Mopac used to be one as well.

Yeah, I think you're right about it being a Builder's Square.

I also vaguely recall it being some kind of discount store at one point, sort of like an early Big Lots, where they bought large lots of cheap stuff from China, and sold it retail.  I went there a few times in college to buy random stuff like storage bins and plastic coat hangers (no wire hangers!).  

 

[Jerry Callo 8,832]

1 hour ago, Parliament said:

 

 

My favorite auto commercial from the same period.

 

 

/end nostalgic commercial diversion.

[RPM 26,431]

I used to own one of those mid-brand pickups. It was a badass little truck.

[Bigbend1812 12,968]

9 hours ago, Jkwellborn said:

You sure about this one?

[Jkwellborn 6,892]

I wonder if there are two places called that then. Pretty sure there’s one in the Longview mall. Unless they renamed it to to Cousins.

[Texzilla58 4,745]

Stuckey's

Stephanie Stuckey, granddaughter of the founder, bought the collapsing company a few years back and has done a good job revitalizing their candy and pecan business and starting to revitalize the several roadside shops. There is one on i35 just south of Ardmore OK.

[Texzilla58 4,745]

Peaches Records

Incredible Universe

Cox’s

Stripling’s

Casa Bonita (the one in Colorado still exists)

McDuff

Video Concepts

Campo

Highland Appliance

Minyards

Triumph

MG

[KaiserSoze 998]

21 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

 

 

Good news- Tiddies still exits. I ordered a pair ~10 years ago and they are just as I remembered from the early 80s

 

https://tiddiesshack.com/

Edited December 4, 2022 by KaiserSoze

[Axle Hongsnort 208]

vulcan video

[Underdog 28,879]

Wasn't bowl game in SA called the Builders Square Bowl or they were an early sponsor? 

[billfromlaketravis 11,623]

Was Steak and Ale good? I drove by the location on 34th and 290 in Houston a couple times a month for a decade and never popped in. I can’t recall eating there in my entire lifetime. 

[Brisketexan 105,617]

Just now, billfromlaketravis said:

Was Steak and Ale good? I drove by the location on 34th and 290 in Houston a couple times a month for a decade and never popped in. I can’t recall eating there in my entire lifetime. 

As a kid, it was our "fancy dinner out" place. They had a steak called the Kensington club....some sort of strip or something, marinated in pineapple juice probably.  Had a touch of sweetness, I thought it was amazing.  And a great salad bar where you could also load up your baked potato.

IIRC, that's where our big group went after my high school graduation.

[Underdog 28,879]

Fine dining growing up in the 70s, we liked the one up on Anderson Ln, salad bar and Hawaiian chicken w/rice. 

[TheStoicPaisano 9,940]

Bakers Square was about a half-step up from Shoney’s, but similar numbers of nonadventurous bluehairs. I do miss the French silk pie.

[YGIFS 19,453]

10 minutes ago, TheStoicPaisano said:

Bakers Square was about a half-step up from Shoney’s, but similar numbers of nonadventurous bluehairs. I do miss the French silk pie.

Same franchise but they were called "Pop 'n Fresh" in Illinois growing up.  It was a kind of mid-to-above mid level treat we'd get for behaving in church or after the conclusion of a sports season, etc.  Not really anything comparable in Texas I can think of.  Was a step above an iHOP or Cracker Barrel, but also wasn't so much a breakfast place either.  I can still hear that rotating refrigerated case on a quiet night.  

[texasdago 7,593]

 

 

[tbone_ 14,293]

Evinrude

[YGIFS 19,453]

3 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Evinrude

That 'Rude brand missed the motoboatin' trend by just a few years.  Poor bastards.

[956 Worldwide 34,966]

15 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

As a kid, it was our "fancy dinner out" place. They had a steak called the Kensington club....some sort of strip or something, marinated in pineapple juice probably.  Had a touch of sweetness, I thought it was amazing.  And a great salad bar where you could also load up your baked potato.

IIRC, that's where our big group went after my high school graduation.

Not a brand, but the decline of salad bars in general sucks.  I really liked them. Jason’s Deli is really the only place left I can think of that you are sure to get a good one. 
 

Pizza Hut had a solid salad bar, too. 

[Brisketexan 105,617]

12 minutes ago, 956 Worldwide said:

Not a brand, but the decline of salad bars in general sucks.  I really liked them. Jason’s Deli is really the only place left I can think of that you are sure to get a good one. 
 

Pizza Hut had a solid salad bar, too. 

Love the Jason's salad bar.

Anyone remember the Wendy's "Super Bar" that came out in the mid-80s?  When it first opened, my buddies and I went there for off-campus lunch in high school, to load up on salad, soup, and baked potatoes for like $4.  One my dipshit friends makes a giant salad, sits down, starts eating it, and comments "man....this salad dressing tastes funny."   We all look at his plate and then him, all of us silent, till one of us finally sighs "that's chocolate pudding, dumbass."

He was not a bright dude.

[YGIFS 19,453]

Good point.  I miss the Jason’s deli by our house.  Great salad bar for the money.  Plus extra pickles!  It was replaced by a fast casual joint that’s really good, but insanely expensive-Flower Child.  Salads are $12 before protein.  So $20 all in with tax.  
 

the restaurant inside DKR has a really good weekday salad and soup bar for a fair price.  
 

are sizzler’s still around?  They had, what seemed like as a kid, a great salad bar value for my single mom of three hungry kids.  

[smuggs 9,354]

The salad bar GOAT.

 

 

 

[956 Worldwide 34,966]

5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Love the Jason's salad bar.

Anyone remember the Wendy's "Super Bar" that came out in the mid-80s?  When it first opened, my buddies and I went there for off-campus lunch in high school, to load up on salad, soup, and baked potatoes for like $4.  One my dipshit friends makes a giant salad, sits down, starts eating it, and comments "man....this salad dressing tastes funny."   We all look at his plate and then him, all of us silent, till one of us finally sighs "that's chocolate pudding, dumbass."

He was not a bright dude.

Yep. Liked it, too. The one thing about salad bars, I get neurotic if ingredients get mixed. The worst is when someone splashes french dressing into something else because it’s so obvious. It just reminds me of all the filthy, sloppy people who pick over the salad bar. Jason’s is well maintained. 
 

Similar thing except I got extremely drunk at a party following a team building thing in Yankee- land. At the hotel the next morning I spooned a bunch of gravy from a chafing dish onto my biscuits (they were next to each other). Sat down, ate one whole biscuit and announced to the table that it was the worst gravy I’d ever had. 
 

“That’s oatmeal.” 

[Brisketexan 105,617]

2 minutes ago, smuggs said:

The salad bar GOAT.

 

 

 

There's still one in Ft. Stockton.  It's where anyone who's anyone goes to see and be seen.  And no, I'm not kidding.  Hit there for dinner one night when we were there for work, and my colleague was shaking hands with everyone, people were wandering from table to table talking business.  Was the damndest thing.

As for the demise of the salad bar, particularly Pizza Hut, that MAY be to blame for the recent "kale craze."  Sat next to a gal on a flight a few years ago who is a food marketer.  As we were tossing back cocktails, she explained that for many years, the largest buyer of kale was Pizza Hut -- remember how  they had leaves of it out as garnish, covering the ice between the containers of dressing and fixings?  Well, their usage dropped way off -- so the kale growers had to market to new sources, so now they've got us all eating salads with kale in them.