What are the iconic places of your youth?

[Rain Man]

The mall thread got me thinking about the places that are pivotal to our memories of self. What are the iconic places of your childhood or youth?

For the purposes of this thread, let's NOT count our homes or schools since we pretty much had to be there. But anything else is open game, whether it's a restaurant or a vacant field or a parking lot or a street corner or maybe even a friend's house.

Only count iconic places that impacted you at age 18 or younger. No college stuff or army stuff or anything unless you were Doogie Howser.

For me, the iconic places were:

1. The steakhouse where I worked from age 17 to 23, though we'll only count the first couple of years. I spent a whole lot of time there, and made a lot of friends across different social cliques. Good times were had after our closing shift.

Today, it's still the same restaurant, though they've changed color schemes and business model.

2. The strip-mall pizza place where my friends and I would go for dinner during epic gaming sessions. I played my first video game there - Space Invaders.

Today, it appears to be some kind of clothing store.

3. The vacant lot where my friends and I played football. I have no idea who owned the lot, but it was well maintained. No one ever chased us off while we were playing.

Today, there are two houses on the lot.

[Pointer19]

There's a small diner in Tulsa (Tally's) that my dad, my uncle, and I would go to on Saturdays before anyone else in the family would wake up. Back then, they still asked if we wanted a smoking or nonsmoking table, but the two tables would be right next to each other. ROFL

I've always been close with my grandparents, so they're house is home to a lot of my childhood memories.

I spent a lot of time out in the wood shop with my dad and alone. Lots of bonding (no pun intended) out there year-round.

[loochy]

Children's Palace on Noland road and Toys R Us that is just south of that.

[loochy]

Independence Center

[POND_OF_RED]

Arrowhead, Fun Factory, Mr Bulky and Discovery Zone

[FlaChief58]

While living in Germany, my grandparents would take us to Lloret de mar in Spain every year for Christmas. Easily my favorite childhood memory

[CoMoChief]

Children's Palace on Noland road and Toys R Us that is just south of that.

Hah...I was gonna say discovery zone....which replaced Children's Palace in that same building

[HemiEd]

The mid 50s we lived in Colorado Springs when it was a small town. I would go fishing off of the bridge by myself starting at about 5.

[mr. tegu]

There was a field (just grass not an actual designed playing field) behind some houses in our neighborhood that we would all gather to play football or other games.

There was also a decent sized pond near our neighborhood that we weren't technically supposed to be at since it was a neighborhood specific pond. I spent a lot of time there catching frogs and anything else I could find.

[seclark]

current river and the area around it. my grandparents used to take my brother and i all over the place down there. now, i'm taking my grandsons to the same places.

i'll also throw in elephant rocks state park. lived there for 3 years while my dad was the ranger. i was all over that place.

nice thread, rm.
sec

[oldman]

I'm going to call my youth any time prior to the age of majority at the time.
Grade school-- Vacant lots where kids would gather to play baseball all day long. Haven't been back to that town in over 20 years, so I would guess they aren't there anymore.
High school-- A trip to the West Bottoms to buy a pint of cherry vodka (if you were big enough to hand the $ through the window, you were big enough to buy), followed by a cruise to Peter's Drive-Inn on State Ave. to pick up girls and buy a mixer, and the out to Wyandotte County Lake with said girls to watch the submarine races.
College--The College Hill Inn in Topeka. Now a vacant lot.

[Buehler445]

My youth was largely uniconic.

I spent a mountain of hours working on the farm. There developed my need for efficiency.

My grandmas house was pretty impactful. If I had to stay in town I would go over there and we would play cards. She put up with a lot of my little kid crap and never said a word about it. She is a far stronger person than I could be.

Another fairly impactful place from my youth would be the skies above town. Grandpa built 3 airplanes and bought another and he had built an airstrip at the farm in the 50s. Being able to fly around when I was a kid was amazing. My grandpa must have hated me though. I'd always get all wound up to go and probably be a douche because I was pumped up. Then I'd go to sleep once I got there. LOL.

As far as hanging out with my buddies this place is BFE. So we pretty much hung out at each other's houses until we could drive them we just drove around.

[loochy]

Hah...I was gonna say discovery zone....which replaced Children's Palace in that same building

I didn't know it moved there. I remember it being in the shopping center on the northwest side of Noland and 40 kind of by where Toys R Us is, but on the far west side next to a Service Merchandise (or was it a BEST)

[KCTitus]

I grew up a video game junkie after my first trip to Independence Center's Aladdin's Castle around the age of 8. Most, if not all of my free time as a teen was spent in arcades...

Fun Factory - Bannister
Spaceport - Blue Ridge
Cool Crest arcade

[loochy]

Sterling Lanes bowling alley

I spent many hours here while my mom did her bowling league. It's amazing that I can remember this place so vividly, as this occurred in my preschool days.

[loochy]

Poppa Zs Pizza

It was a pizza place with arcade games over on the southeast side of 291 and 23rd. Birthday parties there were the greatest. One time we even beat the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade game! Of course we had the help of a nice teenage employee that opened the door to the coin bin and tripped the levers so we could get a zillion free play credits.

[Nzoner]

Numerous little league ball fields in our area because we played a lot of organized youth baseball growing up.

The Missouri Theatre-a classic venue for movies with the old time balcony etc. it's still operational today but only for concerts and plays,movies left sometime ago.

Arcade place at the mall,because ever since I was a young boy I played the silver ball.

[cabletech94]

my mom would take my brother and me to the antioch park? does that sound familiar to anyone here? i can remember always playing on the rocket ship-like jungle gym thingy. the thing was, that place was over an hour away from where we lived. idk why we went there to be honest, but always enjoyed it.

showbiz pizza was always fun.

and like loochy said, i played the hell outta that TMNT arcade game. what a freakin classic that was. actually think the first time we beat it was at king louie, and then at worlds of fun.

[loochy]

my mom would take my brother and me to the antioch park? does that sound familiar to anyone here? i can remember always playing on the rocket ship-like jungle gym thingy. the thing was, that place was over an hour away from where we lived. idk why we went there to be honest, but always enjoyed it.

showbiz pizza was always fun.

and like loochy said, i played the hell outta that TMNT arcade game. what a freakin classic that was. actually think the first time we beat it was at king louie, and then at worlds of fun.

OMG WORLDS OF FUN!

It probably sucks now, but it was pretty awesome then!

[cabletech94]

OMG WORLDS OF FUN!

It probably sucks now, but it was pretty awesome then!

ha ha. went every summer at least once for 7 or 8 years.

i hear that place is nowhere near what it used to be.

[KC_Lee]

Metro North Mall
NKC Pro Bowl
Nolan Road

[Pennywise]

Rodeo arenas all over Central and east Texas.

[Hog Rider]

Fairyland Park around 76th(?) - and Kiddie Land on Wornall

If the family did'nt drive, we often take a train ride from Central Illinois to see Grandma who lived in Waldo. It was always a treat to go to the amusement parks. Loved the wooden roller coaster at Fairyland, scared the bejeebies out of me. My first coaster ride.

[threebag]

We traveled quite a bit between Liberal and Wichita Kansas. We would stop at the Dalton Gang Hideout. I always loved that when i was a kid. It was a kick ass museum and gift shop. The grounds and the tunnel to the barn kicked ass.

[Bowser]

Metro North Mall
World's of Fun/Oceans of Fun
NKC Bowling Alley
Antioch Shopping Mall
Godfather's Pizza
Food Barn (now defunct grocery store that was my first job)
Crown Center
Clint's Comics
Lamar's Donuts (Long Johns for .25!)
Annie's Santa Fe on the plaza (took my first date there)

[threebag]

Jesse James house was a cool trip too.

[Spokane Chief Fan]

Farris Truck Stop in Faucett Mo. My first real job. Self service islands were just starting so there were usually four of us pump jockeys at a time and we had some good times working.

[Bowser]

Metro North Mall
World's of Fun/Oceans of Fun
NKC Bowling Alley
Antioch Shopping Mall
Godfather's Pizza
Food Barn (now defunct grocery store that was my first job)
Crown Center
Clint's Comics
Lamar's Donuts (Long Johns for .25!)
Annie's Santa Fe on the plaza (took my first date there)

And add to these Winwood and Fantasyland Skating rinks.

[Iowanian]

My grandpa's farm would be my number 1.
It had about everything a kid needed. Animals ranging from a couple hundred chickens and turkeys, to pigs, milk cows and usually a baby deer in the spring, that we fed milk from a glass 7Up bottle(why do I remember that). Old timers found Indian artifacts after fall plowing so I KNEW there were wild Indians in the woods near the house where we played with our cousins. I got lessons in many things from bank lines, running a net in the river, canning fish for "salmon patties"...a laundry list of things to do to not get your arm pulled off or killed....like unloading corn, pto shafts and feed grinders, or "gas" in the bins or breaking through crust. It had a large orchard to eat plums in the summer.....butcher shop in the garage, swinging on the ropes in the hay barns like tarzan.....a large family and a huge cast iron pan of fried chicken on Sundays. Many of my best childhood stories are from there, and it was awesome.

My second would probably be Current River. We didn't do a lot of vacations, but if we did we were camping. Current River was a yearly trip when I was a kid...catching crawdads, snake stories every trip, the night 'the mom's" took a canoe trip and didn't make it back, and the dad team strapped flashlights to their heads with duct tape and took a lantern and canoed the trip and found them on a sand bar after a canoe had been sunk in a wash.....or my uncle shouting into the adjacent outhouse hole and convincing my young cousin he had fallen in..... I also remember a time we found a Tupperware container floating that was full of what my dad referred to as "funny cigarettes". It took several years to figure out why because they must have been full of jokes.....because after the kids went to bed in the tent, I remember hearing A lot more giggling at the fire than normal.

[alpha_omega]

....)
Annie's Santa Fe on the plaza......

That's one i haven't heard in a while....there was one at Bannister Mall as well.

[DadLeft4Cigarettes]

jus bates city Missouri was one an only one place we went to there to drag cars race

[cabletech94]

Metro North Mall
World's of Fun/Oceans of Fun
NKC Bowling Alley
Antioch Shopping Mall
Godfather's Pizza
Food Barn (now defunct grocery store that was my first job)
Crown Center
Clint's Comics
Lamar's Donuts (Long Johns for .25!)
Annie's Santa Fe on the plaza (took my first date there)

clint's comics?

FTMFW!!!
i practically grew up there! im sure we crossed paths!!

[RockChalk]

Lamar's Donuts (Long Johns for .25!)
Annie's Santa Fe on the plaza (took my first date there)

Can't beat the original Lamar's not far from KU Med. Always a line, but that kept the donuts fresh

Remember meeting family at the Bannister ASF to pick up Grandma for her visits to KC. In the later years of her life, we'd walk into Bannister and wonder if our car would still be there when it was time to leave.

[Easy 6]

White Oaks Mall in Springfield Il

Ballys arcade in my current town

Spring Lake country club, Quincy Il

The log cabin in the Little Rock mountains outside Great Falls, Mt where I spent many weekends (my favorite)

The Oasis enlisted club, Ft Wainwright Ak

Campustown, Champaign Il

[KCUnited]

Kentacohut

[Dallas Chief]

Fun Factory at Indian Springs and Bannister Mall.
Lakeside Speedway
The Woodlands- Worked in parking there. Was a great way to people watch!
Pogo's in Shawnee
and of course... Oak Park Mall

[RockChalk]

I spent a lot of time in baseball card shops. Not even sure those types of businesses exist anymore (except for online).

The one I went to most often was in Old Town Lenexa just off of Pflumm and Santa Fe, though the name is escaping me right now.

My brother and I, plus our friends, spent a lot of times on bikes, going anywhere and everywhere. Over the summers, we used to hit up this little cocktail bar off of 87th St (same strip mall as Side Pockets and once upon a time Discovery Zone) that had all kinds of frozen drinks. We'd play electronic darts, drink virgin frozen daquiris, and order mozzarella sticks. No idea how the owner was allowed to let us in there with the weekday alcoholics (2-3 of them each day) in there. Haven't thought of that place in years.

[Simply Red]

Minskys, Skaggs, Venture, Buddys, White Oak Plaza arcade, Arthur Treachers, Tippins, Safeway, A&P, Wild Woodys, Red Lobster, Cool Crest.

[MTG#10]

Your mom's bed

[gblowfish]

Blue Ridge Mall
Cool Crest
McDonalds at US 40 and Hardy
Arrowhead & Royals Stadium
Tiger Records and Love Records

I built combines for Allis-Chalmers. Plant has been shut down for 30 years.
Washed dishes at Morgan's Steak House for a month before the owner torched it.
Threw the KC Star off a paper truck. There is no evening paper now.
Worked at Trinity Lutheran Hospital as an orderly. Hospital is condos now.

[KCUnited]

Chi-Chi's

[Randallflagg]

My Old Man was an Air Force Officer and (at that time) was stationed at Vandenberg AFB. He went TDY (Temporary Duty) to Greenville SC so off we went in the family car. We stopped in a little Mexican Cafe in Demming New Mexico for Tamales. As a kid, I have never eaten anything so good - and so damned hot, in my life. Looked over at the Old Man and the sweat was rolling off his head...he said that they were so good he couldn't stop eating 'em. That memory has lasted in my noggin since 1962. Some things you just never forget.

[Baby Lee]

Godfather's Pizza - Belton [post t-ball, win or lose, end of GBSC soccer season]
Sonic - Belton [chocolate coke and/or vanilla Dr. Pepper, depending on mood. #1 with onion rings]
Keegans BBQ - Martin City
7th Heaven
Hi-Boy
Bannister Mall
Crest Drive-In
Truman Corners Theaters [once rode out a tornado in there without even knowing. Came out after the movie and the movie marquee was, according to later reports, somewhere in a field in Harrisonville].
Cool Crest
Worlds of Fun
Kaufman Stadium
Recovery Sales Outlet
SuperFlea
Nate's Swap Shop
River Market [Satay and Crab Rangoon]
Winsteads - Plaza [giant chocolate shake]
Noland Road [cruising]

[Simply Red]

Noland Road [cruising]



<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Hr-Ilwuryw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Randallflagg]

One of the other really fond memories was sitting in the Steak and Shake on 40 highway one day. I was wearing a Chiefs T-Shirt. The Waitress comes up to me with the check and says "Hey! There's your new Coach back there" and sure enough, there sat Marty Shottenheimer and Carl Peterson. I waked by them to pay the bill and Shottenheimer says "Glad to see a Chief's fan!" and asked me to sit with them for a minute. Sat there for 20 minutes shooting the shit with them. That was probably their second or third day in town. Just another memory that will last forever.

[Mile High Mania]

I would say Alladin's Castle at the mall... football fields three neighborhoods over and in general, the outdoors. We spent a lot of time on bikes outside in the 70s/80s.

[Baby Lee]

Threw the KC Star off a paper truck. There is no evening paper now.

Wouldn't that be KC Times?

[KCUnited]

Kief's - Lawrence, KS
University Audio - Lawrence, KS
Alley Cat Records - Lawrence, KS
Love Garden - Lawrence, KS

[Baby Lee]

Kief's - Lawrence, KS
University Audio - Lawrence, KS
Alley Cat Records - Lawrence, KS
Love Garden - Lawrence, KS

Yellow Sub!! FTMFW!

Visited every time we went to the Lawrence Swap Meet [car parts]

[KCUnited]

Yellow Sub!! FTMFW!

Visited every time we went to the Lawrence Swap Meet [car parts]

Yellow Sub was great.

Not necessarily a place, but that giant spider sculpture heading south of Lawrence on 59 hwy will forever be etched into my soul.

EDIT: that swap meet always made me uncomfortable

[Randallflagg]

Godfather's Pizza - Belton
Sonic - Belton
Keegans BBQ - Martin City
7th Heaven
Hi-Boy
Bannister Mall
Crest Drive-In
Truman Corners Theaters [once rode out a tornado in there without even knowing. Came out after the movie and the movie marquee was, according to later reports, somewhere in a field in Harrisonville].
Cool Crest
Worlds of Fun
Kaufman Stadium
Recovery Sales Outlet
SuperFlea
Nate's Swap Shop
River Market [Satay and Crab Rangoon]
Winsteads - Plaza
Noland Road [cruising]


:)

Recovery Sales Outlet....that place was fairly wild. I bought a brand new Microphone (an EV RE-20 Broadcast Mic) that sells new for around $450 for $25. Brand new in the box.

I laughed all the way to the car....

[RockChalk]

Kief's - Lawrence, KS
University Audio - Lawrence, KS
Alley Cat Records - Lawrence, KS
Love Garden - Lawrence, KS

Only Love Garden remains


Yellow Sub is great but it takes the stoners 20 minutes to make your order. They still use decks of cards to mark your order "number".

[DadLeft4Cigarettes]

Tobacco House n Bates City

[RockChalk]

Tobacco House n Bates City

thaugt u wertakin abrake%&#?

[Baby Lee]

:)

Recovery Sales Outlet....that place was fairly wild. I bought a brand new Microphone (an EV RE-20 Broadcast Mic) that sells new for around $450 for $25. Brand new in the box.

I laughed all the way to the car....

One of my first purchases there, clear back in 1995, was a favorite. They used to put their CDs out and sell them at $5 each, whatever they were.

Browsing through, I found a copy of Microsoft Office Professional, $5.

Just last year I eclipsed the FUCK out of that. I was browsing through their computer parts, and in the middle of their stack of PC cases [again, take your pick for $10] was a case, . . . with an I7, and 32GB of Ram, a GeForce GTC 1060, and 2TB HD, Win10 and Office 2016 installed. . . . $10.

[KCUnited]

A couple older kids we used to skate with took us to Lucifer's in Lawrence a few times. I believe it was a frat or some kind of housing that caught fire during construction, so it was just this abandoned, 3 or 4 story cement structure covered in graffiti. I felt like it some iconic place when I was there. A mixture of fear and excitement.

[RockChalk]

A couple older kids we used to skate with took us to Lucifer's in Lawrence a few times. I believe it was a frat or some kind of housing that caught fire during construction, so it was just this abandoned, 3 or 4 story cement structure covered in graffiti. I felt like it some iconic place when I was there. A mixture of fear and excitement.

http://divebardreams.blogspot.com/2009/02/welcome-to-lucifers.html

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/oct/15/25-years-ago-old-fraternity-house-be-razed-replace/

[Frosty]

My best years as a kid were spent in a small town in Oregon. My best friend's parents ran the local motel set right downtown, so that was our base of operation and we ran all over town. We spent many hours at the creek that ran through town, catching crawdads and trying to sink water striders. We would prank call the pay phones we could see across the street from his bedroom. We would go to the theater down the street every Friday or Saturday no matter what was playing. It was a great time.

When I was older, I got a job at a burger place and spent a bunch of time there. I enjoyed it since I was on the grill and not dealing with customers. Even though I was 16, I basically worked full time. I can't even imagine how many of those burgers I ate over the years. The chain eventually went out of business but was recently resurrected with three new restaurants, apparently riding the nostalgia wave.

I also spent a ton of time at Silver Falls state park back when it was free to go there. We would even go late at night sometimes if there was a full moon. You could go behind some of the waterfalls and it was pretty cool to sit there in the pitch black and look at the moon shining on the waterfall.

Finally, we were only an hour from the coast so it was nothing to zip over to Lincoln City or Newport to go to the beach or hang out in the coast shops. When I was younger, there was a cheesy amusement park called Pixie Land that we would beg our parents to stop at. It was fun when I was young but it eventually died out, too. I spent a lot of time at the coast both with my parents when younger and my friends later on when I could drive.

[Rain Man]

Oh, and when I grew up in Rolla there was a hobby shop down on the main drag (Pine Street?). They stocked wargames, which I'd never really been exposed to, and I gave them a lot of business. I bought my Dungeons & Dragons game there, which was a major hobby throughout high school.

Note that I ran with the cool D&D crowd, not the freaks. We were mostly elven, and did not discriminate against half-orcs.

[KCUnited]

http://divebardreams.blogspot.com/2009/02/welcome-to-lucifers.html

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/oct/15/25-years-ago-old-fraternity-house-be-razed-replace/

Awesome links. Ha, I was green enough that I remember it as a much more ominous place than those recollections.

[DJJasonp]

Great thread!

Shawnee Bowl (now gone).....space invaders and pinball while my parents bowled

Greenbriar condos near downtown OP....always kids playing bb, football, tennis, etc.

Arcade at Metcalf South and the ice skating arena/bowling on Metcalf (King Louie??)

movies at Oak Park Mall, Mission, Shawnee...

Riding bikes/fishing at south lake park

Playing pick-up hoops at OP police station.

Cool Crest

There was a waterslide park around 75th and I-35 in the 80s that was awesome!

There was a certain indoor soccer building that closed down by Miller's woods (127th ish?) where I "Parked" often!

[DaneMcCloud]

Blue Ridge Mall
Texas Tom's
Arrowhead & Royals Stadium
Lake of the Ozarks (Osage Beach)
Peaches Records
Glendale Theater (Star Wars in 1977)
Happy Joe's Pizza
Shawnee Mission Park Tower
3&2 Baseball Park (I was an umpire in high school)
Annie's Sante Fe (Oak Park Mall & The Plaza)
Pippin's (later Tippin's)
Winstead's (Plaza)
Malibu Grand Prix

[DJJasonp]

Blue Ridge Mall
Texas Tom's
Arrowhead & Royals Stadium
Lake of the Ozarks (Osage Beach)
Peaches Records
Glendale Theater (Star Wars in 1977)
Happy Joe's Pizza
Shawnee Mission Park Tower
3&2 Baseball Park (I was an umpire in high school)
Annie's Sante Fe (Oak Park Mall & The Plaza)
Pippin's (later Tippin's)
Winstead's (Plaza)
Malibu Grand Prix

YES!

[RockChalk]

Shawnee Mission Park Tower
3&2 Baseball Park (I was an umpire in high school)
Malibu Grand Prix

You grow up in Lenexa?

I played at 3&2 from about 1990-1996. The great Dane McCloud probably umpired some of my games and I never even realized it.

[RockChalk]

YES!

Hell yes to Malibu Grand Prix. Pretty sure in my storage container of "youth crap", I still have the driver's license they would issue you for that place.

[Baby Lee]

There was a certain indoor soccer building that closed down by Miller's woods (127th ish?) where I "Parked" often!

LOTS of indoor soccer at Bannister, behind Truman Corners, and out 135th past Martin City on the way to Olathe.

Two are gone, and the Truman Corners location is now a church.

[underEJ]

Front steps of the Nelson

[Baby Lee]

Glendale Theater (Star Wars in 1977)

Shook Darth Vader's hand opening night!!

[Baby Lee]

Kaleidoscope at Hallmark

[RockChalk]

LOTS of indoor soccer at Bannister, behind Truman Corners, and out 135th past Martin City on the way to Olathe.

Two are gone, and the Truman Corners location is now a church.

All American Indoor still has a place off of 87th, I believe. That place was a shit hole in the 90's though, so I'm surprised it's still standing unless there was a big renovation.

[gblowfish]

Wouldn't that be KC Times?

Times was the morning paper, Star was the evening paper. Now they call it The Star, but it's thrown in the morning. I threw both. That was my HS job. Great job for a high school kid. Hard for your parents to slap a curfew on you when you go to work at 3AM. Had a LOT of nights drinking in the 3.2 18-year old bars in Kansas, then back to the Missouri side to go to work at 3AM. Usually Saturday nights to throw the Sunday Morning Paper, which could be a monster. ESPECIALLY the Black Friday after Thanksgiving. That thing was like throwing a car fender....

[gblowfish]

:)

Recovery Sales Outlet....that place was fairly wild. I bought a brand new Microphone (an EV RE-20 Broadcast Mic) that sells new for around $450 for $25. Brand new in the box.

I laughed all the way to the car....

It's still there. Now called Cargo Largo. I used to work right across the street from it in the big red barn back in the late 1980s.

Can't get great deals there any more. They price about the same as Wal Mart on most stuff.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

something that's made me sad recently has been reading about the demise of Worlds of Fun. As a kid I had really fun memories there, and aside from most f the iconic rides being removed, it appears as though the charm and nostalgia has all been stripped away.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Kaleidoscope at Hallmark

I remember school trips there in the 80s. Took my kid last year, so sad.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Kief's - Lawrence, KS
University Audio - Lawrence, KS
Alley Cat Records - Lawrence, KS
Love Garden - Lawrence, KS

I lived in Lawrence until 8th grade. So many memories are just gone. Broken Arrow park - wanted my son so bad to see the rocket themed play equipment but was all gone.

[Rasputin]

<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/spanish%20peaks%20co" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1260.photobucket.com/albums/ii574/KCTattoo58/259_INDIAN_FACE_1_.jpg" border="0" alt="spanish peaks co photo: Spanish Peaks co. 259_INDIAN_FACE_1_.jpg"/></a>


Spanish Peaks Scout Ranch

I miss going there every summer growing up as my Dad was the Scout Master lots of good memories. You can see the shadow of a Chief in the bowl of the mountain pretty amazing place. I also climbed to the summit of west Spanish Peak and that was quite thrilling. Glorious place.

[KCUnited]

I lived in Lawrence until 8th grade. So many memories are just gone. Broken Arrow park - wanted my son so bad to see the rocket themed play equipment but was all gone.

I remember Broken Arrow Park and the Bomb Pop rocket slide.

[Baby Lee]

It's still there. Now called Cargo Largo. I used to work right across the street from it in the big red barn back in the late 1980s.

Can't get great deals there any more. They price about the same as Wal Mart on most stuff.

Gotta go in with a good eye. Reference my $10 I7 PC.

9 times out of 10, their groceries are ridiculous. But every once in a while they'll price stuff to move. Bought a couple cases of bottled teas for $.50 a bottle a few weeks back. Every once in a while you'll find a primo sauce or spice really well priced, maybe some chips. I think I got some granola/power bars for pretty cheap over the summer, too.

I usually shop it as an adventure, more than expecting anything in particular. One time it'll be cheap shoes [I've picked up Nike and New Balance running shoes for $35 more times than I can count, a few times lucked into Johnson&Murphy's or Ferragamos in the $50 range]. Another time a small appliance.

About a year apart, I picked up a Kemore Elite convection microwave for $90. It runs $300 at Sears. My parents' microwave crapped out subsequently and they happened to have another one in, not quite as nice and priced up to $100, but even that model ran $250 at Sears.

http://www.sears.com/kenmore-elite-77603-1.5-ct-ft-countertop-microwave/p-02077603000P?sid=IDx01192011x000001&gclid=Cj0KEQiAx7XBBRCdyNOw6PLHrYABEiQAJtyEQ1I---FzqLq9fGtDRRWHxkqB0qUcs3YsfOUi0Wg9m-caAiAy8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://images.consumerreports.org/production/products/testedmodel/profile/cr/jpg/598/277214-countertopmicrowaveovens-kenmore-elite75153.jpg

[Spott]

Skating downtown at Barney Allis plaza.
Buying skateboard decks at Loma Vista hardware.
The Outhouse in Lawrence.
The Slabs off 43rd st.
The 9 foot half pipe we built in a barn way down Langsford Rd.
Bannister Mall
Streetside Records
Working at the old Brown's Chicken and the Applebee's in Lee's Summit across the street from the high school when I was in college.
Jerking off in my bedroom to my Dad's old collection of Penthouse magazines.

[KCUnited]

Starter jackets at Jock's Nitch in Lawrence.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

I remember Broken Arrow Park and the Bomb Pop rocket slide.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/1e/6a/6b/1e6a6bc84da59f71cd27406f76ff9cc2.jpg

[KCUnited]

Skating downtown at Barney Allis plaza.
Buying skateboard decks at Loma Vista hardware.
The Outhouse in Lawrence.
The Slabs off 43rd st.
The 9 foot half pipe we built in a barn way down Langsford Rd.
Bannister Mall
Streetside Records
Working at the Old Brown's Chicken and the Old Applebee's in Lee's Summit when I was in college.
Jerking off in my bedroom to my Dad's old collection of Penthouse magazines.
Big soft spot for Loma's, nicest people. Saw my first show at the Outhouse. Somehow wound up an adult and bought my first house near the Slabs.

[Spott]

Big soft spot for Loma's, nicest people. Saw my first show at the Outhouse. Somehow wound up an adult and bought my first house near the Slabs.

The people at Loma Vista were always nice and their decks were 10 bucke cheaper than anywhere else. There was some place in OP called You Animal You where we could get skate stuff, but the owner always seemed pretty creepy. I went back to KC for a visit last month and rented AIRBNB right next to the slabs.

[luv]

Skateport. It no longer exists because MoDOT decided they needed to put a road right through that property to help relieve traffic nearby. Threatened eminent domain if the owner didn't sell. Yes, I'm bitter. :)

[KCUnited]

The people at Loma Vista were always nice and their decks were 10 bucke cheaper than anywhere else. There was some place in OP called You Animal You where we could get skate stuff, but the owner always seemed pretty creepy.

Haha, that owner. Dude was an OP hustla. Loved that shop. My best friend's divorced dad would drive us up to U Animal U from Lawrence in his Mercury Cougar and would let us listen to whatever we wanted on the way, so of course we kept feeding him 2 Live Crew and Too Short cassettes to play. I saw a Dogtown demo at U Animal U with Wade Speyer. They filmed it so it's probably a cut on a tape somewhere.

[Baby Lee]

Buying skateboard decks at Loma Vista hardware.

Remember when the only place in all of KC to get decent BMX gear was that forlorn place across the highway from Worlds of Fun?

I remember saving up getting an Oddysey Gyro and an ACS handlebar neck from there after a trip to the park.

Nowadays, my dad uses my old Powell and Peralta to move spare tires around his garage. ROFL ROFL

[Spott]

Haha, that owner. Dude was an OP hustla. Loved that shop. My best friend's divorced dad would drive us up to U Animal U from Lawrence in his Mercury Cougar and would let us listen to whatever we wanted on the way, so of course we kept feeding him 2 Live Crew and Too Short cassettes to play. I saw a Dogtown demo at U Animal U with Wade Speyer. They filmed it so it's probably a cut on a tape somewhere.

That place did have some good concert shirts that you couldn't find anywhere else, but his stuff was expensive. IIRC, the owner's name was Ed. I never saw any demos at his place, but I did see Lance Mountain and Mike Vallely at some roller skating rink in Kansas as well as seeing Danny Way at California Connections in Blue Springs when he was about 14 or 15.

[KCUnited]

That place did have some good concert shirts that you couldn't find anywhere else, but his stuff was expensive. IIRC, the owner's name was Ed. I never saw any demos at his place, but I did see Lance Mountain and Mike Vallely at some roller skating rink in Kansas as well as seeing Danny Way at California Connections in Blue Springs when he was about 14 or 15.

His name escapes me and for some reason I thought he had an Asian wife that would be in there, but I could be wrong about that. He was expensive. He was still open when I fully moved to KC mid-90's and I still have an Independent hoodie I bought from him.

Speaking of concert tees, Xanadu on 95th was a must when we hit U Animal U or Metcalf Mall.

[Spott]

Remember when the only place in all of KC to get decent BMX gear was that forlorn place across the highway from Worlds of Fun?

I remember saving up getting an Oddysey Gyro and an ACS handlebar neck from there after a trip to the park.

Nowadays, my dad uses my old Powell and Peralta to move spare tires around his garage. ROFL ROFL

I only went to that place once and it seemed like we driving forever to get there from LS. We didn't have a lot of places to get skate stuff, but the guys in bikes had even less than us.

[Spott]

His name escapes me and for some reason I thought he had an Asian wife that would be in there, but I could be wrong about that. He was expensive. He was still open when I fully moved to KC mid-90's and I still have an Independent hoodie I bought from him.

Speaking of concert tees, Xanadu on 95th was a must when we hit U Animal U or Metcalf Mall.

Totally forgot about that place. That's probably the place with the shirts that I was thinking of.

[gblowfish]

When I was a kid the ultimate bargain place was called Wild Woody's. It was at I-70 and Noland Road. It had everything you could imagine. It was like Wal Mart before Wal Mart existed.

Other haunts when I was a kid was Clem's, the Candy Stripe, the Starlight, Mugs Up (all drive ins), The Hawthorne Cafe for late night breakfast after partying all night (US 40 and Noland), Twin or I-70 Drive in Theaters (Dates), Waterworks Park in NKC for necking (overlooked the city skyline).

Also steaks at The Generals Inn, Pizza at Shakey's.

[DanT]

One of the icons of my youth suffered a devastating fire this past Sunday. I spent many Sundays and Friday nights at Evangelistic Center Church (Truman and Troost) for about 4 years in the 1970s, before my dad decided to go to Calvary Temple, which is about a mile or so from Northeast High.

Even though my dad worked 30 years at GMAD Leeds, we never had a car until I and my two brothers started driving. So we rode buses all over town, both with and without parents. Mom worked as a mailroom clerk at a magazine publisher in Westport starting in 1st grade, and we spent a lot of time there throughout my youth.

I grew up a couple of short blocks south of Paseo High School. Spent lots of time playing in and around there, sledding when there was snow, football and baseball otherwise. ( riding the 54 Armour-Paseo bus, the 25 Troost bus, the 47 Roanoke bus and occasionally the 71 Prospect bus.) Was bused to Bryant Elementary (57th and Wornall) for 2nd thru 6th grade (1973 - 1978) and played 4 years of tackle football at the Southtown YMCA, from 5th thru 8th grade, so I spent lots of time around 63rd and Brookside and nearby Southwest High School, riding the 56 Country Club Plaza and 57 South Oak bus, as well as the 63rd St. bus.

Got bused to Lincoln beginning in 7th grade, when it first became a magnet school, and spent 6 years there, graduating in 1984. I skipped an extraordinary amount of high school and would usually end up in a library somewhere, especially the one on the Plaza and the Downtown library. Played Varsity football, with most of our games at Southeast High or East High. I played 3 & 2 baseball for just a few years (Midget C & B) but could not hit that well and was a benchwarmer. I learned about 30 years afterward, when I first needed eyeglasses as an adult, that a bad eye injury I suffered as a kid causes me to track objects only with one eye at a time. Ended up learning to hit pretty good, though, a couple of summers in high school where I would hit the batting cages near Cool Crest with my two brothers and their friends that were all good baseball players.

Dad would probably go to 50 or more Royals games a year, usually with at least one of his 3 sons. I have very vivid memories of watching the Royals play at Municipal Stadium (adjacent to Lincoln) as well as Royals Stadium. I worked at Royals Stadium and Arrowhead from 1982 to 1988 as a food vendor in high school and college.

The Plaza was a huge part of my life in Kansas City, starting with my earliest memories. It was both a destination in itself as well as a transportation hub for other destinations (such as for after-school YMCA football practice, when we would take the Roanoke Bus to 47th and Main and then take the Country Club Bus to Southwest High). Learned to bowl at King Louie Plaza. First job was there, in elementary school, where I would keep score for developmentally disabled kids, in exchange for two free games of bowling.

Spent lots of time at other transportation hubs, including Grand Avenue near Wonderland Arcade (12th and Grand) and Crown Center.

Spent lots of time at the Nelson as an older teen and also hanging out at UMKC, which had both pinball and a great library. I did my second year of college there, on a leave of absence from the University of Chicago, my alma mater. My leave of absence was perfectly timed, as I was able to work the 1985 World Series. Menorah Medical Center was nearby and back then no one seemed to mind a kid wandering around there and eating in their coffee shop. Now I work at an academic medical center, as a statistics professor.

For some reason or another, a couple of my neighborhood buddies and I spent a lot of time after school in junior high riding our bikes to destinations near and far, including the Plaza and the shopping centers at Ward Parkway, Brywood and Blue Ridge Mall.

I feel like I had a very blessed childhood, growing up in a black neighborhood, with two quirky parents, one an Irish immigrant, the other an argumentative Italian, both of them clear-eyed about current events and with good sense of humor. They weren't afraid to let us roam around town on our own.

I got to see lots of humanity, some bad stuff but mostly great and good stuff.

That roller coaster at Fairyland was the Wildcat, I believe. I only went there once. It was already near dead when I was a kid. Use to get extremely psyched to go to Worlds of Fun, at least when I was younger and it had just opened. We'd only go about once a summer. By high school I still like it, although I figured out by then that it was mostly a place to wait in line to get on machines that would make you want to vomit.

[DaneMcCloud]

When I was a kid the ultimate bargain place was called Wild Woody's. It was at I-70 and Noland Road. It had everything you could imagine. It was like Wal Mart before Wal Mart existed.

I forgot about Wild Woody's! That place was something else. It was just like no other store I've ever seen.

I used to hit up Cousin Jed's Guitar Shed when it opened up at Wild Woody's occasionally in my teens. That was a pretty cool guitar shop.

Shakey's.

We have Shakey's all over Los Angeles. There's a location not too from my house but I always forget about it until someone on CP brings it up.

I think the last time I ate a Shakey's was back around 1998 or so at the Santa Monica location.

The lunch buffet was a really great deal and the food was just like it was when I was a kid.

[Rasputin]

Do Drop Inn in Pueblo Co made the bestest pizza I ever had ever and I believe it's best in the world. It's all made from scratch and who cares how long it takes and you wait and wait for it. It's worth it. Makes me want to take a road trip just to have a slice but I'd eat the whole thing.

[Baby Lee]

When I was a kid the ultimate bargain place was called Wild Woody's. It was at I-70 and Noland Road. It had everything you could imagine. It was like Wal Mart before Wal Mart existed.

Don't remember a lot of Walmarts with dirt floors. ;)

Are you sure on the location?

I thought it was further south on Noland, down where that car restoration place is now.

EDIT: You're probably right, a page lists it as where the Big Lots is now. Could have sworn thinking it was further down Noland, or maybe over on 40. I remember driving through there back when it was torn down, and thinking it was where there's a little strip mall with a car repair/detailing shop.

[jimidollar]

There was a field in the trailer park where me and my friends played football and baseball almost every day. This was probably 1989-1994. That field now has trailer houses all over it. I'd kill to go back and live one of those days again. Best times of my life.

There is also a place in one of the city parks here where we used to play basketball. It's still there. I go there and shoot by myself from time to time. All of my friends have moved away over the years and I never bothered to make new ones.

[DJJasonp]

I remember Wild Woody's being the place my dad and his buddy went to look for cheap custom wheels (probably cragers?) for their custom '78 or '79 vans!

I remember my dad's buddy had a custom paint job on his.....maybe star wars or something???

Gotta love the 70s!

[Rain Man]

I remember Wild Woody's being the place my dad and his buddy went to look for cheap custom wheels (probably cragers?) for their custom '78 or '79 vans!

I remember my dad's buddy had a custom paint job on his.....maybe star wars or something???

Gotta love the 70s!

I bet it was Saturday Night Fever.

[Baby Lee]

http://67.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp8gmiOTeZ1qc823io1_1280.jpg

[Randallflagg]

One of my first purchases there, clear back in 1995, was a favorite. They used to put their CDs out and sell them at $5 each, whatever they were.

Browsing through, I found a copy of Microsoft Office Professional, $5.

Just last year I eclipsed the **** out of that. I was browsing through their computer parts, and in the middle of their stack of PC cases [again, take your pick for $10] was a case, . . . with an I7, and 32GB of Ram, a GeForce GTC 1060, and 2TB HD, Win10 and Office 2016 installed. . . . $10.

Yep. Back in the day - 1990? 1991? Folks would line up by the door and wait to get in, then the rush would start. Used to get all kinds of crap there for next to nothing. The last time I purchased anything from then was when they were on Ebay. Bought a Nice Amp there - a Ampeg SVT that normally retails for like $1,800 to $2,000 and won the auction for $600.

We had to go over to the Hunt Industries caves to pick it up...they had moved their "warehouse" operations there. Don't know about now, though. They evidently hired someone who knew more about retail pricing and the "deals" sort of bit the dust.

[Randallflagg]

I HAD to mention this also - my Wife reminded me of a "famous" trip to the old Indian Springs Mall (Over in KCK) years ago. We were coming back from Topeka and decided to stop there for something or the other..don't remember what the hell it was (this was like 1994).

So, we went to a store or two then sat down on one of those large benches that they had outside of the stores. This Dad and his young Son came and sat down by us...after a minute I heard this young fella say the following (With apologies) - "Dad, there's enough N*ggers here to start a Tarzan movie"

Me and the old lady immediately got up and left and by the time we got out to the car were laughing so hard, I thought I was going to piss my pants...Those were the days.....

[Kman34]

Wild Woody s..... Bought some super wide tires for the back of my Camaro there .... then of course a set of air shocks to lift the rear end...ROFL
Did a lot of cruising on Noland road back in the day...

[SAUTO]

Children's Palace on Noland road and Toys R Us that is just south of that.

My kids favorite toys r us

[Garcia Bronco]

Skating the "Curb" in our neighborhood.

[loochy]

:)

Recovery Sales Outlet....that place was fairly wild. I bought a brand new Microphone (an EV RE-20 Broadcast Mic) that sells new for around $450 for $25. Brand new in the box.

I laughed all the way to the car....

oh my god I hated that place

my parents would spend HOURS in there

i was only interested in a few aisles

the deals found there now are nowhere near what you used to be able to find.

what's it called now? Cargo Largo?

[DaneMcCloud]

So, we went to a store or two then sat down on one of those large benches that they had outside of the stores. This Dad and his young Son came and sat down by us...after a minute I heard this young fella say the following (With apologies) - "Dad, there's enough N*ggers here to start a Tarzan movie"

Me and the old lady immediately got up and left and by the time we got out to the car were laughing so hard, I thought I was going to piss my pants...Those were the days.....

Yeah, that's fucking hilarious

:rolleyes:

No wonder your punkass has his rep turned off.

Cunt.

[SAUTO]

Yeah, that's fucking hilarious

:rolleyes:

No wonder your punkass has his rep turned off.

Cunt.

Lucky they got to leave.

[splatbass]

I have good memories of these places:

1. Metro North, the pics now are sad to see. Also Antioch Mall. No idea if it is still there.

2. Arrowhead, where we had season tickets during the 70s, plus saw some great concerts there (a couple of Summer Jams - I remember telling my boss I was sick so I could see Heart and The Cars and I forget the other bands).

3. Royals Stadium as it was called then, where we went to several games a year, plus one Summer Jam (Kansas, Steve Miller, Eddie Money and a young Van Helen).

4. Municipal Stadium where we went to a few Royals games (Lou Pinella era) but no Chiefs games - although my father was at the longest game.

5. Worlds of Fun, where my junior high school classes went each year during the summer - riding the rides with a couple of girls. Good times. Oceans of Fun didn't exist yet.

6. Watching the Kings play the 76ers at Kemper Arena. Nate Archibald played for them then. Saw a lot of concerts there in high school too.

7. Memorial Hall in KCK, where I saw several concerts, including Rush, Molly Hatchet and the Outlaws, Charlie Daniels, and Journey, Montrose and Van Halen on their first tour.

8. Municipal Auditorium - saw Eric Clapton there. Also nearby at Bartle Hall where we always went to the Sport and RV show every year. And car shows.

Most of the other places are long gone. The restaurant I worked in, torn down in the 80s, etc.

[DaneMcCloud]

Oh yeah, duh: Kemper Arena.

Kings games, American Royal, Van Halen, Rush, Ozzy, Metallica and so many more.

[kcxiv]

Mini park in the hood. Used to play some serious wiffleball there! lol 1988 til about 1990

Steven Leonard park on Sat/Sunday. was a bit older, but we would play hooops hang out there while drinking beers. Few shootouts happened there, but it had nothing to do with a basketball! lol (i grew up in the hood). 1994 until about 2000.

Best Buy liquor (had street fighter 2) get high outside and play street fighter until it got dark. Had a taco truck in the parking lot. It was all nice. 1992-1995

Forgot the name of the other park we would play football at. This we played tackle. Had some folks break some legs and some ribs. 1988-1994ish.

[Bugeater]

We had a creek in our neighborhood that was our go-to place. We'd go down there year 'round, build forts and trails in the summer and bonfires in the winter time. Livesteam even set it on fire one time.

[DaneMcCloud]

Livesteam even set it on fire one time.

Did he do it with his mind, like Drew Barrymore in Firestarter?

[raypec85]

Awesome thread idea. Growing up in Kansas City area was awesome, tons of great memories!
1) Dozens of of job sites around the city where I worked summers / holidays with a commercial concrete company my dad & uncle owned - learned a lot about hard work doing that, always worn out at the end of the day but it felt great to put in a hard day's work and get in that truck to head home at the end (not so great the next morning though lol) - we lived & died by the weather forecasts. And we would LOVE it if we got assigned to do a job in the caves where we could escape the heat. My dad would not put up with laziness out of me & expected me to work as hard / harder than everybody else. I loved him for that and respected him enough that I worked my butt off.
2) Several farms in the Raymore - Peculiar area putting up hay
3) Kansas City Youth for Christ at 4715 Rainbow Blvd (it's something else now) - lots of teenage memories from there Saturday night rallies with 1000 - 2000 teens, events during the week, ...
4) Circle-C Ranch (Edgerton, KS) and L-Bar-C Ranch (LaCygne, KS) - awesome summer youth camps back in the 70's and 80's associated with KCYFC. Fiberglass water slides, horses, mini bikes, campfires at night, swimming pools, lakes for boating / fishing, lots of fun stuff. I remember one year they had giant slingshots (4-5 feet tall) on all 4 corners of a football field with a giant keg of water and balloons in the middle of the field. Another year a giant mudpit with stuff in it you had to jump in and find, ... I think those places are still there.
5) Lake Jacomo fiberglass waterslides - seems like those slides were longer rides than a lot of the slides nowadays and the crowds weren't so bad either so you got in more rides without waiting so long in between.
6) Pippin's / Tippins - awesome pies and good cornbread too
7) Aladdin's Castle
8) The Plaza - That hotel with the revolving restaurant on top and the glass elevators. One time my brother and I took dates there with a bunch of other friends and my brother did the "it's my brother's birthday" trick so I'd be embarrassed with the waiters singing happy birthday to me even though it wasn't my birthday. So I called one of the waitresses over & told her my brother was going to pay for me & my date for my birthday. Me and my date left & my brother had to borrow to pay the bill lol. / Also fun at the plaza - TJ Cinnamons / Annie Santa Fe / just walking around or riding the horse drawn carriages when the lights were on.
9) Hours and hours riding bikes with friends on the county line between Cass and Jackson.
10) Lots of fishing at ponds of family frienhds and relatives around the city, some squirrel hunting at my uncle's property.
11) Mountain Home, Arkansas where my grandma and other relatives lived down in the ozarks. Memories of riding horses, fishing, hunting, searching for quartz and fool's gold in creek beds - beautiful countryside.
12) Skateland
13) Hiboy's
14) Winstead's
15) Taco John's

[raypec85]

5. Worlds of Fun, where my junior high school classes went each year during the summer - riding the rides with a couple of girls. Good times. Oceans of Fun didn't exist yet.

Zambezi Zinger!

[splatbass]

I used to hit up Cousin Jed's Guitar Shed when it opened up at Wild Woody's occasionally in my teens. That was a pretty cool guitar shop.



I bought an '81 G&L L1000 bass there (lawsuit headstock) that I wish I still had. That was a great bass.

[Bugeater]

Did he do it with his mind, like Drew Barrymore in Firestarter?
LMAO Surprisingly, no. It was matches and pine cones.

[raypec85]

Independence Center

Yeah I spent hours there, good one

[splatbass]

Zambezi Zinger!

Hell yeah!

[raypec85]

Metro North Mall
World's of Fun/Oceans of Fun
NKC Bowling Alley
Antioch Shopping Mall
Godfather's Pizza
Food Barn (now defunct grocery store that was my first job)
Crown Center
Clint's Comics
Lamar's Donuts (Long Johns for .25!)
Annie's Santa Fe on the plaza (took my first date there)

Haven't had godfathers in decades or minsky's either, both really good

[DaneMcCloud]

I bought an '81 G&L L1000 bass there (lawsuit headstock) that I wish I still had. That was a great bass.

Those were AWESOME.

I'm sorry to hear that you sold it but hey, we've all sold instruments that should never have been sold.

For me, it was a '68 goldtop...

[DaneMcCloud]

LMAO Surprisingly, no. It was matches and pine cones.

Damnit, LiveSteam!

[cosmo20002]

We had a creek in our neighborhood that was our go-to place. We'd go down there year 'round, build forts and trails in the summer and bonfires in the winter time. Livesteam even set it on fire one time.

That means you're from Omaha, at least it's retarded cousin, Ralston...

Gizmo's at Westroads
Family Fun Center
Homer's Records
Civic Auditorium
Godfather's
Big Fred's

[Bugeater]

That means you're from Omaha, at least it's retarded cousin, Ralston...

Gizmo's at Westroads
Family Fun Center
Homer's Records
Civic Auditorium
Godfather's
Big Fred's
It's not like it's a secret where I'm from. I grew up in Ralston, WC Franks was the gathering place when I was a teenager. That and Dodge St.

[splatbass]

Those were AWESOME.

I'm sorry to hear that you sold it but hey, we've all sold instruments that should never have been sold.

For me, it was a '68 goldtop...

Yup. I have an '86 L2000 now, but it just doesn't have the mojo that L1000 had.

[cosmo20002]

It's not like it's a secret where I'm from. I grew up in Ralston, WC Franks was the gathering place when I was a teenager. That and Dodge St.

I guess I forgot...stop changing your name and avatar.
I escaped Ralston in 1st grade for the what was then west Omaha. WC Franks was cool, and of course 'cruising Dodge.' And Family Fun Center was at 72nd and Dodge. And despite the name, it wasn't a family place. Two dimly-lit floors of arcade games with lots of hidden corners.

I also went to a couple of dances at Ralston High School. I discussed it with Livesteam before, and I'm fairly certain I hooked up with his sister.

[DanT]

I have good memories of these places:

1. Metro North, the pics now are sad to see. Also Antioch Mall. No idea if it is still there.

2. Arrowhead, where we had season tickets during the 70s, plus saw some great concerts there (a couple of Summer Jams - I remember telling my boss I was sick so I could see Heart and The Cars and I forget the other bands).

3. Royals Stadium as it was called then, where we went to several games a year, plus one Summer Jam (Kansas, Steve Miller, Eddie Money and a young Van Helen).

4. Municipal Stadium where we went to a few Royals games (Lou Pinella era) but no Chiefs games - although my father was at the longest game.

5. Worlds of Fun, where my junior high school classes went each year during the summer - riding the rides with a couple of girls. Good times. Oceans of Fun didn't exist yet.

6. Watching the Kings play the 76ers at Kemper Arena. Nate Archibald played for them then. Saw a lot of concerts there in high school too.

7. Memorial Hall in KCK, where I saw several concerts, including Rush, Molly Hatchet and the Outlaws, Charlie Daniels, and Journey, Montrose and Van Halen on their first tour.

8. Municipal Auditorium - saw Eric Clapton there. Also nearby at Bartle Hall where we always went to the Sport and RV show every year. And car shows.

Most of the other places are long gone. The restaurant I worked in, torn down in the 80s, etc.

great post...as I was driving home, I thougt of Municipal. Saw lots og Big 8 and NAIA basketball there, as well as Tiny Archibald and the Kings. Also saw lots of college track and Golden Gloves boxing there and ate lots of pancakes at an annual fundraising event put on by a service organization like the Rotary Club or Jaycees or something.

[DaneMcCloud]

I also went to a couple of dances at Ralston High School. I discussed it with Livesteam before, and I'm fairly certain I hooked up with his sister.

Was she a lesbian at the time or a self hating hetero?

[MOhillbilly]

Ritter Springs Park I know that place like the back of my hand spent my entire child hood walk-in the woods and swimming the creeks.
The abandoned quarry just above the sac river bridge. Amazing clear water and deep. Sometimes when we were kids we go to the quarry from the backside/fantastic caverns and stop by the gift shop and buy a novelty cigar or some shit..

Y'all got dicked with your mall and stores.

[LiveSteam]

Cousins farm where we had our railroad built around the lake.
Camp Ashland Nebraska. Pops held rank so I had the run of the place. APCs, Combat Engineering Vehicle, M-60 main battle tanks. Fun things to climb and play on when you're just knee high.
The Crick where Bugs and I grew up. It was the one place parents didn't go. But if they did, you knew it was your ASS!

[LiveSteam]

I guess I forgot...stop changing your name and avatar.
I escaped Ralston in 1st grade for the what was then west Omaha. WC Franks was cool, and of course 'cruising Dodge.' And Family Fun Center was at 72nd and Dodge. And despite the name, it wasn't a family place. Two dimly-lit floors of arcade games with lots of hidden corners.

I also went to a couple of dances at Ralston High School. I discussed it with Livesteam before, and I'm fairly certain I hooked up with his sister.
You're the Millard South punk I kicked the hell out of back in 1989?
Should of never put your hands on my lil sister.

[LiveSteam]

LMAO Surprisingly, no. It was matches and pine cones.

You stole some cigs from your mom.
That was a fire

[LiveSteam]

I guess I forgot...stop changing your name and avatar.
I escaped Ralston in 1st grade for the what was then west Omaha. WC Franks was cool, and of course 'cruising Dodge.' And Family Fun Center was at 72nd and Dodge. And despite the name, it wasn't a family place. Two dimly-lit floors of arcade games with lots of hidden corners.

I also went to a couple of dances at Ralston High School. I discussed it with Livesteam before, and I'm fairly certain I hooked up with his sister.
You Leo Allison by any chance?

[Bugeater]

I guess I forgot...stop changing your name and avatar.
I escaped Ralston in 1st grade for the what was then west Omaha. WC Franks was cool, and of course 'cruising Dodge.' And Family Fun Center was at 72nd and Dodge. And despite the name, it wasn't a family place. Two dimly-lit floors of arcade games with lots of hidden corners.

I also went to a couple of dances at Ralston High School. I discussed it with Livesteam before, and I'm fairly certain I hooked up with his sister.
Escaped? LMAO

Ralston wasn't that bad. I actually grew up in Mockingbird Hills just west of there, not in the actual town. Still live only a few miles away. I think it's a great area.

[Bugeater]

You stole some cigs from your mom.
That was a fire
Yeah, we went down there to smoke, but you started the fire with pine cones.

[LiveSteam]

I was bad all the time .. Fuck it was fun..
The tent in your backyard was an excellent way to run the streets all night.. sneaking your moms car out was always a blast.

[cosmo20002]

Was she a lesbian at the time or a self hating hetero?

Probably both. Gave a killer BJ, but you had to be hung like a Pringles can to really satisfy her.

[cosmo20002]

You're the Millard South punk I kicked the hell out of back in 1989?
Should of never put your hands on my lil sister.

You Leo Allison by any chance?

No, and I went to Burke.

[cosmo20002]

Escaped? LMAO

Ralston wasn't that bad. I actually grew up in Mockingbird Hills just west of there, not in the actual town. Still live only a few miles away. I think it's a great area.

I guess I was too young while there to appreciate Ralston's better qualities. I vaguely recall a long walk to Keystone Drug to get candy. Kind of seemed like a teen hangout at the time.
My other memories are from going back in high school after meeting some Ralston girls. There was a dump of a movie theater called the Park 4 I think.

[Baby Lee]

great post...as I was driving home, I thougt of Municipal. Saw lots og Big 8 and NAIA basketball there, as well as Tiny Archibald and the Kings. Also saw lots of college track and Golden Gloves boxing there and ate lots of pancakes at an annual fundraising event put on by a service organization like the Rotary Club or Jaycees or something.

http://az801229.vo.msecnd.net/wetpaint/2015/10/a-christmas-story-then-and-now-photo.png

[oldman]

I thought of a few more places of my misspent 18-21 years.
The Vanguard Coffee House, 43rd and Main (my 1st intro to "Mary"), One Block West - the original, Lakeside Ballroom, now the site of the defunct Woodlands, Koya's Kastle, about 89th and Pflumm, the Yuk Up/Down, about 9th and Iowa in Lawrence, and the Red Dog Inn (now Liberty Hall) in Lawrence.

[LiveSteam]

No, and I went to Burke.

Rob Ivy, Tim Dineen, Richy Baldwin, GiGi Grabal
Paula Frisch. Few people I know.from Burke

[Bugeater]

I guess I was too young while there to appreciate Ralston's better qualities. I vaguely recall a long walk to Keystone Drug to get candy. Kind of seemed like a teen hangout at the time.
My other memories are from going back in high school after meeting some Ralston girls. There was a dump of a movie theater called the Park 4 I think.Yep, we went to Keystone Drug all the time as kids, but I don't recall anyone actually hanging out there. We'd get pop and candy there and go hang out at the Mockingbird Elementary playground across the street. And yes Park 4 was a dump. It's been closed for a long time but I believe the building is still there.

[LiveSteam]

I seen my first titty at the Park 4.

[scho63]

I have a feeling I'm not the only one with this memory......:D


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihEsgmKxkfs/Tu2SyP_S0OI/AAAAAAAAXr4/LIG3RBXVJwA/s1600/FastTimes_078Pyxurz.jpg

[ptlyon]

I have a feeling I'm not the only one with this memory......:D


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihEsgmKxkfs/Tu2SyP_S0OI/AAAAAAAAXr4/LIG3RBXVJwA/s1600/FastTimes_078Pyxurz.jpg

You used to beat off to THAT? :hmmm:

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

The spillway @ Clinton Lake that feeds the Wakarusa River outside of Lawrence. We used to ride our bicycles out to it to catch Crawdads and fish all day long during the summers.

That was my summer home away from home.

[Baby Lee]

9) Hours and hours riding bikes with friends on the county line between Cass and Jackson.

What part? I rode the section from 71HWY to Kelley Road ENDLESSLY.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

The spillway @ Clinton Lake that feeds the Wakarusa River outside of Lawrence. We used to ride our bicycles out to it to catch Crawdads and fish all day long during the summers.

That was my summer home away from home.

heh, that was a long ride. We used to live on Atchison Ave. I'd bike into town to go to Aladdins all the time, or the movies. Other times we'd ride out toward the lake, but usually not all the way there.

[gblowfish]

the deals found there now are nowhere near what you used to be able to find.

what's it called now? Cargo Largo?

That's what I was saying. You can find some low prices on some things, but not crazy cheap like in the old days. I buy a lot of weird food in there. Brands from the east and west coast. They also get BBQ sauces from all over that I like to try. Got Montgomery Inn BBQ Sauce from Cincy, some Jack Miller's cajun BBQ sauce from Louisiana, Dinosaur Sauce from Upstate NY, Johnny Harris BBQ Sauce from Savannah, GA, and some funky BBQ sauce from Hawaii.

They're not better than KC of course, just different.

[Nzoner]

Reading through this also reminded me of our local St Joseph head shop Fox's famous Emporium,used to buy Tiger Records there for $3.85 and all my Levi's and smoking necessities.

[splatbass]

Reading through this also reminded me of our local St Joseph head shop Fox's famous Emporium,used to buy Tiger Records there for $3.85 and all my Levi's and smoking necessities.

I remember it. Loved that place.

[Dartgod]

Cousins farm where we had our railroad built around the lake.
Camp Ashland Nebraska. Pops held rank so I had the run of the place. APCs, Combat Engineering Vehicle, M-60 main battle tanks. Fun things to climb and play on when you're just knee high.
The Crick where Bugs and I grew up. It was the one place parents didn't go. But if they did, you knew it was your ASS!

Speaking of Ashland, NE...

When we were visiting my grandparents for the summer, they'd usually take us to Linoma Beach.

As for me...

*Green Bowl (later named Summit Lanes) in Lee's Summit

*Working at the boat rental dock at Lake Jacomo in the summer

*The empty lot in our neighborhood, playing baseball (with ghost runners of course) or 500. Or hanging out by the creek nearby, catching crawdads, or building forts and dams.

*Pappi's Pizza in Lee's Summit (now a Fun House). We used to hang out in the arcade section and my first job was there.

*Village Fair pool in Lee's summit. Village Fair was a subdivision near the Western Electric plant. There were TONS of kids in that neighborhood. Damn near everyone had at least one parent that worked at W.E.

[gblowfish]

When I was a little kid, there was a lot of cool stuff. There was a slot car track in Fairmount. Papenfuss Hardware on US 40 for model cars and airplanes. Kiddie Land on US 24 by Chrisman HS. Red Barn Chicken at US 40 and Sterling. The Blue Rooster Restaurant at the Blue Ridge Mall. Bowling at the Maywood Bowl, Sterling Lanes, Diamond Bowl or Strike n Spare. Batting cages at Cool Crest. Public swimming pools in Sugar Creek at at Rockwood Golf Course. Bike riding at Fairmount Park or Hill Park. Movies at the Englewood Theater (always a cartoon first). Toys at Ben Franklin in Englewood. Ketcham's Schwinn Bike Shop across the street from Van Horn. Shopping at US Super in Fairmount, or going to K-Mart at US 40 and Noland (where Hy-Vee is now).

[Baby Lee]

Anyone eat at Joe's Barn?

[LiveSteam]

Speaking of Ashland, NE...

When we were visiting my grandparents for the summer, they'd usually take us to Linoma Beach.

As for me...

*Green Bowl (later named Summit Lanes) in Lee's Summit

*Working at the boat rental dock at Lake Jacomo in the summer

*The empty lot in our neighborhood, playing baseball (with ghost runners of course) or 500. Or hanging out by the creek nearby, catching crawdads, or building forts and dams.

*Pappi's Pizza in Lee's Summit (now a Fun House). We used to hang out in the arcade section and my first job was there.

*Village Fair pool in Lee's summit. Village Fair was a subdivision near the Western Electric plant. There were TONS of kids in that neighborhood. Damn near everyone had at least one parent that worked at W.E.

Place is packed now with RVs . Last I heard their was a two year waiting list to rent a spot.
Place was a real dive back in the 70s. Pops would take me there for lunch every now and then. Shrimp basket.

[Dartgod]

Place is packed now with RVs . Last I heard their was a two year waiting list to rent a spot.
Place was a real dive back in the 70s. Pops would take me there for lunch every now and then. Shrimp basket.

Yeah, we ate there a few times too. I'm sure I had the shrimp basket as well.

My mom's parents lived in town in Ashland, just off 6 Highway behind the White Spot. They used to take us bowling in Gretna.

My dad's parents had a farm about 10 miles outside of town. Mailing address was Ithaca, but they were closer to Memphis. We used to go fishing in the lake there and Wahoo creek too.

Great memories...

[suzzer99]

That old abandoned asylum by the stadium. Noland Road/Fun House Pizza. Midnight showings of The Wall at Oak Park Mall.

[DaneMcCloud]

Anyone eat at Joe's Barn?

Yes. I was there for a banquet but I can't remember which sport.

I didn't care for it but then again, I don't care for comfort food.

It was sure popular though.

[Lonewolf Ed]

Hmm, Zarda's Dairy in Olathe, best ice cream around back inna day. The Twin Drive-In and Oak Park Mall were the places where my generation hung out.

[-King-]

Nam.
Posted via Mobile Device

[LiveSteam]

Yeah, we ate there a few times too. I'm sure I had the shrimp basket as well.

My mom's parents lived in town in Ashland, just off 6 Highway behind the White Spot. They used to take us bowling in Gretna.

My dad's parents had a farm about 10 miles outside of town. Mailing address was Ithaca, but they were closer to Memphis. We used to go fishing in the lake there and Wahoo creek too.

Great memories...

Grandparents wouldn't happen to.be Bundy's or Hermamsnack?

[Dartgod]

Grandparents wouldn't happen to.be Bundy's or Hermamsnack?
Nope

[LiveSteam]

Pops spent 35 years at Camp Ashland. Bill Smith had small pig farm back there by Memphis lake. That Creek you're talking about ran through his property

[Dartgod]

Pops spent 35 years at Camp Ashland. Bill Smith had small pig farm back there by Memphis lake. That Creek you're talking about ran through his property

I'm sure I smelled some of the pig shit from that farm at one time or another.

[LiveSteam]

We still target shooting off that old iron bridge just behind Memphis lake. Just west of the lake by 1/4mile

[Dartgod]

We still target shooting off that old iron bridge just behind Memphis lake. Just west of the lake by 1/4mile

I think I remember that. It's been years since I've been up there. I seem to remember that old dirt road on the back side of the lake, where that bridge is, was a rough primitive sonofabitch.

EDIT: My grandpa's farm was west of Memphis, about 3 miles west and a 1/2 mile north from the main road going into Memphis

[Predarat]

Joyland
FantaSea
SkateEast
LeMans Arcade
Towne East Mall
Sportsworld
Pink Palace 1$ Movie Theater
Rocks Dugout (Baseball Card Store)
Though my favorite place was our neighborhood. We had a few vacant yards for Football, Baseball, Soccer, driveways for Basketball hoops, streets for skateboarding, biking. Hills for sledding, awesome neighborhood friends and most of the parents. Those were some great times.

[gblowfish]

Nobody mentioned the NKC Bowl and the Gold Buffet??

[LiveSteam]

I think I remember that. It's been years since I've been up there. I seem to remember that old dirt road on the back side of the lake, where that bridge is, was a rough primitive sonofabitch.

EDIT: My grandpa's farm was west of Memphis, about 3 miles west and a 1/2 mile north from the main road going into Memphis

Yup that's the road.
You remember that old abandoned lil red brick school that sat on the HYW? Someone bought it ,then attached a new house to it.

[scho63]

Growing up at the Jersey Shore

1. Swimming in the Barnegat Bay at the Jersey shore and walking the boardwalk. Also playing arcade games at Barnacle Bills

2. Donuts from Obco's

3. The Drive-In movie theater and Go Carts on Rt 37 in Gilford Park

4. The Berkeley Theater and sneaking in beers in our coats

5. Playing baseball in a sand lot at the base of a wooded area.

6. Playing touch football on the street

7. Playing basketball in my best friends driveway including shoveling snow to play in the dead of winter

8. Golf at Bey Lea golf course

[Dartgod]

Yup that's the road.
You remember that old abandoned lil red brick school that sat on the HYW? Someone bought it ,then attached a new house to it.

Was that the one right out of Ashland? To the north?

BTW, you know all the sand pits that are everywhere around the Platte? My grandpa (mom's side) used to run a crane digging some of those out.

[Baby Lee]

Growing up at the Jersey Shore

Had no idea your avatar was complexion appropriate. ;)

[DJJasonp]

Nobody mentioned the NKC Bowl and the Gold Buffet??

I was pretty young, but remember going there with parents/grandparents.

My slim memory of it though....wasnt there a dining room, but also a dinner theater room as well for entertainment?

[CoMoChief]

I didn't know it moved there. I remember it being in the shopping center on the northwest side of Noland and 40 kind of by where Toys R Us is, but on the far west side next to a Service Merchandise (or was it a BEST)

Yeah it was there too...then it moved to the old Children's Palace building

[EPodolak]

I was only eight when we left Kansas City. Places I have fond memories of - Roeland Park swimming pool, Fairway Pharmacy for penny candy, Smaks for fast food. My parents used to take me to the airport to watch the planes take off and land. Games at Kauffmann.

[BlackHelicopters]

Iconic places of my youth? Any willing vagina. At least in my teens anyway.

[bobbymitch]

Allen's Drive In, on Shawnee Mission Parkway (?). There used to be route that we kids would drive between the Allen's and Winsteads on the Plaza. I want to think that there was a third drive in on the route, but that was just too long ago.

Our backyard in Shawnee. We had a lake that spanned the backyard of 3 houses. Being in HS and having a lake, resulted in many a happy summer.

Then there was the Scout. Actually is wasn't so much about the Scout, but the parking lot where we used to watch the submarine races in the river. Got to third base there.

Lake of the Ozarks. Parents bought the cabin and lot back in 1962 and spent many a loooong weekend there. Spent the honeymoon at the old cabin. Renovated the newer cabin and now live here full time.

[stevieray]

great thread!

..grew up over the hill from Arrowhead, so 40 highway was awesome.

DQ, Shakey's, Cool Crest and slot car shop where you could upgrade ...Slicks etc.

Big Splash pool in Raytown

Fairyland, opening day at WOF.

Municipal Auditorium for wrestling

Memorial Hall, Kemper and Royals stadium for concerts.

[loochy]

Does anyone remeber the Hen House grocery store that had a big cow out front?

[DaneMcCloud]

Does anyone remeber the Hen House grocery store that had a big cow out front?

Yeah, that was like on State Line Road or something, right?

They had other locations pop up around the city in strip malls that didn't have the cow.