Friday, April 4, 2008

Continuing Everett White's, "You Know You Are From Fort Wayne When"

Everett White - love his list. I started adding my own as a comment and it became too large! Read his list. Add to it.

Here's my additions!

1) You auditioned for Tony Randall when he was in town.

2) You remember shopping at Mr. Wigg's and then Heck's.

3) You remember Glenbrook without the Glenbrook Commons addition.

4) You remember shopping at Ayr-way.

5) You looked forward to the Arch-way factory tour and the cookies you got afterwards.

6) You looked forward to the Key III candies factory tour and the candy you got afterwards.

7) You shopped at Dolly Madison's on Bluffton road and didn't care if the snack cakes were expired - they STILL tasted fantastic!

8) You loved eating subs at KMart.

9) You remember the blue light - not just the blue light specials - at KMart.

10) Grade school was K-thru 6 (I think this changed in 1974).

11) There was "Times Corner" but no Coventry.

12) You remember Gold Mine before it was Tilt and then Mad Anthony's before it was Tilt.

13) You remember when Waynedale was called Waynedale.

14) You liked riding the train at the zoo.

15) You remember when the African Veld was opened.

16) You remember when there was no food and beverage tax.

17) You remember WHY they implemented the food and beverage tax.

18) You remember Anthony Wayne Bank - downtown.

19) You remember Jimmie's Pizza Inn.

20) You had a birthday party at Shakey's Pizza.

21) You remember the Cat's Meow.

22) You remember Mike the Talking Bike.

23) You remember Mr. Yuk.

24) You remember the Freedom Train.

25) You remember Trailways Buses.

26) You remember the City Utilities billboard sign that said, "Fort Wayne, City of Enterprise...Leading Indiana in Economic Growth".

27) You remember Eavey's Market.

28) You remember when Cindy's Diner was called Noah's, Jack's, or Marge's.

29) You remember where Noah's, Jack's, Marge's was located at.

30) You remember when Roger's bought into the Cub Foods concept.

31) You remember when Roger's and Scott's were the two main playa's in town.

32) You remember listening to Bob Siever's on WOWO.

33) You had your picture taken with Santa Clause downtown.

34) You shopped at Nobson's.

35) You shopped at one of the A&P's.

36) You remember the following shopping centers, Time Corners, Park West, Covington Plaza, Colony Center, Casselwood Center, Anthony Wayne Village, Rudisill Center, Del Mart Plaza, Homewood Shopping Center, Statewood Center, East Statewood Center, Georgetown Square, Hazlewood Plaza, North Anthony Center, Maplewood Plaza, Market Place of Canterbury, Riveria Plaza, Washington Square, Pine Valley Mall, White Swan Plaza, Northcrest.

37) You remember being 19, loading up the car, and driving over to Ohio with your friends to buy wine coolers.

38) You remember Rock America.

39) You remember when KISS came to town and how big of a deal that was.

40) You collected beer cans.

41) You would one-up your buddies by finding beer cans made out of steel and not just plain aluminum

42) You remember before it was 21 Alive.

43) You remember Dick Florea.

44) You remember Summit Bank.

45) You remember when One Summit Square didn't exist.

46) You remember K & K Insurance.

47) You remember when people used to crash into the house that was over by Glenbrook (can't remember the intersection name - but people used to go straight - when they were inebriated - instead of turning - and going straight - crashed them into that person's house).

48) You went on a tour of the Old Fort with your class.

49) You remember Peoples Trust Bank.

50) You remember what "The Fort Wayne Story" was (i.e. huge scandal).

51) You remember the Baer Field Thruway.

52) You remember the Zig-Zag Night Club.

53) You remember the block of Columbia Street and Harrison being referred to as "The Landing".

54) You remember how cool it was the first time you saw "The Globe" at the downtown library.

55) You played in the Wildcat League.

56) You were invited to the John Cougar concert as a thank you for helping out with the sandbagging efforts.

57) Someone in your family worked at GE, GTE, Lincoln Life, or International Harvester.

58) You remember Franklin Variety.

59) You know who Lester Grille was.

60) You bought cheese from the Mouse House.

61) You remember the fire at Karen's Kitchen.

62) You remember the slogan, "Hitch to Kitch".

63) You bought goodies from Richard's bakery.

64) You loved eating at Burger Chef because of their works bar.

65) You remember when they first added "drive-through" options to gas stations (i.e. when you could drive up to some guy who sat in a booth, and you could ask for something like bread or milk and pay for it there).

66) You slid down he big red slide and or rode the go-carts behind Scott's on Paulding Road.

67) You rode your bike to Andy's gas station and grocery store.

68) There were paddles used at Fort Wayne Community School.

69) You participated in the YMCA after-school program (i.e., they would come to your elementary school, once a week, pick you up, and take you to the "Y" for swim lessons).

70) You remember the buildings on Wells Street that were the "old orphanage" - before the YMCA took them over.

71) You remember people coming to your elementary school and showing you that a tablespoon of jelly equaled the amount of sugar you could fit into one of those gerber baby food jars.

72) Dr. Ingleman was your orthodontist and his only office was on Tillman Road.

73) You remember that WPTA had a theme song they used to run as commercials called, "Still the One" (sung by the group - Orleans).

74) You remember Joselyn Steel.

75) You remember when the Wells Street Bridge was one step away from falling apart and was scary to walk across.

76) You remember Wayne Candies and what Wayne Buns were (and also - all of the different varieties of them).

77) You got your senior class picture taken at Watters Studio.

78) You remember when Dean Pantazi had hair :) and when Paul Helmke had black - not grey hair.

79) You remember when the Botanical Gardens didn't exist.

80) You went with your class to Fox Island.

81) You went with your church group to King's Island and/or Cedar Point.

82) You were a caddy at the Orchard Ridge Country Club.

83) Queen of Angels girls basketball team was the team to beat.

84) You knew what Stillman's Department store was.

85) You remember Falstaff's Brewery and when it closed.

86) You ate at Papa Suzetti's.

87) You had milk delivered to your house by some guy in a truck from Allen Dairy (ours was named FRANK).

88) You remember eating at Godfather's Pizza.

89) You went with your mom when she redeemed her S & H Green Stamps.

90) You remember the Greyhound Bus Station on Jefferson - when it was in use (and not "abandoned").

91) When working at Lincoln Life meant that you got off at noon on Friday.

92) You remember Joanne Lantz, Mike Downs, Jack Ulmer, and Phil Kennell


* More to come as I think of them...

33 comments:

Kirkwood Park Neighborhood Association said...

Jack and Jill Amusement Park!

Anonymous said...

YOu remember Heinie's Fish Market before it burned down.
You shopped at Mahloley's Grocery Store....

Jon Olinger said...

Before it was Ayr-Way it was Kings...

and Joanne Lantz is still around.... great Lady..

Anonymous said...

remember the mural that was on the building that was where Summit Square is with the windows that were painted on there. It was the intersection of Northrop and Edgewood where the cars always crashed into the house.

Kristina said...

Yes! That's the place (where the car crashes occurred). Thank you!!!

Anonymous said...

To correct Jon

Kings was where Scott's was on North Clinton. King's closed in 82 and Scotts expanding that year building the first "Big" grocery store in town.
Ayr-Way was the original discount area for L.S. Ayres and was eventually purchased by Target. For many years it was referred to as AyrWay-Target(locally) before dropping the Ayr-Way part of the name.

daron

Anonymous said...

Kristina,
Number 86 really caught my eye considering I LITERALLY grew up there. It was my family that owned Papa Suzetti's.

Once in a while I'll google the name and that's how I came across this. It's really good to know that our family restaurant effected so many other people.

I live in Phoenix now, but the rest of my family still lives in Fort Wayne. I usually get back there once a year. One of our waitresses still makes the sauce mix for the Suzetti sauce and sells it in Fort Wayne.

If there are any items you'd like to try, let me know and I'll have the recipe for you.

Email address--> mike_8_22_88@yahoo.com

I showed this list to my family and they got a good kick out of it. Especially my mother who has been in Fort Wayne all her life.

Mike

WYA! said...

Oh my gosh. I just stumbled on your blog and you had me at the ayr-way logo at the top. I grew up on the south side of FW in the 70s and 80s and shopped Mr. Wiggs and Ayr-Way and Southtown when it was cool. I just got back from spending Mother's Day weekend there and at least you can still smell the bread and watch the slices fall on the sign on top of Perfection Bakery.

WYA! said...

- you enjoyed "kiddie cocktails" at McKinnie Tap
- you were awed by the HUGE ladies room at the Quimby with the big entryroom of mirrors with chairs
- you shopped at Kerns on North Anthony (not sure about spelling-was a toy and bike store)
- At Christmas, you pored over the Tepe's catalog to make your list (and remember the Tepe's building looking like something out of the Flintstones)

LenaP23 said...

You shopped at South Town Mall.

rehillini said...

Remember Bill Knappe's and their free Cakes on your birthday? Our daughter just bought us a Knappe's Celebration Cake from our Walmart in Urbana Illinois! Did not know they still existed!

Unknown said...

You remember the "Luck Steer" from the Lucky Steer restaurant and when it got parked on the Wayne High School campus as a senior prank!

Steve Kline

Unknown said...

Mike W.
My Mother and Stepfather started the predecessor to
Papa Suzetti, called the Spaghetti Bowl in 1965.
So you can still get the sauce?

Bill .

Unknown said...

Mike W.
My Mother and Stepfather started the predecessor to
Papa Suzetti, called the Spaghetti Bowl in 1965.
So you can still get the sauce?

Bill .

Unknown said...

Does anyone remember 'Whites Mansion,' what it looked like, where it was, and the facts and legends about it?

Anonymous said...

found this link on facebook, Man you have done alot of work! THanks for the memories and Thanks for your blog with it I found Papa's Spaghetti sauce and had it on my 25th Wedding anniversary Thanks to Mike and the Family! what a treat!
Love you all!!!Kathi Brill 76 Gard Northrup HS

Anonymous said...

Lincolndale and Hillcrest drive-ins...Wolf and Desshauer dept. store and Murphy's...Central and Central Catholic High schools...Azar's North and Azar's South and the drag racing circuit running between them every Friday and Saturday night...

Santa Fe, NM Roger said...

Wow! What an enjoyable Saturday night trip down Memory Lane! I grew up on the south side of Fort Wayne & wouldn't trade those experiences for anything!

Regarding "White's Mansion," I not only remember it, but toured it when I was in the 7th grade at Ben Geyer in 1963. It still had its plate glass windows intact. There were ramps on the outside & I think what we figured was going to be an elevator with the shaft already there. It was 2 stories high & had a basement, too. It was either white concrete or stucco.

It was located off of South Hanna near Decatur Road, sort of behind & north a few blocks, or so,of what was or would become "Wiggs."

The rumors we heard in those days was that someone was building it, who was wheelchair bound; but they died before it was completed. Not sure if that part was true, but it was pretty spooky to us 12 year olds clandestinely exploring it on a Saturday afternoon!

Does anyone remember "Leonetti's Grocery Store?" It was also off of Hanna St. between Pettit & Old Decatur Road. Mr. & Mrs. Leonetti were super nice folks to us goofy little kids from the "Mount Vernon Park" neighborhood.

I grew up on Spatz Avenue between Sherwood Terrace & Maple Grove. I still have my coin changer from my News-Sentinel paper route from those days. It comes in handy at toll roads. LOL I can remember delivering papers in 22 below zero weather (actual, not windchill!)& I stuck my gloved hands between the still warm papers in both bags over each shoulder to keep them warm! Yikes!

Somewhere I still have a postcard from the Grand Opening of Eaveys, which was then billed as "The Largest Supermarket in the World!!!" I think it opened in the late 1950's. I can still picture that big Cornucopia with fruit & veggies spilling out of it.

Thanks for a great blog Kristina.

Santa Fe Roger

Anonymous said...

How about when the Holiday Theater was 2 theaters and the bigger one (where we went to see Star Wars) had a baby room.

Unknown said...

You remember Boiler Jacks Resturant on North Clinton next to Lebamoff liquors.Jay Gould and Bob Sievers would buy is kids breakfast when we were waiting for the bus.

Unknown said...

Krees Skating rink and Reliable Hardware.

Unknown said...

When Jay Walker was a DJ for WLYV. I used to pull records for the programs there in 1967. The Swinging Gate was owned by Stu.

Unknown said...

The Indian Mound at the St Vincent orphanage.

Steve Mensch said...

I could have lived on Spaghetti Bowl spaghetti! Ate there a few times but mostly carryout cardboard tubs. Family favorite in the 60's.

Kelly Troxell said...

My parents and I spent many a night at Baskin Robbins at Rudisill and Calhoun, on the bench that used to sit right on the corner.

Unknown said...

Brooks BBQ Ribs on Winter,Best in town for sure.

Unknown said...

Kings stores were Millers before Kings Ayre Way was a different line.

Unknown said...

Remember playing on the Engine at Swienny (SP) homestead before it was relocated

Unknown said...

https://www.facebook.com/Great-Memories-and-History-of-Fort-Wayne-Indiana-123176641036150/

Mike said...

There was a Spaghetti Bowl oin Goshen Rd in the late 80s early 90s. Does anybody know off this was owned by the original spaghetti bowl family?

Unknown said...

Remember "Disco Harry" in the 80s?! HA!HA! He was everywhere, no matter where you went. We'd see him at the 3-Rivers Festival, Freimann Square at the "free concerts", etc..He always wore those crazy clothes and hats that would light up?

When we were in grade school, in the mid 70s, we'd go to Keltches & Woolworth's, up at West State Plaza, and "Clyde" would be up there walking around asking for nickels or spare change! (He was an older man -- I'm not sure, but he may have had ahlzeimers or was slow??) He would say "Clyde is a Good Scout" can I have a nickel, etc..?" So funny! He was a regular there!

Do you remember "Electric Circus" on State St?! (PacMan, Pinball machines, etc)

So many good memories of Ft. Wayne! If I sit long enough and can come up with so many more! HA!HA!

Unknown said...

I believe it would be the same. There was also a Spaghetti Bowl that we went to fir carry out across from Georgetown.

Unknown said...

I worked at Spaghetti Bowl back in the 70's. I have fond memories of the owners (Ted and Wilma?). Very nice people who provided me my first job. I loved the food and the work. Tough working there while making weight for High School wrestling.