Fond Calgary memories for the youngins'!

[socalwingfan]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Anyone remember Trans Canada Mall in Marlborough Park. It was the darkest dingyest mall in the city. It was anchored by K-Mart also an oldie but goodie. I can remember eating jell-o there in their cafeteria! Or what about government run liquor stores, they were a biotch to score liquor in underage! Kids dont know how good they got it now!

THe ALCB in Chinook was the easiest to score from - the one in SouthCentre was damn near impossible

[icarus]

I remember the Mother's Pizza in the Lake Bonavista Promenade mall (there is a photofinishing place there now, and Little Caesars is now the ruling pizza franchise in the mall).

I think that was the first place where I, as a five or six year old, ever paid for something myself, as opposed to having my mom buy it for me.

[getbak]

All the old Mother's take out places were changed to Little Caesar's.

Before Bullwinkle's opened on Macleod Trail, all my friends had their birthday parties at the Mother's restaurant on Macleod just south of Southland (I grew up in Braeside). Then, Bullwinkle's opened and you could get pizza and play video games, so that became the cool place for birthday parties.

My sister and her friend were two of the original employees at Bullwinkles, so we went there a lot. I still have Bullwinkle's flashbacks when I go into Shank's.

Do you remember the other theme restaurants that were in the same complex with Bullwinkle's? There was Goldstein & Chan's, which had some weird Chinese/Jewish theme (hence the name), but they had great cheesecake. I think it became Singapore Sam's, and is now a real estate office. There was also Longhorn's, which was a big country bar. I think it went through a few name changes before it closed. I believe it stood where the Chapter's is now.

Of course, before all of that was built, that area was home to one of the old-style A&W drive-ins. Before we moved to Calgary (from a farm in Southern AB), we always used to eat there when we came into the city.

[Ace]

And then there was Food For Less by Whitehorn Station, now a Safeway. I will remember that place bc I met Gary Roberts, and Doug Gilmour there back in the early 90s, and they were giving a way mini hockey sticks and they signed one for me. But of course me being like 8 or something I played hockey with it and totally ruined it. I also met Mike Vernon there as well.

That's awesome, when I was a kid I was at the food for less in crowfoot, and got an autographed "chopper" mini-stick. Still have it..."To Ace, Best of Luc...AlMaC~~~"

hey mom what's a 'Luc'

AM106, had the top 6 at six, and top 10 at 10. Not top 7 at 7.

[JiriHrdina]

A couple of notes:

There was a Mother's Pizza takeout in Beddinton Town Centre for years after the others dissapeared. I think it finally closed 3 years ago-ish.

What was the name of the Big Box Toy Store that was here before Toys R Us entered the market. Their mascot was a big 'ol panda. One location was out on 32nd. Frick what was it called? Toy _______.

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

A couple of notes:

There was a Mother's Pizza takeout in Beddinton Town Centre for years after the others dissapeared. I think it finally closed 3 years ago-ish.

What was the name of the Big Box Toy Store that was here before Toys R Us entered the market. Their mascot was a big 'ol panda. One location was out on 32nd. Frick what was it called? Toy _______.

I remember Toys n' wheels in Deerfoot mall? That was just a little store though.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by Flames_Gimp

I remember Toys n' wheels in Deerfoot mall? That was just a little store though.

Yeah I remember that place too - right down by the "Woolco". But no - this was as big as Toys R Us. HUGE Transformers section.

[return to the red]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

I remember there being a big hill just south of Midnapore that had a bunch of spruce trees on it, and every Christmas the city would put Christmas lights on it. It was the highlight of my drive to the city (I grew up in Okotoks).

I also remember seeing the "Indian circles" (stone circles the the indians left behind whenever they would put up or take down a tipi) just off Sarcee and Bow Trail. I'm gonna say that was about 20 years ago.

Tron how long ago were you in Okotoks, Graduate there?

I remember that hill you are talking about perfectly...I remember when it was normal and SAFE to swim in (I'm having a brain cramp now) that man-made lake in the valley to the north of highway 22X

[Flames_Gimp]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Yeah I remember that place too - right down by the "Woolco". But no - this was as big as Toys R Us. HUGE Transformers section.

Hmmm must have been a few years b4 my time, or I just can't remember.. hmmmm

[getbak]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

What was the name of the Big Box Toy Store that was here before Toys R Us entered the market. Their mascot was a big 'ol panda. One location was out on 32nd. Frick what was it called? Toy _______.

Toy City.

It was owned by Consumers Distributing (near the end, the one on Macleod was a joint Toy City/Consumers store). It went out of business when Consumers went bankrupt.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by getbak

Toy City.

It was owned by Consumers Distributing (near the end, the one on Macleod was a joint Toy City/Consumers store). It went out of business when Consumers went bankrupt.

That's it!

I didn't know that they were owned by Consumers and that its why they went belly up. I'd always assumed when Toys R Us entered the market, they just lost too much market share.

[calgaryred]

Being 34 I remember when Stephen Ave mall had alot of local little stores, not upscale designer stores, or when the C-train went downtown to Whitehorn or Anderson Station, when there was Stampede Wrestling every Friday night at the Pavillon, living in Strathcona Park with my family when it was new, there were so many streets with nothing but dirt, when 3rd Ave was so full of hookers they were parading on the block as early 4pm every day, when the Saddledome had no banners up in the rafters, when Electric Avenue was alive and full of bars(Fox and Firkin great place to find Joe Nieuwendyk, Gary Roberts and Paul Rainheim hanging out), and I remember going to Western Canada High School on 17th Ave before it turned into the street to party on.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by return to the red

I remember that hill you are talking about perfectly...I remember when it was normal and SAFE to swim in (I'm having a brain cramp now) that man-made lake in the valley to the north of highway 22X

Who remembers Food Barn that was down south of Shawnessy someplace? (Probably in modern-day Chaparral, if that far.) I remember my mom would take me along out there for groceries every once in awhile, and it was like a trip out to the country.

Also, Consumers Distributing is a name I haven't heard since they went bankrupt. I forgot it existed, but now I can still visualise the catalogue.

[Antithesis]

My friend lived by the Red Rooster on 44 Ave when we were younger, alas, I remember him becoming a total druggie and ending up a complete loser. Haven't talked to the kid in probably 13 years.

Easy Street in Sunridge Mall was awesome too, what a place! I remember when the hospital wasn't there, and when it was just empty fields around Sunridge where the Chapters and movie theatre now stand.

Birthday parties at Village Square, the wave pool, rope swing, and going for my Red badge in swimming lessons. Never did go for Maroon, guess it was too intimidating or something. I remember looking at the folder and thinking, "I have to swim HOW far!?"

Lester B. Pearson getting built and remembering being angry about not being able to go because I was a St. Rupert/St. Rose kid.

The Calgary 88s basketball team!

My Dad took me to the Yankee Doodles on 7th Ave the day that it was announced the Nordiques were moving to Denver. I was recently visiting a friend in LA and there was a place called Yankee Doodles that was a very similar theme, and the logo/signage even looked the same!

I remember the pop from Food City as well, along with the different "mix" recipes they had posted. You could get "Orbit", "Frog", and "Bubble Gum", if I remember right.

The Woodward's Food Store in Sunridge Mall ... Food For Less ...

[Tron_fdc]

Originally Posted by return to the red

Tron how long ago were you in Okotoks, Graduate there?

Too long....17yrs. I was supposed to graduate in '93, but like most brain dead jocks I went back for a returning year to play football/rugby. I went to Wisewood in 94, not Okotoks though.

I still run into people from the 'toks every once in a while though.....most of which drive MASSIVE diesel trucks, work on the rigs and date 18yr olds. Not that I have anything against 18 yr olds....

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by icarus

Who remembers Food Barn that was down south of Shawnessy someplace? (Probably in modern-day Chaparral, if that far.) I remember my mom would take me along out there for groceries every once in awhile, and it was like a trip out to the country.

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's modern day A&B sound in Milrise. Not quite as far as Chaparral and in the West.

[boobaloo]

Originally Posted by calgaryred

yeah I did when I lived in Strathcona Park, now I'm 33 and when I visit Calgary every summer I'm shocked to see how so much has changed.

_remember when Calaway Park was outside Calgary surrounded by farm land
_I grad from Western Canada and 17th Ave back then was never that alive
_I remember when Stephen Avenue Mall was full of local owned stores like Funky Punkers I loved the shirts they sold there! Now it's all designer stores yuck!
_I can also remember when the Calgary Tower had that big red antenna on top
_I remember R.I.P Calgary Boomers, Drillers, Kickers and Strikers when will people learn pro soccer will never be a big sport in this city
_I also remember back when the Flames used to play in the Corral those are some old memories!
_ does anybody remember when afterschool CFCN used to have the Bugs Bunny/Flintstones hour it would start off with two cartoon shorts of Bugs Bunny and Friends then a Flintstones episode and then end with two more Bugs cartoons
_Lastly, who can forget Buck Shot is he still alive?

Buckshot sits 4 rows below us at the dome. He's aged quite a bit, but is very much alive. He wears earphones so I'm sure he must be listening to Peter Maher on the Fan 960 calling the play. He went down to Tampa for the finals as the "7th man" and has that on the back of his jersey (part of the prize package).

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Winsor_Pilates

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's modern day A&B sound in Milrise. Not quite as far as Chaparral and in the West.

Really? Seemed like such a far drive out to the country. Crazy.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by boobaloo

Buckshot sits 4 rows below us at the dome. He's aged quite a bit, but is very much alive. He wears earphones so I'm sure he must be listening to Peter Maher on the Fan 960 calling the play. He went down to Tampa for the finals as the "7th man" and has that on the back of his jersey (part of the prize package).

I was on the Buckshot show when I was a kid, along with my kindergarten class. When Buckshot asked my best friend his name, my friend couldn't pronounce his own long last name and took it out on Buckshot, swatting the microphone out of his hand.

A current classmate of mine was also on the show, when they did a special road edition--in Cranbrook.

[calgaryred]

My mom used to work for CFCN she thought Buck Shot was a really great guy, met him a couple of times seemed pretty decent. I can't remeber the name of one of the sports anchormen he was older I think his name was Russ Peake, she said he was a total jerk.