Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Marshall: shopping centers, farms)

[OzzyRules]

There's a Pizza Inn in San Marcos.

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

Anyone go to any of the other drive-ins in San Antonio?

My family went to the Trail often while I was very young, up until 6-7 yrs old. My younger sister and I were allowed to go unescorted to the snack bar for popcorn and to play on the playground next to the screen. Sometime around 2nd-3rd grade we quit going to the drive-ins and started frequenting the Century South Theater at Military and IH35. Much better sound and air conditioning!

I vaguely recall being taken to a drive-in near Valley High, but only once and dont remember much about it as I was too young and not allowed out of the car at that location. I don't recall enjoying the movie either, but that could have been frustration at not being allowed to run around.

I also used to hit the Judson and Mission Drive-ins When I started dating. Fun while it lasted, sigh. I recall watching "bits and pieces" of the shows at the Lackland in the late 70's as we drove by....it was already XXX fare by then and the lights screen to block the show from gawkers was not 100% effective. There was also a spanish language drivein on Military Drive not far from the New Laredo Hwy intersection that we used to pass, but I dont recall much about it either. I think it was the Loop 13.

[johnrex62]

That was the Trail Drive in. I was heartbroken to see the mural come down when it was demolished. I also hated to see the mural in the old Sear Roebuck on Military Plaza go when that store went. I grew up studing the cattle drovers in the mural over the beauty shop doors while my mom bought all my school clothes.

[OzzyRules]

I remember driving past the Judson theatre and being able to see the screen at night from I-35. Where was it exactly?

[johnrex62]

I remember A Place to Shoot. My father was one of the first homebuilders in Braun Station East and I spent many a summer working there and got to stop by A Place to shoot to get ready for deer season. There was also another rifle range on the SE side of town somewhere near one of the lakes that may have had the same name. I only went there once or twice and just remember how far it was to get too. It closed down before the one off Potranco did.

[johnrex62]

I learned to drive on 410 between Zarzamora and Valley High for the same reason, no traffic. After I got my license and started driving myself to work I would open up on that deserted section near the Van Dewalle farms and put my speedometer around past the 110mph and back up to 40 mph. I always backed off when my windows got sucked out of the frames. I did not want to explain how they got broken. I always wondered how fast I was going, but fortunately there were no cops to tell me.

Back in the mid 70's Braun road was almost a two laner, and there was almost nothing between Braun and Leon Valley except for KBUC, Texas Star Inn and a drivein restaurant that served the best flame broiled hamburgers. That was just down from the Holliday & Associated Century 21 office.

Bandera Road still had the big hills with the 4 traffic lights before you got into Leon Valley proper. My dad had an old Ford that almost could not make it up the hills without a running start. It was bad when he hit the lights wrong and had to push hard to get the momentum back.

Originally Posted by 940

I used to be able to drive on two laned 1604 back in the early 80's and get anywhere pretty quick. There was literally NO traffic at all on 1604 and every major intersection was a four way stop sign. I could leave my parent's house off Potranco..drive up 1604 to Braun Rd...down Braun to Bandera Rd...down Bandera towards Marshall High...and be at school off Eckert and Bandera within 15-20 minutes!! If you saw more than 3 or 4 cars at 6.45 in the morning on the way to school, then something was up..

I also remember Handy Dan..and Handy Andy grocery stores where the closest was off Culebra Rd just north of Potranco. I remember when Piggly Wiggly's were in SA too along with Woolco (a local K*Mart type of store).

[johnrex62]

Anyone remember the Globe store on SW Military? Grocery on one side and department store on the other? They had a roller system to roll your groceries outside and you drove up with a number to claim them. It changed to a Woolco and then Kmart years later.

At the intersection of SW Military and Pleasanton, there was a Harlendale State Bank, Bruners, a Beauty Salon, a robo wash, and some other small businesses I dont recall. They all got replaced with an HEB that soon closed and moved across the street to replace the Sear Store. I also remember Robert Hall's on the south side of the intersection as the second most horrible place to have to shop next to Bruners. My mom could spend months each morning searching through the underwear tables at Bruners and then hours on the rack of clothes at Robert Hall. It could drive a kid insane! Maybe it did, I wont admit anything, nor will I.

There was a Fed-Mart across the street from the South Park Mall location. It had the best deals of any store around at the time. I dont recognize any of that intersection anymore it has changed so much. Of course the rest of SW Military has no resemblence to what it was in the 70s or 80s either. Most of the car lots are gone. the last time I got to drive down the drag I had a hard time finding anything that let me pinpoint where my landmarks used to be.

Wolfe Nursery was near the corner of S Flores and SW Military, now it is part of the Walmart Parking lot.

I remember when Sky Harbor, Indian Creek and Hidden Cove were the new model neighborhoods and were going to bring developer money to the southside. Seems they only brought drug money, such a shame.

I used to visit a small lake off 410 and Commercial as a child. It was near a construction materials dump. My friend and I were shot at by someone in the dump one day and decided it maybe wasnt a great place to play anymore. 20 years later Ballasetal Lake is added to the list of Toxic Waste sites due to the illegal dumping in the constrution material yard. Guess that shooter did us a favor.

[johnrex62]

It was just off 35 and south of Judson Rd. I think there is a Walmart there now. It has been a few years since I have driven in that area.

[googie2525]

Originally Posted by johnrex62

I remember A Place to Shoot. My father was one of the first homebuilders in Braun Station East and I spent many a summer working there and got to stop by A Place to shoot to get ready for deer season. There was also another rifle range on the SE side of town somewhere near one of the lakes that may have had the same name. I only went there once or twice and just remember how far it was to get too. It closed down before the one off Potranco did.

A Place to Shoot is still open, AND it looks like it's currently for sale. I randomly stumbled across the listing while looking to buy another business, but 2.1 million is a bit rich for me. Seems like a profitable biz though.

http://aplacetoshoot.com/

http://www.bizbuysell.com/cgi-bin/ad...ab=eb&q=118232

[Willsatx]

Remember the handy andy on Military drive in front of the old Dillards. It was in shopping center with Sears, Walgreens, and Luby's.