Denver in the 1960s and 1970s (Memory Lane) (Boulder, Longmont: salon, loft)

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

My older brother told me there was a place on north Federal called Aloha Beach. It would have made Pecos Junction look tame from what I'd heard about it.

We used to live in Sloan's Lake and there was an Aloha Liquor Store on 23rd Ave and Osceola. Do you suppose they could have been related? I thought it an odd name for a liquor store in Denver.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

My older brother told me there was a place on north Federal called Aloha Beach. It would have made Pecos Junction look tame from what I'd heard about it. . .

Denver's Aloha Beach made summertime fun (http://denver.yourhub.com/Denver/Stories/Local-History/Then-Now/Story%7E416172.aspx - broken link)

Most people who grew up in north Denver will remember Aloha Beach, but, for those not from the area or who do not remember, in its day, Aloha Beach was about the coolest way to spend an afternoon of summer vacation for any youth living in the northwest Denver area. . . do not remember the exact address, but I know it was on north Federal around 60 th Avenue on the west side of the road and not too far from the "Scotchman" and "Rocky Mountain Fireworks".

Aloha Beach is a housing development now, of course.

[Sockeye]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

My older brother told me there was a place on north Federal called Aloha Beach. It would have made Pecos Junction look tame from what I'd heard about it.

We used to go to Northwoods Inn when it was across from ACC (Arapahoe Community College?). They served an awesome fillet, about 8 to 10 oz and it would come out on a smoking hot plate. I'd get it a bit rare, cut off a piece and sear it onto the still hot plate! Yum. They had an awesome split-pea soup on Thursday nights.

Has anyone ever heard of or been to the Yum Yum Tree?

Someone mentioned North Glenn Mall, but what about the mall at 84th and just east of I-25? North Valley Mall? How about The Party Place? That's a 3.2 bar I frequented. Some of those places were more 80's nostalgia.

THAT Aloha Beach on north Federal Blvd. I remember! Let's just say it made Shotgun Willie's, aka The Glendale Ballet Club, look like a day care center. The Northwoods Inn was great. So was The Hungry Farmer in Boulder. Some fun local folk bands used to play in the bar there. As Jazz noted, the southeastern portion of Lower Downtown (I despise the expression, coined recently by developers LoDo, which happens to rhyme with an extinct bird) was once Denver's China Town.

[Fastway57]

I just found this site, And you guys really brought up some cool memories. Yes growing up in Bear Valley, My older sisters went to Kennedy HS. The memories of Englewood Speedway on Saturday nite and Frank the Pizza King on Broadway. Makes you wish you could go back.

[DOUBLE H]

Frank the Pizza King! That place is still open and growing strong. Place hasn't change much, if at all. As far as Englewood goes, some businesses that haven't changed at all would be Jerry's Leather Goods, A and A Trading Post, and Sviggles Auto Parts on South Santa Fe Drive (that's either Englewood or Sheridan). Speaking of Sviggles, I believe that is only place of business left after the makeover of Santa Fe Drive. I moved to the Western slope in '93, looking at South Santa Fe Drive from Evans south past Belleview and it looks like everything has changed-and I mean everything except Sviggles.

[AZgarden]

Does anyone remember Hotdog Harold Moore a disc jockey on KHOW in 1973-4? I loved him. My kids were little and I listened to him while they took naps. we lived in Lakewood on W. Girard Pl. New homes by Pulte. It was called Westborough. Took my grown kids back last year. What a dump! Couldn't believe how run down it is. But we only paid $40 thousand for the house then. I got a job at Penneys at Cinderella City and only worked one day. The day the store opened. My kids went to daycare at The Gingerbread House, on Sheridan I think. Wow! Alot of time has past since those days.

[DOUBLE H]

Before Hal Moore went to work for KHOW was was one of the most, maybe the most popular dj's working for 95 KIMN, was with them all through the 60's. Speaking of Penney's at Cinderella City, believe it or not, they had a sizable auto repair shop at the Cinderella City store. down underneath. I had quite a few repairs done by them and they had done a good job.

[_redbird_]

Well, *(cue the rocking chair voice), I am headed to Denver for Uncle Don's 50th college reunion. I asked him what he remembers of Denver.... He graduated from Mercy Hospital in 1958 and from Loretta Heights College in 1969 with a Bachelors in Nursing.

Don remembers....

Walking all the way downtown from Mercy Hospital to May D & F store.

The old Mercy Hospital when it was torn down and the new Mercy Hospital was erected on the same block in 1960 or so.

They held free musical concerts in City Park which actually was across the street from where he lived.

He remembers a bunch of the old bldg.s which are no longer there, like the old service station he used to go to on Colfax and ?, maybe Adams St.

The construction of National Jewish Children's Hospital which is in the area of Colfax and Colorado Blvd., walkable from where he lived.

He used to go see movies at the Bluebird Theater on Colfax and Madison. It was a nice clean neighborhood theater.

He lived on Colfax & Gaylord street which he called "Happy Jesus Street" because in those days, gay did not mean homosexual.

There was an old Pizza Hut he used to go to with other nursing students, can't remember the street.

The very worst sunburn he ever had was Memorial Day in 1955. He and some other nursing students laid out in City Park for 30 minutes by the lake, and he got sunburned so bad, even the soles of his feet were blistered!!!! Don says the sun in the Mile High City did not agree with his Irish heritage.

Don said Denver was just an overgrown cow town.

.... And if you want to go wayyy back. Our other friend moved to Denver in the early 1930's from NE (when his parents went broke in the Depression), remembers having his first leather jacket stolen from their car. It was the first crime he ever heard of.

[Fastway57]

And remembering the Brentwood Shopping Center. The movie theater they had there. And the crusing on Saturday nites. And just east of there was the Evans Drive-in.

[DOUBLE H]

Now that is nostalgia! The drive in theater. To my knowledge the only ones left are the 88th Ave. Drive in east of the Mile High Flea Market east of Commerce City. Cinderella Twin Drive in has apparently been bought, am not sure if they are showing movies there or not.