Icons of youth

[Troublco]

Even though I did not grow up in Colorado I have spent a better part of my life here.

Organ grinder
shakeys,
Old Elitches
Lakeside and the speedway. Still have a program from the 50th and last year 1988.
Cinderella City
The old Mousetrap
Remember when Colorado national speedway was dirt?
Lowry AFB
Fitzsimmions
Ye Olde Spaghetti factory
Laying down at the end of the runway in the grass at Stapleton and watching the planes take off.

I didn't grow up here, either, although I had family here from when I was about 8 and visited quite a bit. Went to Lowry for tech school, then moved here in '88. I remember a lot of these things, too. I worked as a mechanic for a little while at Stapleton, for Continental. My dad loved Shakey's, I remember going to them when I was little, although not here. I moved every year or two till I moved here. I remember-

Stapleton Airport tunnels on I-70
C-470 when it ended at Wadsworth
the big fight over expanding Stapleton or building DIA
the big fight over E-470
Cinderella City, Villa Italia, the old Southglenn mall, the old Buckingham mall when it actually had some stores in it!
The Broker on Havana in Aurora
Dave Cook's
Gart Bros. when the Sports Castle was worth a damn (I got a screaming deal on a Savage .300 Win Mag there, and almost got a Whitworth Mk X .375 H&H for $400, new! Wish I had...)
The airman's club on Lowry. Jeez, that sucked!
Rocky Mountain Arsenal, when it was
Rocky flats, I had friends that worked there
when Smoky Hill Road had a school, the water tanks and ONE subdivision, period.
When there was nothing up Tower road near 92nd except the racetrack and the dump.
there was nothing past Buckley on 6th but farms.

Oh, BP, Northwoods is still around. Just in a new location, down off Santa Fe south of 470. Still got peanut shells on the floor.

[roberth]

There were two bars in the Tivoli, one was a nightclub called Tijuana Yacht Club IIRC and the other was a sports bar that served really good beers in tall glasses called 'yards'.

[steveopia]

Oh, BP, Northwoods is still around. Just in a new location, down off Santa Fe south of 470. Still got peanut shells on the floor.

Is this it? Good grub?

[Irving]

I remember my dad's "go to" hardware store was always Hugh M. Woods. We always went to the one on West Colfax. I think it is a Circuit City or something now.

[Troublco]

Is this it? Good grub?

Yeah, that's it. I wouldn't say it's the best steakhouse in town (Ruth's Chris had that honor, to me. I miss them now too, dangit...) but it is really good and the atmosphere is too. They even have, and I'm not kidding here, really good cottage cheese. They have some spice mix they put in it, and it's good.

Hugh Woods was OK. I'd go to Home Club (before it was Home Base) or Builder's Square, usually. There was a really good, old time hardware store on Broadway I'd go to sometimes, too. Don't remember the name.

[Irving]

I remember Home Base and also Fred Schmidts.

There was also a large toy store before Toy's R Us came around, but I can't remember the name. Something with a Kangaroo I think. There was also KB Toys in every mall I ever went to, but they might still be around. I think I was on Blinky's Fun Club once.

[roberth]

What about May D&F? My mom like to shop there.

Remember Colorado National Bank, Rocky Mountain Bankcard (VISA/MC), and PlusSystem? I worked there for 6 years.

[Irving]

I also remember loving Idaho Springs as a kid. Then I got a job at Beau Jo's when I was in high school and found out that it is just a world record holding trailer park where all the kids get drunk and do drugs until they are old enough to drive some where else. By then it is usually too late for them though.

[Troublco]

I remember Fred Schmid's. I bought a Fisher high end VCR at the warehouse store down on 6th back in '90.

Here's one for you - The Denver. I don't know if there was more than one, but I remember one in Aurora Mall back around '80.

And, more recently, my favorite little gun shop down here, Rob's Guns over on Parker road. Back before I had kids, I damn near kept him in business singlehandedly. I had running permission to come in and go straight behind the counter to check out whatever was interesting. There for a while, he and Dave's shared space till Dave's moved down the road a block. Now both are gone.

[argonstrom]

I remember Fred Schmid's. I bought a Fisher high end VCR at the warehouse store down on 6th back in '90.

Here's one for you - The Denver. I don't know if there was more than one, but I remember one in Aurora Mall back around '80.

And, more recently, my favorite little gun shop down here, Rob's Guns over on Parker road. Back before I had kids, I damn near kept him in business singlehandedly. I had running permission to come in and go straight behind the counter to check out whatever was interesting. There for a while, he and Dave's shared space till Dave's moved down the road a block. Now both are gone.

"Ask your neighbor about Fred Schimd!" Songs & jingles stick with me waaaay too easy...

Rob sold my brother his first & only pistol. Dave took way too much of my money.