Was where I got my Western Flyer bikes at Western Auto. First the slick aqua girls sting ray with the banana seat and the white wicker basket. Later the awesome 10 speed.
I also go my birthday mini record player there - the one I kept under my bed in the room I shared with Betso. I kept the Jackson 5 LP on it - Stop the Love You Save, ABC - all the good songs. That was a great little unit.
Back then, Betsy was only trusted with a "Close And Play" - a record player that allowed you to slip a special record into a slot and it played with a needle that was like a nail. Downstairs in the play room we had my aunt Jeanie's stereophonic player - that could play either LPs or albums. We had some Disney albums I liked to listen to like "Babes in Toyland". But I digress..
Near the Western Auto was Meyer Music - run by Art Meyer - who was the band director at good 'ol AHS. The store also sold record singles. One time sister Susi asked me to picked up the record 98.6 by Keith. Of course as a snotty lil sis I said "no" so Susi paid my friend Laurie to get it...so I ended up going to Meyer Music anyway!
I already talked about Ben Franklin in my recent Five and Dime blog. JC Penneys was next. Ah visions of my first bra - size flat. The pink box with the kitty on it (WTF) embarrassment for both Mom and me. Tober's Vogue - ladies clothing. Seiferts (not sure of spelling) which got more important as I got older, as they carried young people's clothing and employed HS girls. I think they were in the former Bullock's store - the one my Great Uncle Max ran - a store for older women. The problem with buying stuff there was arriving at school and finding out someone at the next locker was wearing the same outfit!
Fan's Pharmacy was one drugstore we didn't visit much, as we kept Rex busy. Brown's Shoe Fit (or Foo Shit) had a wide variety of styles. Bonneson's were on this side in later years. Fife's had a nice restaurant here when I was ten or twelve. Then Mr. Fife got ill and they had to sell.
As I've said before - it was a simple time, and I got go to most of those stores and purchase something with just a few words - charge it to Dave Bullock. His credit was good in town. I'm sure a few vendors got burned by some people like that. But more often than not, they got their $$. Simple was good.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
I would be remiss
if I went down the left side of downtown Chestnut Street without mentioning Hanke's Jewelry and Fine Gifts. Harold Hanke would positively beam when there was a Bullock wedding!
My Grandmother Nelle Weber Morehead (Mom's Mom) had a penchant for big gaudy jewelry. Maybe because she was a short kinda dumpy (there, I said it - it's okay because she's been gone for 40 years now). She had a ring with four .75 carot diamonds on it - I hear it was might ugly. But I don't remember it.
When Gramma (that's what we called her) passed away Mom put the diamonds from her ring in the lock box for her four daughters, for each of our 21st bdays. Susi of course got hers first - she designed her ring like a cocktail ring. I don't even know what Cindo's looks like?!?
I got mine when I was a junior at ISU. I spent the summer prior searching for just the right design. Suddently - there is was on the front of Cosmo Magazine - my fave read of the summer. I was sure it would make me look just like that sexy model. No, not really, but it was a really great diamond ring that didn't look like an engagement ring.
So Mom sent me to Hanke's to see if they could copy the design. They could, with two platimum wedding bands and a setting. Yee ha. So right before my big bday I headed home to get one of the best presents of my life - my ring from my grandparents, and my parents who sprang for the setting of course. I can't tell you how many comments the ring has gotten through the years. It's not a huge diamond by today's standards - but it looks larger thanks to the setting. I never take it off.
When Pablo the Poolboy and I got married we registered at Hanke's - that was before the days when happy couples got to wander around Target, Home Depot, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond with a scanning gun. So we signed up for stuff like eight full place settings of china, sterling silver (wish I'd never gotten the damn stuff - it tarnishes!), and juice glasses. The week of the wedding the Hankes van could have gotten frequent flyer miles trotting back and forth from the store to 202 Crombie.
Same story different verse when Betso and Doctor Wayne got married. Only she got the very last of the four diamonds - it had a couple flaws, but oh well...and her ring is like mine but gold. Hankes scored big on that wedding too.
My Grandmother Nelle Weber Morehead (Mom's Mom) had a penchant for big gaudy jewelry. Maybe because she was a short kinda dumpy (there, I said it - it's okay because she's been gone for 40 years now). She had a ring with four .75 carot diamonds on it - I hear it was might ugly. But I don't remember it.
When Gramma (that's what we called her) passed away Mom put the diamonds from her ring in the lock box for her four daughters, for each of our 21st bdays. Susi of course got hers first - she designed her ring like a cocktail ring. I don't even know what Cindo's looks like?!?
I got mine when I was a junior at ISU. I spent the summer prior searching for just the right design. Suddently - there is was on the front of Cosmo Magazine - my fave read of the summer. I was sure it would make me look just like that sexy model. No, not really, but it was a really great diamond ring that didn't look like an engagement ring.
So Mom sent me to Hanke's to see if they could copy the design. They could, with two platimum wedding bands and a setting. Yee ha. So right before my big bday I headed home to get one of the best presents of my life - my ring from my grandparents, and my parents who sprang for the setting of course. I can't tell you how many comments the ring has gotten through the years. It's not a huge diamond by today's standards - but it looks larger thanks to the setting. I never take it off.
When Pablo the Poolboy and I got married we registered at Hanke's - that was before the days when happy couples got to wander around Target, Home Depot, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond with a scanning gun. So we signed up for stuff like eight full place settings of china, sterling silver (wish I'd never gotten the damn stuff - it tarnishes!), and juice glasses. The week of the wedding the Hankes van could have gotten frequent flyer miles trotting back and forth from the store to 202 Crombie.
Same story different verse when Betso and Doctor Wayne got married. Only she got the very last of the four diamonds - it had a couple flaws, but oh well...and her ring is like mine but gold. Hankes scored big on that wedding too.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
And on down the street
In Atlantic
Beyond Cook and Caslow there was Howard's Men's Clothing, Robinson Hardware, and The Forum - a nice men's clothing store where Scott Deardorff worked. Next door was Family Shoe? Chris D worked there. And Bowers Bakery - they had delectible cupcakes before they were "IN" like they are today. I might have gotten the order of the stores mixed up - it's been a long time ya know!
I didn't even mention the City Square Park at the top of mainstreet. There is a war monument in the center - we used to like to stop to see it. Our great grandpa, Adnah David's (my Dad's namesake) name was on it. But one of us - don't know who - decided Adnah sounded like a woman's name. So we said Adnah was a nurse. Thus begat the legend.
Okay, back down the street - there wasn't a whole lot of shopping beyond those stores. Albertson's Cleaners was on the next block. Cy Albertson and his wife lived across the street from Momo and Bubba my grandparents. Because Dad was a traveling salesdude, he needed crisply starched shirts. So until we all grew up and Mom took over, Albertsons took care of that. They'd stop by each week, knock on the front door and slip in, calling out "Cleaners" and put the clean shirts in the front closet and take the dirty ones out. Such is small town life!
Beyond Cook and Caslow there was Howard's Men's Clothing, Robinson Hardware, and The Forum - a nice men's clothing store where Scott Deardorff worked. Next door was Family Shoe? Chris D worked there. And Bowers Bakery - they had delectible cupcakes before they were "IN" like they are today. I might have gotten the order of the stores mixed up - it's been a long time ya know!
I didn't even mention the City Square Park at the top of mainstreet. There is a war monument in the center - we used to like to stop to see it. Our great grandpa, Adnah David's (my Dad's namesake) name was on it. But one of us - don't know who - decided Adnah sounded like a woman's name. So we said Adnah was a nurse. Thus begat the legend.
Okay, back down the street - there wasn't a whole lot of shopping beyond those stores. Albertson's Cleaners was on the next block. Cy Albertson and his wife lived across the street from Momo and Bubba my grandparents. Because Dad was a traveling salesdude, he needed crisply starched shirts. So until we all grew up and Mom took over, Albertsons took care of that. They'd stop by each week, knock on the front door and slip in, calling out "Cleaners" and put the clean shirts in the front closet and take the dirty ones out. Such is small town life!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Chestnut Street cont
Quicks Donuts was on Highway 6 out by the Zenith TV place part of the time and was on Chestnut part of the time. They had excellent cake donuts and very cold milk. I seem to recall little malts too.
On down the street was Rex Pharmacy, run by Rex Moorman and his son Kenny. They were good to our family and viceversa. Rex's didn't just carry drugs - no sir! They had a cornucopia of goods - from typing paper to calculators, banks to gifts items like wallets and perfume. When Laurie Reinertson and I were in around 6th grade we discovered they had Playboy magazines, and even though were were not destined to be lesbians we were curious about the female body.
The magazine rack was near the back door of the large store. And near the bathroom we'd frequent while downtown shopping. So several times we snagged the Playboy and checked out the girly pics. I know - decadent!
Next door was Anthony's - formerly known as Bullock's Department Store. Anthony's was a nice, full range store - shopping on 3 floors. Dad and my aunts Marty and Jean owned the building until 1o years ago and we'd go through the display window (cuz my former BF Mike McCauley was the manager of the store) through a secret doorway into the upstairs, which had been covered over by a facade. There was lots of old stuff up there (prolly still is there) like calendars, and dental molds from the nazi torturer (I'm mean dentist) who practiced there.
Across the corner was Dick Bell Insurance - where Tom Clithero and Virginia Deardorff both worked. Cook & Caslow Pharmacy was directly north (yep there were lots of small pharmacies back then) complete with a lunch counter. Aunt Jean took me for my first Green River there! You could get a phosphate! At the pharmacy you could get cinnamon oil from the pharmacist to make your own cinnamon toothpicks.
On down the street was Rex Pharmacy, run by Rex Moorman and his son Kenny. They were good to our family and viceversa. Rex's didn't just carry drugs - no sir! They had a cornucopia of goods - from typing paper to calculators, banks to gifts items like wallets and perfume. When Laurie Reinertson and I were in around 6th grade we discovered they had Playboy magazines, and even though were were not destined to be lesbians we were curious about the female body.
The magazine rack was near the back door of the large store. And near the bathroom we'd frequent while downtown shopping. So several times we snagged the Playboy and checked out the girly pics. I know - decadent!
Next door was Anthony's - formerly known as Bullock's Department Store. Anthony's was a nice, full range store - shopping on 3 floors. Dad and my aunts Marty and Jean owned the building until 1o years ago and we'd go through the display window (cuz my former BF Mike McCauley was the manager of the store) through a secret doorway into the upstairs, which had been covered over by a facade. There was lots of old stuff up there (prolly still is there) like calendars, and dental molds from the nazi torturer (I'm mean dentist) who practiced there.
Across the corner was Dick Bell Insurance - where Tom Clithero and Virginia Deardorff both worked. Cook & Caslow Pharmacy was directly north (yep there were lots of small pharmacies back then) complete with a lunch counter. Aunt Jean took me for my first Green River there! You could get a phosphate! At the pharmacy you could get cinnamon oil from the pharmacist to make your own cinnamon toothpicks.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
More along Chestnut (Main Street) A Town
Now that I started walking down mainstreet with Bonnesons, I thought I'd reminisce about some other stores I remember. First - when I was really little there was a hamburger joint called The Spot on the corner at the top of Chestnut right by the park. The name was pretty accurate, except the word Grease should have gone on the front of the name. We'd pick it up to go, and the back would practically drip with grease.
There was a hair place along that side of the street called the Powder Puff - it was farther north at a smaller joint earlier, but moved up the street later in the years. You may have seen my blog recently about how I don't like my current Woody haircut - it reminded me of my Powder Puff haircuts when sister Cindo, ever the encouraging one, would sing "Helmut Head" to me. Sung to the tune of Baby Face. She was so very kind (thought with sincere sarcasm). Yes, she was the same person that came up with the "Groucho Moucho" song, I believe. We weren't a real musical family (except for the piano lesson/guitar/ukelele thing) but we could come up with songs to ridicule.
There was a hair place along that side of the street called the Powder Puff - it was farther north at a smaller joint earlier, but moved up the street later in the years. You may have seen my blog recently about how I don't like my current Woody haircut - it reminded me of my Powder Puff haircuts when sister Cindo, ever the encouraging one, would sing "Helmut Head" to me. Sung to the tune of Baby Face. She was so very kind (thought with sincere sarcasm). Yes, she was the same person that came up with the "Groucho Moucho" song, I believe. We weren't a real musical family (except for the piano lesson/guitar/ukelele thing) but we could come up with songs to ridicule.
Appetite makes the sauce
Aww - I can't say how much I'll miss Robert B. Parker. I know...I'm being repetitive. I almost want to save some books to read later - except I can't help myself.
I'm presently listening to The Professional - like many of his books, it's pretty short and isn't about much. The best part is his interaction with his paramour, Susan - Shrink with a Harvard doctorate.
The book is about sexual addiction, infidelity and blackmail. Spenser spends a great deal of his time thinking. He also does a lot of pro bono work - hmmm must be independently wealthy. He is very dependent on Susan, and that both reassures and seems to distress him.
He and Susan exchange wonderful playful banter - about their roles, sex and life in general. I enjoy how unseriously they take themselves. At one point, they are discussing the main people in the case - Gary and Beth, who are both huge hose monsters if you get my drift. Yet they don't seem to love anyone but themselves.
Spenser and Susan decide that their lovemaking is better because they love each other. That's when my favorite quote of the book comes out - "appetite makes the sauce". In other words, when you love someone, sex with them is better, just like when you're hungry food tastes better. Apt!
I'm presently listening to The Professional - like many of his books, it's pretty short and isn't about much. The best part is his interaction with his paramour, Susan - Shrink with a Harvard doctorate.
The book is about sexual addiction, infidelity and blackmail. Spenser spends a great deal of his time thinking. He also does a lot of pro bono work - hmmm must be independently wealthy. He is very dependent on Susan, and that both reassures and seems to distress him.
He and Susan exchange wonderful playful banter - about their roles, sex and life in general. I enjoy how unseriously they take themselves. At one point, they are discussing the main people in the case - Gary and Beth, who are both huge hose monsters if you get my drift. Yet they don't seem to love anyone but themselves.
Spenser and Susan decide that their lovemaking is better because they love each other. That's when my favorite quote of the book comes out - "appetite makes the sauce". In other words, when you love someone, sex with them is better, just like when you're hungry food tastes better. Apt!
Monday, March 1, 2010
Bday boy
It's my special fish's birthday today - Paul George Goldsmith, Pisces born March 1, 1958. Yes he's nearly 4 months younger than I am. I wobbed the cwadle. (said with Baily Rodger's Rs for those of you from Creston).
Paul is the youngest of 9 - born when is mother Laura bless her soul, was 43 years old. Can't believe her uterus hadn't already fallen out by then, but she did have a hysterectomy after that. Catholic birth control - allowable. Paul's oldest sis Carol was 18 when he was born and headed out to nursing school shortly after. Growing up, he slept in a bed with 2 of his brothers.
I thank my lucky stars the day I met Paul. Even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't really even think much about him at all - though I thought his friends were hot. He seemed highly organized and hyper about the softball team he put together. Eventually he asked me out - lacking other options at the time, I said yes.
We had a good time - double dating with friends. I didn't think it would ever be any thing that might last. But slowly we became a couple. I've blogged before about how like then turned into love - during my time in Sioux Falls.
We got married in 1982 when we were 24. We've now been married 27+ years - longer than we each were single. Yikes! We've gone through a lot together. Good times and bad. Happy, sad, mad, drunk, sick, joyous, grieving, goofy and on and on.
We can complete each other's sentences and sometimes he says things I'm thinking. Weird. I can't imagine anybody else putting up with me like he does. Well I guess Joan does, but only 3 nights a week. And we're not making decisions together.
I'm a lucky gal - I freely admit it. Paul's bday is a happy day for me!
Paul is the youngest of 9 - born when is mother Laura bless her soul, was 43 years old. Can't believe her uterus hadn't already fallen out by then, but she did have a hysterectomy after that. Catholic birth control - allowable. Paul's oldest sis Carol was 18 when he was born and headed out to nursing school shortly after. Growing up, he slept in a bed with 2 of his brothers.
I thank my lucky stars the day I met Paul. Even though I didn't know it at the time. I didn't really even think much about him at all - though I thought his friends were hot. He seemed highly organized and hyper about the softball team he put together. Eventually he asked me out - lacking other options at the time, I said yes.
We had a good time - double dating with friends. I didn't think it would ever be any thing that might last. But slowly we became a couple. I've blogged before about how like then turned into love - during my time in Sioux Falls.
We got married in 1982 when we were 24. We've now been married 27+ years - longer than we each were single. Yikes! We've gone through a lot together. Good times and bad. Happy, sad, mad, drunk, sick, joyous, grieving, goofy and on and on.
We can complete each other's sentences and sometimes he says things I'm thinking. Weird. I can't imagine anybody else putting up with me like he does. Well I guess Joan does, but only 3 nights a week. And we're not making decisions together.
I'm a lucky gal - I freely admit it. Paul's bday is a happy day for me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)