Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Austin: buy, school)

[940]

Irnag, that neighborhood is called Dreamhill Estates, not Dreamland Oaks..not sure what I was thinking. It's the older area with the larger lots/homes off Babcock just south of Wurbach. It's surrounded by Glenoaks but it's like an island where it's zoned to Marshall while Glenoaks is zoned to Holmes. Oak Hills, north of Callaghan toward Fred. Rd is zoned back to MHS too for some reason. Some of my friends went to Neff and so did my sister even though back then it was so far away from us!

Was the hamburger joint a Whataburger? I can remember a hamburger place but even my Mom was thinking Whataburger. I also remember the Montgomery Wards near the Piccadilly. I remember a K-Bee toy store and a Thom McAnn. I'm guessing the Rhodes Dept store came later.

Northwest Center is coming back to me now. I remember there was a JC Penney's there and a Pancho's Mexican Restaurant. Maybe a Western Auto?
Fredericksburg Rd Drive-In was near there also where we saw many movies. For some strange reason, I remember seeing Clint Eastwood in "The Eiger Sanction" there!

[OzzyRules]

Northwest Center on Fred road is a fascinating building. What did it used to be. There are inner sidewalks and inner areas that make it look like it could have been a public school at one point.

What was it before the flea market in the back took over?

[SA Greed]

The other day I heard a jingle from a company on TV that sounded really familiar. Almost as if they went back to an old jingle from the past. It was an Empire commercial where the jingle was the phone number. “Eight, hundred, five, eight eight, two three hundred, EMPIRE!!!”

Also I noticed on the Arrow apolstery commercial they are using a different older lady. They had lady from a while back do another commercial I want to say around 5 years ago where she says, “I’ve gone back FOUR times haven’t I?” I know she was older but I would hate to think she has passed on.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by SA Greed

The other day I heard a jingle from a company on TV that sounded really familiar. Almost as if they went back to an old jingle from the past. It was an Empire commercial where the jingle was the phone number. “Eight, hundred, five, eight eight, two three hundred, EMPIRE!!!”

Also I noticed on the Arrow apolstery commercial they are using a different older lady. They had lady from a while back do another commercial I want to say around 5 years ago where she says, “I’ve gone back FOUR times haven’t I?” I know she was older but I would hate to think she has passed on.

I just saw a new version from Arrow Upholstery still using that clip with someone's grandmother. She's feisty! I don't know what they are thinking using that commerical, but they flip through a fabric book with a brown and beige and blue country print. I'm in the design biz and I remember that fabric from 15-20 years ago! It looks to me like they are too "thrifty" to update their ads. And the chair that Grannie is in....well...avocado green which is actually having a comeback....only now it's call "olive". Maybe they are thinking that all that old stuff is back in style????

[940]

Originally Posted by SA Greed

The other day I heard a jingle from a company on TV that sounded really familiar. Almost as if they went back to an old jingle from the past. It was an Empire commercial where the jingle was the phone number. “Eight, hundred, five, eight eight, two three hundred, EMPIRE!!!”

Those Empire commercials, and especially that jingle, have been around a very long time. They're aired a lot up here in the DFW area as well. They're originally from Chicago and Empire used to only be in that area. When I lived in Chicago in the early to mid 90's, their commercials had the same basic jingle except they didn't sing "eight hundred" before the phone number since it was a local 312 area code #. They've gone big time now and are nationwide I believe so we now get the commercials here and the jingle has been changed ever so slightly.

[OzzyRules]

The winner for LEAST memorable / corniest jingle would have to go to a North Star Square commercial from 1993 that was shown on late night Fox or KABB. "North Star Square / North Star Square / Come and find what you need at North Star Square." Country style sung by an middle-aged unknown with a thick southern accent. For a strip center behind North Star Mall. I found it recently on an old videocassette of recorded television programs.

[catriona]

Does anyone remember watching old mystery movies on Saturday afternoon? I think they were on KENS-TV. I recall the movies started right after "Scooby Doo" ended. I loved those old Sherlock Holmes and Charlie Chan movies! I think there was a name for this time slot, but I don't recall it.

Also, the FBI would run spots on the news -- like APB's on the latest suspects. I remember someone sitting in front of a FBI shield that hung on the wall, and that they introduced themselves as "Special Agent in Charge, FBI" or some such. Anyone else remember that?

[SA Greed]

5 words,
"Lets go to the Races"

[OzzyRules]

I remember that. Pre-recorded horse races aired once a week for prizes, right?

[irnag]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

Piccadilly cafeteria was on the lower level just inside the entrance closest to the Montgomery Ward service center. I know because practically every Sunday after church my family ate there. It was a drag though because none of the stores were open and that was really the only time we went to that mall.

I believe the entrance to Wards service center was on the back side of the mall, so was Piccadilly accessable from the outside, inside or both? I just cannot remember it. And I don't remember Wards lower level connecting to the rest of the downstairs areas like where Radio Shack was. Mental block or something. Maybe trying to remember the Quadrangle Mall fried something.

940, the burger joint would have been either gone before Whataburger or next to it. I thought it was called Three Bears, but I could be totally off.

wCat, the horrors, I heard that the puky avocado green was coming back and I thought that was a nightmare. I have just been remodelling my house, built in the 70s and have been getting rid of that color.

SA Greed, As far as the Empire commercials. I was exposed to them on the early days of cable when they ran them constantly during Chicago Cub games on WGN.

Catriona, I must have missed those. I remember the Abbott and Costello movies, if that's what you are talking about, but mostly I remember Schoolhouse Rock on ABC. Memorizing the preamble to the Constitution was the easiest thing I had to do in 9th grade history. Just had to sing the ditty softly to myself during the test.