Tuesday Favorites…store from long ago

CDGator

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Do you have a store that has closed or completely changed from what it originally was that you miss?

Sears had one of the best tools and appliance departments. There are still a few smaller versions of the store around but it’s not the same quality.

As a kid I remember the Morrison’s Cafeterias and getting to pick out anything I wanted, including the dessert. That was a big deal. Now cafeterias disgust me.
 

cover2

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When I was a boy, about the only time we ever went to a big city (“Tallahassee”) was around Christmas. There was a store called J.M. Fields that had some of everything. I’d make it about as far as the toys. I’m sure I looked like Ralphie staring at the toys in the window of Higby’s in A Christmas Story. I remember seeing a big set of toy soldiers that I just had to have. It was made by Hasbro and was WWII themed. My mom told me to be sure and ask Santa Claus. I thought it would be a shoe in! But on Christmas morning, Santa had dropped off a cheaper set from the Dime Store. “Sonuvab**ch” (to quote Ralphie)! J.M. Fields lingered in my memory for years, even after it closed.
 
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CDGator

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When I was a boy, about the only time we ever went to a big city (“Tallahassee”) was around Christmas. There was a store called J.M. Fields that had some of everything. I’d make it about as far as the toys. I’m sure I looked like Ralphie staring at the toys in the window of Higby’s in A Christmas Story. I remember seeing a big set of toy soldiers that I just had to have. It was made by Hasbro and was WWII themed. My mom told me to be sure and ask Santa Claus. I thought it would be a shoe in! But on Christmas morning, Santa had dropped of a cheaper set from the Dime Store. “Sonuvab**ch” (to quote Ralphie)! J.M. Fields lingered in my memory for years, even after it closed.

I don’t recall that store. Do you remember the T,G&Y store? We assumed it meant toys, games and yoyo’s of course.
 

cover2

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I went there a time or two. Had a friend from Havana that worked there. We had the Feed Mill, which was an FRM outfit, in Quincy. They sold custom mixed feeds and pretty much anything you needed for the farm. It finally closed several years ago and FRM partnered with Stone’s to provide farm needs.
 

Okeechobee Joe

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It seemed like every town large enough to have a courthouse had a Western Auto Store. The store sold a lot more types of merchandise than just automobile replacement parts. As well as I remember you could get about anything you needed at a Western Auto. They carried Wilson footballs, Hillerich & Bradsby (a division of Wilson) baseball bats, and Wilson baseballs and gloves. During Christmas like most stores Western Auto carried more toys. It seems like they carried more heavy duty toys like a large metal Buddy L Army truck I got one Christmas. I think that's where Santa Claus picked up an electric football game to go under the tree. It was also a kid's hobby shop carrying Lionel electric trains. You couldn't get everything but it sure was fun looking at all the merchandise. Sort of like it was a short time later on when looking over the girls.
 

gingerlover

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As a kid from the 80’s that now has younger kids I miss Toys R Us. Even if it was a shell of itself in the later years. When I was a kid it felt like they had it stocked from slap full. Now looking for toys is half empty shelves from scalpers and hoping you get lucky.

also a shout out to Lionel Toy World. It was always a treat for it to be your turn to spend the weekend at Nana and Moon’s (what we called my grandfather). Friday night you had dinner at the Old Hickory House when my parents dropped me off. Saturday was a trip to Lionel for a new toy and then to Piccadilly for fried chicken and jello cubes.

In adult times I miss having a circuit city near. They always had just what was needed without going on some crazy hunt. Kmart was nice as well for another option beyond Walmart and Target.
 

soflagator

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Start off at Spencers. Casually venture your way to the back where the semi inappropriate stuff is sold. Then head to Morrison’s. The food was terrible except one thing: the Boston Cream Pie Cake.

But yeah, like you, I couldn’t bring myself to go in something like that now.
 

Nalt

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Growing up I didn't have a favorite store. We were too poor to go to the store... I remember Mom buying tennis shoes for my brothers and I that were a cheap knockoff version of these Converse shoes.

1_4386_ZM.JPG


Of course, they WEREN'T converse but they were canvas shoes with the rubber toe covering like that. I remember wearing them until the canvas would wear completely through across the entire toe cover and when I would run my toes would literally come out of the front end of the shoes. Then, and only then would Mom take me and buy another pair.
 

Durty South Swamp

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I remember tg&y as a small child, and Kmarts blue light specials, aisle 13!

Morrison's was amazing and only on special occasions after church with my grandparents would we go. I felt like a king in that place. Anything you wanted.

We didn't have much and only ate out like once every 5 or 6 months. Getting a happy meal from McDs was like Christmas come early.

Woolworths was another that I have a memory of as a small child.
 

Gatordiddy

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There was a store called J.M. Fields

Yes! It was on the corner of Monroe and Tharpe St I believe... I used to go there in the early, mid-70's to get my 45 records.
They would have a little sheet of the Top 20 printed up and I would buy some of the top songs with allowance money.

And..it was fairly close to:

FRM feed store by the Northwood mall

And that's another big part of my childhood.
They had the Lil' Folks store for toys and games. I used to buy all my WWII based models there, mainly fighter planes.
The Mall also had a shoe store called Phidippides, which was owned by a good friend of mine's Dad.
They also had a book store and the Library. I want to say they also housed the Tallahassee Tumbling Tots gymnastics program and a movie theater.
I also took my driver's test from that Mall location - and if you remember, there was a fairly steep hill near the mall where they would take you as part of your driving test. That was fun when you were driving a stick shift and got caught at the stop light facing uphill.

Ailing Northwood Centre once a Tallahassee jewel

Northwood Centre timeline

Good times...
 

Alumni Guy

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Anyone remember Turtle’s Music Store? Maybe they were just local to the Tampa area

Instead of gift certificates, they had metal coins that looked like a record with the dollar amount stamped on them. As a kid, those coins were so cool.

4435BC95-1BE6-4128-BF52-5C793FA9E829.png
 

CDGator

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Yes! It was on the corner of Monroe and Tharpe St I believe... I used to go there in the early, mid-70's to get my 45 records.
They would have a little sheet of the Top 20 printed up and I would buy some of the top songs with allowance money.

And..it was fairly close to:



And that's another big part of my childhood.
They had the Lil' Folks store for toys and games. I used to buy all my WWII based models there, mainly fighter planes.
The Mall also had a shoe store called Phidippides, which was owned by a good friend of mine's Dad.
They also had a book store and the Library. I want to say they also housed the Tallahassee Tumbling Tots gymnastics program and a movie theater.
I also took my driver's test from that Mall location - and if you remember, there was a fairly steep hill near the mall where they would take you as part of your driving test. That was fun when you were driving a stick shift and got caught at the stop light facing uphill.

Northwood Centre timeline

Good times...

Lol - the only "hill" in Tallahassee That was near Gayfers at the Tallahassee Mall. :lol:
I drove a stick shift and prayed for the red light to always be green!
Across the street from the Tallahassee mall was the movie theater. Saw the original Star Wars there when it was released.

Lil' Folks was the best toy store around. I think that tumbling tots play was a daycare at night. My parents dropped us off there a few times on a Friday night. They were awful. I still remember how mean the sitters were. It was right next to the library. We rented a 9mm film projector and movie from them a few times.
That mall had an awful smell.
 

Gatordiddy

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Lol - the only "hill" in Tallahassee That was near Gayfers at the Tallahassee Mall. :lol:
I drove a stick shift and prayed for the red light to always be green!
Across the street from the Tallahassee mall was the movie theater. Saw the original Star Wars there when it was released.

you're right!
we also saw the original Star Wars there too.
 

CDGator

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we had one of these in the Tallahassee Mall... they had great 'edgy' t-shirts.

and of course for my incredibly forward thinking, young man's fashion styles. Great selection of thin knit ties:

urj7z2fycoj61.jpg

Was that near Mandelson's Department Store and the Orange Julius?
 

CDGator

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Anyone remember Turtle’s Music Store? Maybe they were just local to the Tampa area

Instead of gift certificates, they had metal coins that looked like a record with the dollar amount stamped on them. As a kid, those coins were so cool.

35671

Yes, there was one in Tallahassee. I never could have come up with the name but I do remember it.
 

TheDouglas78

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Anyone remember Turtle’s Music Store? Maybe they were just local to the Tampa area

Instead of gift certificates, they had metal coins that looked like a record with the dollar amount stamped on them. As a kid, those coins were so cool.

35671

There were two in Gainesville, the old Gainesville Mall on 13th across from Wal-Mart and one on University where I bought my first concert tickets and tickets to my first Pearl Jam concert.
 

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