Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Victoria: sales, prefab)

[GWhopper]

Okay this last one is for GY2020. He set up a page for me to post historical research on his theater site, but I've been too busy to contribute to it. I stumbled upon these articles on the Colonies North Theater today. This is the theater in the neighborhood I grew up in. I remember seeing the "Last Flight of Noah's Ark" and "Return to Boogy Creek" there.

Interesting, I never knew they did live shows there, too.

[RGJ]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

Willsatx,
Thought you might enjoy this. Did a little snooping in the Newspaper Archives and found this tidbit. I remember the Pioneer House, it lasted there for a long time. I don't remember where the Cedric's Fish and Chips was. I don't remember the Nature's Way Health food store, I alway thought it was always PEN Foods. Do you remember differently? Maybe they changed the name or got bought out before the mall was finished being constructed.

I'm fairly certain it was Pen Foods. I think I actually shopped there a couple of times. If I recall correctly, there was a lot of excitement about a new grocery store in town(instead of HEB or Handy Andy). I think Pen Foods was a specialty market, but I'm not sure what they specialized in .....

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by RGJ

I'm fairly certain it was Pen Foods. I think I actually shopped there a couple of times. If I recall correctly, there was a lot of excitement about a new grocery store in town(instead of HEB or Handy Andy). I think Pen Foods was a specialty market, but I'm not sure what they specialized in .....

This is from an ad from a Texas Monthly from 1989.

"Pen Foods: Upscale retail supermarket with exceptionally large fine wine selection, large delicatessen, in-store "scratch" bakery, Fresh seafood and and USDA prime beef 8101 Callaghan San Antonio"

Apparrently, it wasn't a chain from another city but was a local store. In fact, it looks like this wasn't their first location, I found a help wanted ad for Pen Foods from 1977 which listed the location as 607 Briar Oak, 78216. The ad starts "This new 30,000 sq. ft. supermarket will open soon in Northwest San Antonio"

What's funny about the ad is that one of the positions mentioned is Bakery Supervisor. In order to get the job the ad says "We will have a frozen produce bake-off".

I don't know what a "frozen produce bake-off" is, but it sounds like getting a job there was a little like competing on Top Chef.

[SATX56]

Pen Foods was locally owned I think. Just north of I-10 on Callaghan was like a health foods or natural foods specialty Market. Went there 2 or 3 times over the years. We frequented Colonies North in early 80's.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

This is from an ad from a Texas Monthly from 1989.

"Pen Foods: Upscale retail supermarket with exceptionally large fine wine selection, large delicatessen, in-store "scratch" bakery, Fresh seafood and and USDA prime beef 8101 Callaghan San Antonio"

Apparrently, it wasn't a chain from another city but was a local store. In fact, it looks like this wasn't their first location, I found a help wanted ad for Pen Foods from 1977 which listed the location as 607 Briar Oak, 78216. The ad starts "This new 30,000 sq. ft. supermarket will open soon in Northwest San Antonio"

According to directories from that era, the Briar Oak address was the residence of Norman Pentecost, the founder of Pen Foods.

I'm not aware of Pen Foods being located anywhere other than the Grandview Shopping Center at Callaghan & I10. That store became a Handy-Andy after Pen Foods closed, and then later the Sun Harvest store that was next to Kmart on Fredericksburg Rd. relocated there.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by ged_782

According to directories from that era, the Briar Oak address was the residence of Norman Pentecost, the founder of Pen Foods.

I'm not aware of Pen Foods being located anywhere other than the Grandview Shopping Center at Callaghan & I10. That store became a Handy-Andy after Pen Foods closed, and then later the Sun Harvest store that was next to Kmart on Fredericksburg Rd. relocated there.

There you go!! Great job!

[RGJ]

For some reason, I'm thinking that Nelson Wolfe and his family(Sun Harvest) had something to do with Pen Foods, maybe because they took over the space at a later date..or maybe they backed or helped Mr. Pentecost...I'm not sure

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by GWhopper

Willsatx,
Thought you might enjoy this. Did a little snooping in the Newspaper Archives and found this tidbit. I remember the Pioneer House, it lasted there for a long time. I don't remember where the Cedric's Fish and Chips was. I don't remember the Nature's Way Health food store, I alway thought it was always PEN Foods. Do you remember differently? Maybe they changed the name or got bought out before the mall was finished being constructed.

GW you are awesome like the pic, I am not sure when it became Penn Foods. I think Cedrics was where Capparelli's was, and i think after Cedrics it was Ninfa's.

[RGJ]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

GW you are awesome like the pic, I am not sure when it became Penn Foods. I think Cedrics was where Capparelli's was, and i think after Cedrics it was Ninfa's.

It didn't become Penn Foods...It was Penn Foods(or Pen Foods, don't know the exact spelling) to begin with....

[ged_782]

Nature's Way, an established chain, first appeared at the 8059 Callaghan address in the 1978 telephone directory. Pen Foods also first appeared that year at 8101 Callaghan, but only at that one location.

The only listings I could find for Cedric's Fish & Chips were from 1977. One was on Pat Booker, the other on S. Zarzamora. I wonder if Cedric's was a one-year-only deal, or did they change their name?

Pioneer House also first appeared in the 1978 directory at 8085 Callaghan.