Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Fort Worth: county, famous)

[Sweetie Pie]

Yummo!!! John L's!!! I ate lunch there almost every week from 1975 to 1979! Worked All-Coin Equip. Co., at Alamo & Flores behind an Army/Navy store, and across the street from the big Salvation Army.

[RGJ]

Originally Posted by Sweetie Pie

Yummo!!! John L's!!! I ate lunch there almost every week from 1975 to 1979! Worked All-Coin Equip. Co., at Alamo & Flores behind an Army/Navy store, and across the street from the big Salvation Army.

I remember All-Coin. Back in the early to mid 70's, I used to purchase parts for my foosball table there. And one of the guys that worked there with red hair used to always maintain the equipment and pick up the money from Two Bits foosball place on Goliad Rd.

[Sweetie Pie]

Originally Posted by RGJ

I remember All-Coin. Back in the early to mid 70's, I used to purchase parts for my foosball table there. And one of the guys that worked there with red hair used to always maintain the equipment and pick up the money from Two Bits foosball place on Goliad Rd.

How funny, that was David D.

[BudB]

Originally Posted by RGJ

... from Two Bits foosball place on Goliad Rd.

Your mention of the Goliad Road foosball place reminded me of a couple other sites on the old thoroughfare. They were dedicated to slot car racing which became so popular in the late '60s. There were at least two of them on Goliad Rd. one near Southcross across from the bowling alley the other at the historic old road's beginning at Fair/Gevers Ave.; there were many others all over SA. And now that reminds me of the old go-kart tracks too. We always went to the one in the boonies way out off Perrin-Beitel or O'Connor back when it was still mostly wilderness out there. Hope I haven't gotten us onto another boys only trip.

[RGJ]

I remember both of those slot car places. The one at the Fair/Gevers building was run by a friend of our family. Julio I think his name was. Anyways, that building also had(at one time) a "real" shoe repair store and Ruth Ellis dance Studio, Haircut place (Mr. Best and Eddie from Eddies now further up the road near Pecan Valley)among others......

[SATX56]

I remember the slot car tracks at Fair and Gevers in the old strip Bldg. Driver's license place right behind it on Gevers. We had a big Slot car place on South Flores. First in the old Deloit's Pool Hall Bldg. Which was the Harlandale Apts and now after remodeling is once again named the Harlandale Apts. Located at Southcross and Flores. Later moved to Flores between Huff ave. and Pyron ave. It was run by an older gentleman who always carried a briefcase. Tall and slender you'd see him getting on and off City buses.
..Bud or SP , John L's sounds familiar, whereabouts on Zarzamora is/was it located??

[SATX56]

They used to have the race track for Go karts or whatever they're called at Commanche Park. There was a Go kart track near Somerset Road off Military drive next to the old Lackland Drive in! Way back...

[BudB]

..Bud or SP , John L's sounds familiar, whereabouts on Zarzamora is/was it located??[/quote]

Well once again my memory was unreliable as John L's was at 715 Nogalitos and W. Zavalla St. The building is now home to Taqueria Los Potrillos‎ and probably serving good Tex-Mex. John Leung and wife Dora began John L's a little bit after WW II as a grocery store. Over the years they became better known for Dora's homemade chili & tamales and John's sandwiches made back in the meat market part of the store. It got to be where they sold more lunch plates and sandwiches than groceries so they closed for a month, remodeled the place then reopened as John L's Cafe. Sadly John passed away in 1996 following a heart attack but Dora and John jr. kept the eatery going. It was a very busy place known best for Dora's many fine recipes offered in a cafeteria style line from the 1960s thru the '90s until 2002. They offered everything from chop suey, tomato pepper beef, shrimp with lobster sauce, and moo gai pan to chicken fried steak, or Hungarian Goulash but on Fridays naturally it was always friend catfish and shrimp. The enchiladas and tamales remained a standard too. This went on until late 2002 when Dora finally retired and sold the property. Her homemade pies also had become almost a legend as well so John L's was very much missed when the doors finally closed.

[SATX56]

Well once again my memory was unreliable as John L's was at 715 Nogalitos and W. Zavalla St. The building is now home to Taqueria Los Potrillos‎ and probably serving good Tex-Mex. John Leung and wife Dora began John L's a little bit after WW II as a grocery store. Over the years they became better known for Dora's homemade chili & tamales and John's sandwiches made back in the meat market part of the store. It got to be where they sold more lunch plates and sandwiches than groceries so they closed for a month, remodeled the place then reopened as John L's Cafe. Sadly John passed away in 1996 following a heart attack but Dora and John jr. kept the eatery going. It was a very busy place known best for Dora's many fine recipes offered in a cafeteria style line from the 1960s thru the '90s until 2002. They offered everything from chop suey, tomato pepper beef, shrimp with lobster sauce, and moo gai pan to chicken fried steak, or Hungarian Goulash but on Fridays naturally it was always friend catfish and shrimp. The enchiladas and tamales remained a standard too. This went on until late 2002 when Dora finally retired and sold the property. Her homemade pies also had become almost a legend as well so John L's was very much missed when the doors finally closed.

Thanks Bud!! Great photos! So this is the place you or someone else were speaking of a while back. It's behind the old Dacbert Music Center I think it was. Maybe a couple blks south across from the Handy Andy or HEB...Don't really think I've ever eaten there. I'm sure to have pasted it plenty times though. Sad to hear John L passed on.
Taqueria Los Potrillos, San Antonio, TX : Reviews and maps - Yahoo! Local

[gy2020]

I was going through an album my mom has been collecting for years. I found a page from the Express-News in 1984, showing SA as it was in 1983. Here is a standout:

THE TRICK WAS NOT BEING ON THERESA'S LIST!

Former San Antonio madam Theresa Brown successfully negotiated for an appearance on F. Lee Bailey's syndicated "Lie Detector" TV show to prove the authenticity of her trick list of prominent Johns who had occassioned her brothel. To "avoid conflict," producer Tom Cole said he first checked the list for Bailey's name. Why take chances? After all, Cole said, the noted defense attorney had been in San Antonio to take flying instructions about the same time police raided the infamous North Side bordello.