WHAT ABOUT ANCHORS INN RESRAUNT

Hi, anyone remember PAR-TEE mini golf….go down College to university go left past Pick-n-Chicken …..then on the right…..also there was a go cart track off the 8 near Jack Murphy near the ramp to 805….also a skateboard park under the 8-805 ramps parking lot there now…I grew up around SDSU….’till the STATE OF CALIFORNIA took our house and my backyard fort…. to build a parking building………….Greg

There is an ORIGNAL FEDMART SHOPPING CART in the bookstore at SDSU……there are some shirts in it…….as of 2-15-07…..Greg

Id like to share somthing with you, if you contact 411 for the santa barbara area “THE original very first and still in operation is SAMBOS is open for business and if you dont beleive then call them, they still have the motif and tiger butter and tiger cakes, have fun….we did it was a wonderful trip down memory lane

Why do they always have to take away the good stuff and put up that nasty commercial crap! I looooooved square pan pizza,what happend to them.And why would they do a stupid thing like get rid of Bob’s Big Boy’s?Who doesn’t love him?I was flabbergasted to see a Shakey’s pizza sign off the freeway on my way to Palm Springs so,I guess they still exist in whitetrash towns like Hemet.When I lived in North Park,I used to go to this little arcade and you pay a small fee and stay for hours,this was the Pac-man days,it was great.You wont find nothin like that now except at that dumb Boomers.I wish we could go back to the 80’s,it was so great!I tried to relive my childhood and take my son to Farrel’s in Fashion Valley,all excited and couldn’t wait to have a “dusty Road”, but once again dissappointment,empty, except an old and last “Welcome to Farrels!” sign.I wanted to cry!!!!!Why,why do they do this to us!Thank you for the column you left it’s good to know that others like myself miss these places!

Does anyone remember the ORIGNAL name of SQUARE PAN PIZZA……….it was called……OUR PERRY’S PIZZA……the first location……Aztec Square….next to McDonalds
(former site of Clancy O’Neils hambugers) on Montezuma at SDSU………Greg

Anyone remember the Pop Shop? It was in Kearny Mesa, on a side street west of Convoy. You went in and grabbed a flat that would hold 24 bottles, and they had all sorts of flavors of sodas in smallish bottles. You picked your own variety. Not sure if this was a franchise or just a local business. Probably around 1970.

On Clairemont Mesa Blvd (in the building where the big 99 Market is now) there was a home grocery delivery service. They advertised on TV heavily, but didn’t last too long. I lived just west of where 805 is now in NE Clairemont and the building was huge, and back then it and all the delivery trucks could be seen because there wasn’t much else around.

I remember driving with my parents on a dirt road along the power lines where 805 is now to get to the old Fedmart on Convoy. We moved to Clairemont in 1962, and when 805 was being built my friends and I would explore the storm drains and built wood boats to sail on the large pools of rainwater that collected on the graded dirt (just south of where 52 is now).

Ate a lot at the Anchor Inn, and there was another buffet restaurant where the Home Depot Expo is now on Convoy.

Where the Traffic Court is now over east of 163, Winchester Rifles opened “Wingo” - you got a modified shotgun and shot at hollow ice balls that were thrown up in front of you. I hear it was a trial for a franchise idea that never took off.

- Merle

Gosh . . . I was thinking about Baxter’s today while at lunch with my Mom, and thus did I stumble across your blog. I used to love going there, especially since we lived right down Balboa near Lindbergh where I went to elementary school. Mom was telling me today about how they used to have fashion shows during happy hour too . . . what a strange concept haha.

I also remember the old Safeway on Midway and West Point Loma . . . became a Vons and I think it’s now a Longs. Used to shop at the old Big Bear in University City, too - then it became an Albertson’s. Do you happen to recall if the Gemco on Balboa is what became the Lucky Advantage back in the late 80s? Now that was a strange grocery store - had the automated terminals all over the place that spit out coupons and recipes and shopping lists . . . I loved going there as a kid because it gave me something to do!

Boy, does this bring back memories. I’m a native San Diegan so have seen lots of changes, most of them dubious at best. Usually they involve a parking lot, malls or condos.

But here’s my 2 cents’ worth:

Oscar’s: Don’t remember which one we went to, I think it was in Linda Vista. But you could go eat in your jammies.

Jack-in-the-Box: Founded by the same group who owned Oscars. I hate clowns but loved Jack. When they symbolically blew up Jack in the late 1980s, blowing up the old clown heads on boxes that you ordered from, (?) I was traumatized. It took me years to go back after that. I could so make a pun comment here, but I won’t. Anyway, they used to give away balloons to kids.

The SD Automotive Museum has an old Jack ordering box on display. I kid you not, when we saw it, we went running over, yelling “There’s old Jack!”

Square Pan Pizza at SDSU: In the late 70s/early 80s The Daily Aztec (SDSU’s paper) would have “Square Meal Deal” coupons where you could get (I believe) two pieces of pizza and a soda for 99 cents. When those came out I grabbed handfuls of the newpapers and hoarded the coupons. It was the only way I ate for about a year, I was so broke.

Picnic n’ Chicken: “IT’S…the pick of the chick!” (Did anyone really ask the chicken?) I think Bob Dale used to advertise for them (he used to host a movie show on Channel 8).

Sambo’s at Old Town: We ate there regularly. A close second: IHOP at Midway and Rosecrans. I miss the original building for IHOP with the blue pointed roof. The new IHOP on Midway (1/4 mile north) doesn’t hold a candle to the old one. We had another pointy IHOP in Hillcrest but it gave way to a Carl’s Jr. which happily is now gone and becoming a bank.

Speaking of Midway and Rosecrans: Isle of Capri Pizza. Strip mall torn down for a bank, which now sells videos/used videos/DVD. I lament Isle of Capri still. It’s my benchmark for pizza; I ate there from the time I was a baby into my 20s. I think the brothers who owned it had a falling out, the restaurant reopened down Rosecrans closer to Point Loma, then closed. Now I believe the family has a restaurant or market down in Little Italy, but don’t remember which one.

Midway Drive In: A shock when it closed and was torn down. They had the most awesome “screen saver” that ran during intermission, a Spanishy-looking black and white graphic. They’d run different color lights so that the black graphic would show on a green background, a blue background, a pink background, etc.

Heavenly Donuts: I think there was one last holdout in PB until the mid-90s. But the one I remember most is the one that sat on the same lot as the Midway Drive in. Donuts were a huge treat in my family and I remember the feeling still as my dad drove his ‘66 Chevy Impala into that driveway. The building, amazingly, still exists. It’s the garish yellow and red Mexican food drive though.

Mission Valley Shopping Center: Yes, the dinosaurs. And also the phone booths where you could “call” Santa Claus at Christmas. This one’s a very vague memory for me, so not sure of what happened after that.

KarmelKorn at College Grove: ‘Nough said! They were down in MIssion Valley for a while but I don’t know where they are now.

FedMart: Loved it! Beatles albums for $3.49 (in the 70s). Unfortunately, they decided to go out of business right as I moved out on my own.

Lucky Advantage: Yes, at Balboa and 805. Odd store. Missed Gemco.

Fedco: The store I absolutely miss above all others. I still have my membership card (and Gemco’s, too.) Went out of business due to mismanagement. I hate shopping, so being able to get almost everything at one stop was a dream.

Sears at Washington: Very close to where I live now. I remember it also closed soon after I moved to the neighborhood (I see a trend here). I was so excited when they talked about moving the Central Library there and then so grieved when they started tearing it down. Somehow, to see the inner store exposed to the elements was very sad.

Kinney Shoes: Your mom is right. I think it turned into a Weber’s bakery outlet and then Office Depot….? Or perhaps I’m a little too far over and it was where Tio Leo’s is now. Trying to remember…I worked at a photofinisher behind the restaurant at the time, but can’t remember if the original Kinney’s building was torn down or incorporated into the restaurant.

Incidentally, the photofinisher started as the photofinisher for FedMart. Later, after FedMart closed, it had a ton of accounts all over the western US and later was bought by Dean’s Photo.

Let’s see…any others?….Thriftymart. With the original big red ‘T’. Became Rite-Aid. You can still get Thrifty ice cream at Rite-Aid, but for some reasons it’s a pain, like the clerk is doing you a favor when you ask. But the good thing is the memories. My dad always took me for an ice cream at Thrifty’s and we were able to continue the tradition up until a month before he died.

Norge laundries with the spotted globe. A Norge, Thriftimart, the blue IHOP were all in the same shopping center at Midway and Rosecrans.

Chuck Wagon on Midway: Never ate there, but always saw their distinctive sign from the Isle of Capri restaurant further north on Midway. “Chuck…Wa..gon. Chuck Wagon.”

The original Sea World (two words). It’s encased in the present SeaWorld. This one is special for me as Dad worked there for years. I remember it when it was muddy holes in the ground, before it opened…the Hawaiian Punch Pavilion was a favorite of mine. For a theme park, it was very respectful of the surrounding geographic area and stayed so pretty much until they built that water ride.

As you can tell, I lived in the Clairemont/Loma Porta area for years. If I remember anything else, I’ll post. Hope this brings back memories for someone!

I was reading all of your old memories of San Diego and i have a few also. The Kinny Shoe Store that you mentioned at the bottom of Linda Vista is now the Teo Leo’s Mexican Restaurant on Napa St.

There used to be a very large department store called White Front and it had everything, clothes, food, plumbing fixtures, electrical, you name it. I even had my daughter’s baby pictures taken there. Now it is the San Diego Health Bldg or County Health close to the trolley station in Old Town.

Do you remember the old Piggly Wiggly grocery store?? It was on 5th Ave near Mr. A’s Restaurant, and also the California Ballet Dance studio on 5th Ave was near. That is also gone.

I’m a native San Diegan also. I must be a little older than the rest of you tho because I remember most of the places that you do plus a few more. Oscar’s had 10 restaurants spread over the city, the one we hung out at was at the clairemont sqaure. DeFalco’s markets had 10 stores also and my first job (like so many others) was as a “box boy” at the store in the clairemont quad - clairemont dr. and burgener blvd. the shopping center has a new name now and they tore down part of it. How about uncle susie’s pancake house in pacific beach, anybody remember that?

Hi-Another native San Diegan here…I too miss all of the places that have been noted. The signs were bigger and it seemed, at least to me, that the city had a lot more character. The architecture is now bland and all the signage is bland. I loved all of the old script logos, like Sears, Newberry’s,e etc. Here are just a very few of my memories…

All the of various drive-in’s, from the Campus at College and El Cajon Blvd., with the wonderful neon majorette (which they apparently cut up and is now partially at College Grove Shopping Center). The location is now a bland strip mall… the Alvarado Drive In, also on El Cajon Blvd but in La Mesa, now another grocery store strip Mall and healthcare center. The Rancho Drive In on Euclid near Federal which is now where Cox Communications is (ironic- one media overtakes another). The Ace Drive In in Lemon Grove, now condos. the Aero Drive In in El Cajon on Broadway.

Does anyone remember the huge sign of Parkway Bowl on Fletcher Parkway in El Cajon? It was the closest to Las Vegas (as far as signage goes) that San Deigo got.

I think the department store I miss most is Fedco. My family spent a lot of time there. The old location on Federal Blvd and Euclid Ave. The wonderful script logo. I still remember I would always get a glazed donut from the snack bar (5 cents in 60’s) and walk around the store eating it. The building is actuallly still there in much the same condition, less the signage. It is now sort of an indoor swap meet of sorts. Was very emotional as I walked through it and could envision where all the various departments used to be.

One more discount store will test your memory - Save-Co. It used to be on the corner of Midway and Rosecrans. typical departent store like FedMart, etc. they had a garden Department. They went under and the space became ‘The Federated’ shortly thereafter.

Actually I have one more - Unimart, which had a fabulous logo using variations of ‘U’. they had several locations. One in El Cajon, which is the one I went to most. One on University Ave. near 70th, which is now the site of the Salvation Army Center. And one in Chula Vista which is now a Target. These locations housed quite a few discount stores over the years, for example the one in El Cajon was originally (at least to me) Unimart, then Two Guys, then FedMart, then (I think) Target. Target then moved to a nicer Gemco location on Broadway when Gemco went under and the location sat empty. It has since been torn down and is now or soon will be condos.

Correction to the above location for ‘Save-Co’. I just realized it was on the corner of Rosecrans and Sports Arena Blvd. (not Midway). However, there was an Oscar’s on the corner of Rosecrans and Midway (Huge sign).

Hello, Don’t forget “White Front” department store 70th ‘n El Cajon next to the old Winchell’s. Scientology—-I guess that is how to spell it—L. Ron Hubbard was also there. The “Two Guys” store we went to was on University where the Home Depot is. Remember the Carnation restaurant near Pep Boys on El Cajon and the Hudson Gas station accross the street. I grew up from 68- 79 around SDSU. I had a bus pass and would ride to ” Frank The Train Man” on park accross from the current location……I was 7 years old….nothing a 7 year old should do now. Does anyone remember “Spook Safari” ride at Belmont Park……it was on the right just as you would walk in. I still have a ticket book that the San Diego JAWS….soccer team that played in the old Aztec Bowl….where Cox arena is now. Greg

I remember the original College Grove Shopping Center with Walker Scott, J.J. Newberrys, Streichers, Orange Julius, a radio station on the first level, plus the moving sidewalk! And the ferris wheel and rides from the ’70’s and early ’80’s!! This shopping center went through various incarnations and is now an outlet area with a Walmart and a Target.

Was reading about Sambo’s restaurant. Did you know there is one left in Santa Barbara?

to Paul Hampshire, If u ever return to this page, I am wondering if u can help me in info about defalco’s, a unique store, with entrances on the corner of the buildings it seems. Michaels(sp??) was once Vons? and before that it was Defalco’s, is that correct, the ones in what is now called the clairemont town square. I suppose it is stupid, but once they changed the square around, i never really went back to it. Before the change, Marshalls was also in the same area, but before it was marshalls? it was walker scotts, before they moved and before that it was Muehlings(??) Which moved from PB. Walker scotts was moved to were Vons is, what was it
before it was walker scotts? and
Was Payless always payless?

In the clairemont Quad, there was another defalco’s. across from it was? grants? it eventually became an auto parts store, painted yellow then torn down.
further in the back of the quad where 31 flavors is or was, there was once a grant’s there? or was the only (very cool store) Grants in the clairemont area of genesee and balboa ave. area? Grants became a bit steep price wise, but always had a LOT to offer. There was even a car repair shop, which I do not think many people cared for, it was completely removed when mervyns moved in. along with the toy area and garden, the building was shortened, but they did keep some of the front windows for a short time I think, the restaurant was walled up, closed and now storage area for mervyns, I do not know if Vons ever ended up with that space or not. Funny, everyone wants to expand their store space, but gave so much of it up in their younger years, there’s planning for you. Then it folded and ended an era. I still have a wooden yard stick with “grants” written on it. Now Mervyns is struggling.. no great loss. Was Vons that is next to Mervyns which was what was once known as Grant’s, ever a defalco’s too?

to anyone else, I think Safeway and Savon used to be owned by the same company, but I never could find info on it. I know at least one of the stores (genesee avenue) in clairemont had an interconnection between the two, another words, u didn’t go outside and back into the store, it was next to one another and a automatic door was with one shared wall. used to go to savon for their ice cream. Oddly enough of all the stuff that is fading from my memories, I seem to remember the locations of a lot of stores, providing they existed in my childhood and I actually went there. I seem to remember this one older checker at safeway who everyone preferred to deal with, he was a whiz at the old mechanical cash registers. he of course retired and was replaced by a smart terminal and a dumb user.
There was also a Alpha Beta in the clairemont area, it became over priced, lost business, and was closed. Someone told a friend and that was that. I remembered the check OK’ing system in the later years which was probably the only reason I remember what i remember, technology. The store like safeway, had a real meat counter, where every kid loved to watch new meat enter and be made into smaller steaks, don’t ask me why. The store later became a greentrees and now is a catering place, I do not recall if it was anything before greentrees, there was something after green trees and when the building was sold or lease ran out again, I was also told the structure was not sound and should have been torn down.. guess they got it for rather cheap. This time the whole store was sold, check out stands and all. The old gas station, eventually was turned into a mini store, mostly garden stuff, and simple stuff like milk and eggs, not a minimart style stuff. But nothing was priced where it would get enough business.. (I’d like to be a billionaire have a grocery store and sell stuff cheap, the hell with profit.Unions would picket and stores would have to find ways of not losing customers, it would probably get labeled socialistic or some other irrational BS, just to scare people off.., can u imagine if u could sell gasoline for 99cents, again, the hell with your profits.. u would not be a billionaire for long. would it help the economy?, probably not…) Oh, sorry, anyway,… Last I saw, it was lawn mower sales and repair stuff now.. not very interesting which is why I don’t remember much of it. The other part of the area was a laundromat(sp??) (now closed), a liquor store and I do not remember what else, they did an addition and expanded the number of stores there, the lower level was eventually used as it is now a pre-school… yes, under a liquor store, what were they thinking. Umm, anyways, Safeway, I do not think actually ever went out of business completely, they were bought out by Vons, but, oddly enough Safeway now Owns the Vons chain.

The last of the Farrell’s stores left san diego county in 2007, rumor had it they might be expanding elsewhere(??), but like “bobs big boy” and sambo’s they are out of san diego and not coming back. I loved “bob’s big boy” cheeseburgers and fries.. *sigh*

in UTC, what it is now, i dunno.. located on genesee ave. Mann’s theaters are long gone and I think the skating rink is gone too, have not been there, dont care to, is it gone? Mann theaters on sports Arena blvd. ( did u know that used to be called frontier street?) closed long ago, used for other stuff… as are most older theaters, shame really. I know Mann’s does not really count as an older theater, being that it had the mini theaters with in, but still. Used those UTC theaters a lot…

Every place is going in for remodeling. Target on Genesee Avenue will close for most of 2008 for an upgrade. The car area there is long gone, not sure if the pool supply store is out or not, i know the bank next door is a mcDonalds.

Baxters, became a field of wild daisies for quite a long time, I miss Baxters. Then it became a field of dasies , then a new building went up and it became DOW, then when dow was bought out a tweeters, and that was pretty much it for that store, as it to is now empty.. That is what u get tweeters.. DOW was annoying and not sure if what u bought was on the up and up, but DOW was around forever… All the stores next to (butt up to) Target are slated to become target as it expands, and I think even ralph’s ( what a name) was suppose to leave, leaving Home Depot and Target. i do remember when it was only a Fedmart and a dirt field. No DMV near there either yet. the field across where the DMV now is, although actually next to the DMV is actually Jack in the box and across the street was a bare lot with only a gas station on the corner. the northern across the street of the dmv is where the old safeway and savon used to be. so incase I lost u by the third paragraph, I am sure I have since then made u life a living heck, if u made it this far.

I think a lot of san diego needs to be worked over, not tearing down the old, we do that too much, but making it more green, not the save the world so much green, but plants, trees, grass and a removal of 40 years of dust and cigarette butts.

Does anyone recall a civil service alarm/air raid or lunch horn/whistle that use to be on balboa avenue right before mt. Everest ave? it was before they removed all the above ground wiring to neaten up balboa ave. (old hiway 209).

Does anyone recall that what was once the tallest (office) building ( also balboa ave, as in balboa and genesee ave. area, ) use to have the offices of KPRI (then 106.5fm), on it’s top floor? next to this building was a brick bar, sandwich place, insurance, ??,??, barbershop, then a bank office building and bank with no second floor, later had doctors offices in it, like the old 5252 balboa medical building. Balboa pharmacy is no long run by lou. Nor do I use it anymore. Price gougers on cash customers. The area changed, the grass and trees mostly gone, had a quicky remodeling to it, bank building torn out and the area now supports a rite aid.

Clairemont Hospital, long closed and converted to ?? county owns it. I was the last baby born there, well the final year for birthin babies..
( 1960’s era.)

Everyone in the family used it at least once, but in its final years of life, their ER doctor’s were not to be too trusted with diagnoses. ER has since been walled up. back to the 5252 balboa avenue buildings, the small shops pretty much shifted west of the 5252 building. Rumor was they wanted to plow it all under and put in movie theaters.. It never made it.

Mission bay hospital closed about a decade ago, was diagnosed for Ulcerative colitis, then the closed a year later.. yes, i am sure that was the reason,… NOT!, no they did not want to spend $50 million to earthquake proof it, so it is now an old geezers(??) home. Go figure.

One thing I never though San Diego was too creative with is where they put the Interstate Freeways in, mostly right over the old US routes, and that there are no US route Terminus in San Diego County anymore, destroy history and the old for all new stuff.. amazed there is still a railroad that goes through part san diego.

There is no Highway 395, 101, 99 or 80. Historical versions exist, but their terminus are vanishing out of the US..and gawd forbid san diego kept any. did 99 even touch san diego county? it did once reach the mexican border. 80, supposedly ended in point loma point. 395 ended at market street. 101 end at mexico. 80 went through El clabong (j/k, el cajon..)
end market street(??). 101 went through Old town once too.. hard to believe for me..

Seaport village, Old Ferry Landing, before Coronado Bridge. (state hiway 75). used to be a rail line that reached the Coronado Hotel..

Oops, sorry.. I digressed,.. again..

Moving further down Balboa avenue. Where Ihop STILL sits, is a Radio Shack that has been there probably since 1972, it was originally something called Allied Radio’s, I do not know if that was what radio shack was once called or radio shack just replaced them. Yes, I know, but i am still not as old as I think.

I do not remember much Of PB, but i not sure we went there a lot, traffic and all. I remember a walk up soft ice cream place we went a lot, a pizza place, name escapes me, and a lot of empty buildings.. Old JCPenneys, empty and moved to Mission Valley.

ok, i think i just put a bunch of people to sleep so I will stop now..

The Kinney Shoes at Morena Blvd and Linda Vista Road [5302 Napa street] became a restuarant called “Tio Leo’s” in the early/mid 80s.

Tug’s Tavern in P.B.

Tubaman’s (beer bar)
Love’s BBQ - El Cajon, O’side, Mission Valley, Chula Vista- all gone now.
Garcia’s of Scottsdale at The Glasshouse Square - Sports Arena (Now In N Out)
BBQ Pit - onlt two left El Cajon & Natl City
Foggy’s Notion
Mad Jack’s - car stereos
Eric The Red’s - car stereos
Organ Power Pizza

At College Grove there was a Post Office and community hall (for parties/meetings) downstairs. KSEA radio? Jewel Art Store

Char Burgers
Oscar’s
Alan Johnson Porsche became a Goodwill Store
La Posada Del Sol in La Mesa on Fletcher
Bobby McGee’s
Jaymar’s in La Mesa
Dos Amigos Mexican restaurant
Lubach’s - downtown restaurant closed without warning and employee got stiffed
Telemart - Grocery delivery in the 70’s
Victoria Station
Confetti nightclub
D.O. Mills
Flanigans
Diego’s in PB
Chicago Brothers Pizza

does anyone remember the name of the swedish / scandanavian buffet on midway drive?

yes it was sir georges smorgasboard

Oh, my gosh - I remember the smorgasbord! The shopping center that’s there is still called Nordic Center, I think … haven’t been down that direction in awhile.

Speaking of Loma Portal, does anyone else remember Garcia’s, that was on Rosecrans and Midway (or maybe it was Sports Arena in Glasshouse Square - I was 5!)? It was next to Dr. Levanthal’s, the optometrist … I remember they had pretty good chimichangas lol

Square Pan Pizza was the original name, owned and operated by causin Carl. Sold to Perry’s Pizza.

I so loved to eat at the sears cafeteria upstairs, and the caeteria at buffums and of course the kmart cafeteria

I so loved to eat at the sears cafeteria upstairs, in la jolla and the caeteria at buffums and of course the kmart cafeteria

oh and how could we forget perry boys
and the walker scott cafeteria

Let’s get this right….Square Pan Pizza did not sell to “Our Perry’s Pizza”…Square Pan Pizza chain sold to New York restaurant company. (SBARRO INC.)
San Diego Business Journal, October, 1991 by Hock, Sandy
I am not sure who “causin Carl” is ….the person that we knew of when I worked there at SDSU store was.. KARL MOTSENBOCKER…….Thank You, Greg

Remember “The Fun Factory” it had over 300 pinball machines and coin op games. It was located at 54th -n- El Cajon blvd across from Crawford H.S. and Horace Mann jr. high. I attended Blessed Sacrament school up the street…so we always went there. The Fun Factory was inside J.J. Newberry’s store….they just split the store in half one day and added the games. located nextdoor was the “Twinn Cinema’s” and don’t forget Jack LaLanes world health spa. Greg

does anyone remember Naugles in mira mesa, gosh i loved that place but perry boys was the best and shanghi on 54th and university

Love this little site.
For those interested, I post old ads and articles from the movie sections of San Diego Union and Evening Tribune at…
blog.myspace.com/sandiegocinerama

And to clarify a few things:
The Cinerama at 58th and University was closed and demolished. It was replaced by the Cinerama 6 in 1989- and that closed in July, 2007.
The Cinema 21 was demolished in 2002.
The Valley Circle was demolished in 1998.
The Center 3 started life as the Center and became the Center 3 in 1971. That closed in 1994 or 1995 (the building still stands).
The Loma still stands and has a beautifully preserved interior.

If anyone reading this has photos or memories related to the aforementioned theaters they’d like to share, contact me.
I can’t guarantee money, but you’ll probably get a nice meal out of me.

PB had Mr. G’s pizza. In National City, Mario’s pizza.
My favorite department store was Marston’s which became Broadway which is now Macy’s. Macy’s doesn’t hold a candle to Marton’s.

Westgate park was really cozy. I remember the beer guy shouting “get your Lucky” over and over. I’m sure it didn’t cost ten bucks, but I was a kid so I don’t know. Yeah, they brought your beer to you in the seats where the old guys smoked stogies.

Regarding Square Pan Pizza, Greg Daniel is correct. Square Pan Pizza sold to SBARRO Inc., not to “Our Perry’s Pizza”……and yes, the owner was Karl Motsenbocker, who is a great guy that I had the privilege of working closely with when I helped him open the Square Pan Pizza location in Palm Desert, CA in 1984. I do however seem to remember the name “Our Perry’s Pizza”, which may have been the name BEFORE Square Pan Pizza. I began working there in about 1977 and the name was already “Square Pan Pizza”. - Rich Gilbert

I remember going to Westgate Park when I was very little. And, all those other places near Balboa. I live in Sacramento now and I’m always visiting the old neighborhoods of Kearny Mesa when I visit. This is a great walk down memory lane for me!

I am now in PUeblo, CO, but I found this page
doing searches on Sea World Sparkletts’ Water show that Once was at Sea World. I am a Native from San Diego, born at the old balboa navel hopspital in the very early 70’s.
I did see an error, I live in San Diego till 86 (though i was in Tx from 83 to early 85, do to my dad being transfered by the Navy in mid 82, but we still came to San Diego though only for a week 83 and 4, and lived there again in 5 and 6, leaving in Nov 1986.)

I did notice an error on the location of an Oscars on Midway and Roscrancs, i lived in Gateway Village Navel housing near the old Dewey elemetry School, and on each corner, there was a bank (were Isle of CApri shoping center and a Mobil gas station was once there)
Peck Buick/AMC/Jeep, the Loma SQuare shoping Center that had Dependables, Vons, Bank of America, Ihop, Chevron, Spanky’s, Sav On, and other stores, as well as the old Arco/76 Auto Scruber Car Wash. I remmember when the Fire that destroyed the building that AJ club was once in happen in the mid 80’s and the guy calling in the fire at the Hallmark that once was in loma Square reported as a fire at the Auto SCrubber car Wash. AJ’s was near the Porshae dealer on Roscranse and down the rooad was the center were big 5, pic n Sav (now Big Lots), Burger King(with the interor look shown in the Have it your way commemricals of the mid 70;s), and a dodge car dealer across from there, there was also a ortheo bedding place in this same area.

I miss Garcia’s on Sport Area BLvd, loved the food there and was sad to see it closed on a trip in 1993.
Also anyone remember a restrant
near Kerrny mesa area called
The Copper Penny, its now or was in 93 an Ihop.
Also the Kenny shoe store on Morena(sP) blvd,
that had closed in the late 78 or 9, and
the complex it was in was used for contrution
storage in early 80’s, I think it was torn down in 85.
Also anyone reemmber City Chevrolet’s
big Chevrolet Logo Sign that you could see
from I-5, not the generic ones used at most GM dealer’s but the 4 story one, that was
there in the 70’s 80’s and 90s? :: someontold me it was installed sometime in the early 1970s or earlier. I STill retain the 2 dr Caprice that
my family bought there in 79.

Also anyone remmber XETV’s promos when it
was an independant station in the 70’s and early 80’s, there sign ons and such.

If anyone got Photos of the old Gateway
housing please let me know, as I heard these
are being torn down.

Oh btw, anyone remember 2 guys / fed mart office complete on Roscrance is that still there
I heard its been split up and part of it
now either an OfficeMax or Staples.

Hi….Channel 6 promos—xetv—jingle went —-”XETV SIX, XETV 6…..OLE’ THE SIX WORD WAS KIND OF STREACHED OUT IN THE JINGLE. Remember “Hawaiian Punch Village”…I think they had the Hawaiian Punch….but made with the real fruit juice as it was $$$. The last time we went to Copper Penny restaurant (about 1984)was the location near Seaforth boat rentals….near Belmont Park….that was a fun place…my favorite ride was “Spook Safari”…and I still have a ticket book. Thank You, Greg

Hawaiian Punch Village—–was at Sea World….kind of like the “Tiki Tiki Room” at Disneyland…..Greg Daniel

ahh memories
The Copper Penny location that the Ihop
in the Kerny mesa area i heard closed around
1983 or 4, I reember from last going there in 1977, which after that I never did again cause I got very bad food posining from fish there, it had a typical coffee shop/BBQ palace look.
XETV’s slogan i remember was “XETV see the deferance XETV 6″ used in late 70’s up to 83, prior to Fox taking it over.
But the Sign on I remember had a 60’s flaver psycadelic look, they sign on about 6 am and leave the air around 1am.

Does anybody remember STRAIT-AHEAD-SOUND? I think it was on El Cajon Blvd. I now live in Los Angeles, so I don’t know if it could still be there (doubt it), but they used to have some great local rock bands play there and you didn’t have to be 21 yrs. old to get in. I saw a band called “Teaser” there 3 or 4 times in 1979(?). The guitar player for Teaser, Jake E. Lee, later went on to play guitar for Ozzie Osbourne. Great Venue - Great Band!

Hawaian Punch village I do seem to remember was there thru the late 70’s, are the time they opened Capn’ Kids world it closed, this also was the same time the New petting pool opened. I still trying to find out about Sparklett’s Water show, the last show called Californ’ Dreamin that was playing between 1985 and 7 ( I heard the 4 seasons show returned around 88 prior to the Water Show Closing for good when they show were Patrick Steward of ST:NG was narrator of the show that had the Sparklett’s tank inclosed, may be the same used in the shows there now.

Also anyone remember the business that were in the area of Roscrans and Midway up to Barnett Ave (close to the AM/PM that was on the corner of Roscrancs and Barnett across from the old NTC (alittle tid bit, a coworking who going into the navy soon, told me that he be in one of the final classes that train at NTC Il, there a rumer that NTC San Diego may partially reopen do to the age of the IL training center. is the true?)

I was trying to remember but in the mid to late 70’s there was in Loma Square, a bookstore near at that time was Twriftway and then Vons Supermarket, when did this close, I remember in a 93 trip that it was now an ACE Check place but in 86 it still was the book store, anyone remember the name or when it closed. Also What is now in Vons vacant building now? Also someone told me Spankey’s restraint that was next door to the Auto Scrubber car wash they were trying to save the sign that was there for years.
Anyone know of this??

I just came across this blog — I grew up in San Diego (now live near San Francisco), and I sure do miss the Isle of Capri restaurant. I have eaten pizzas cheap and expensive, but nothing that comes close to the ones from Isle of Capri. I remember returning home from my first year in college back in the late ’70s (when disco was still in vogue), and being heartbroken to find a bank where the restaurant used to be. So, Sandra — if you ever track down the final story on what happened to them, please post back!

I’m from San Diego and spent a goodly portion of my early life there. I found this blog searching for St. George’s so I could take my family there when we visit on vacation this summer. I remember they had the BIGGEST pans of mac & cheese a 7yro had ever seen.
And to ‘Greg Daniel’-> I used to live around the corner from ” Frank The Train Man” on Meade st. I see another favorite of my childhood is still around - ‘Wienerschnitzel’. It was a long time ago, about 30 years, but didn’t they have a ‘der’ in the name? When did they drop that?

They opened another Pizza restraint accress from NTC in the mid 80’s (last been there in July 86), can’t remember the name exactly think it was “Touch of italy” or something of that nature in the name, was near the Jack in the Box and Cleaners on Rosecrans across from NTC (read some info, NTC IL is one the hit list to be closed in next base closing cause of its age, so NTC CA may indead reopen)

NTC is pretty much gone in san diego….
Closed in 1997, so I am not sure what part of it there is left to reopen.

Does anyone remember the AUTO TECNIQUE custom shop in point loma, and the loma theater, i saw ET there way back when, and who can forget WALKER SCOTT, did you know there is still a number in SAN DIEGO if you call 411 and ask for square pan pizza they have a phone number but no one ever picks up the phone it just rings and rings

Does anyone remember the AUTO TECNIQUE custom shop in point loma, and the loma theater, i saw ET there way back when, and who can forget WALKER SCOTT, did you know there is still a number in SAN DIEGO if you call 411 and ask for square pan pizza they have a phone number but no one ever picks up the phone it just rings and rings

Hi,
I worked at the Valley Circle Theater , across from Wendy’s I worked at –Camino Del Rio North… off the 8—It was fun working at the Loma theater and the Valley Circle —we could hold close to 1300 patrons.Both theaters were part of the MANN THEATERS chain which was bought up by UA then REGAL. When I worked at the Loma—1986—it was “Top Gun” in 70 MM and 6 track Dolby–the last Square Pan Pizza–I worked there also, was in Leucadia—I was at the SDSU store. Thank You, Greg

Hi, on the topic of movie theaters…Remember the “CINEMA 21″ next to the tennis club off the 8…about 3 miles from the Valley Circle. I saw the movie RED DAWN in 1984 at a midnite showing and I thought for sure that we were getting invaded….MGM has a new version of that movie in the works. Thank You, Greg

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Why did they do away with the streetcar system?…You could go all over San Diego on the streetcars in the 40s.Mission Beach,the Ferry,Hillcrest,Northpark,Adams Ave.,the free Zoo,Balboa Park…Then they replaced them with smelly busses..Why?..The open air trolly out to the beach had row boats tied up among the cattails at the car stops..San Diego had so much natural beauty before they filled up everything with cement and phoney palm trees.

General Motors, u can thank them and america’s love (and brainwashing) for the automobile, for the removal of the street cars.. a lot of the tracks still exist, but unusable, being that they are buried under tons of asphalt.. u see it was easier to bury them then remove them.. none the less, if we had built our towns and cities around mass transit, it would probably still be in use today.. but.. the car production companies did their best to bury the intelligent way of transportation.. now we live in little boxes one per person, stuck at 15mph complaining that the street isn’t wide enough for all our toys on rubber wheels. We don’t like the inconvenience, were spoiled and ignorant.

I live in Chico now…..we still had the trolley tracks about 6-7 years ago. The last time I saw a train go right through downtown was a frieght train in 1985. I said to the city “Lets put a trolley on the tracks”…from one end of town to the other the tracks spanned. The city said it would be impossible as there was no company who made wheels that would fit the old tracks…….yea right….and they spent something like 5-6 million $$$$ to pull all the tracks out. In our local “Reader type” free paper—-THE NEWS AND REVIEW…there was an article about the trolleys in the 40’s. My neighbor said GM burned all the “useless” trolley cars in the outskirts of town….you can read this online(News and Review article—CHICO) Sacramento has an updated trolley car system operating in most parts of the city today. Thank You, Greg

Anyone remember what happen some of the car dealers in San Diego, Kerny mesa dodge, City Chevrolet, Lamb Chevrolet, John Hine Pontiac tv ads of the 70’s and 80’s?

Also Does anyone have video of the Old XETV’s Indipendent days that can be posted on the net, it be nice to see memeories preserved.

OH also anyone remember K Best also the old PSA HQ on Harbor blvd.

BTW anyone know if a Mural is still in the main entrance area of Dewey elementry school, the Roscrans side?

The Owl Drugstore downtown? The Fox Theater on 6th street?The Pacific Square dances where all the big bands played? The Ratclif’s Dance Studio and ballroom on 12th and Broadway. Is the Mission Beach Ballroom still there? I don’t live there any more. I’m in Orange county now.

WOW. just how long has it been since u were in San Diego? they saved Fox theater some time ago, although, not exactly what it used to be, it was converted to become Copley Symphony Hall, although there are still a lot who still call it the Fox Theater. However the insides still resemble the original.. There are parts that could not be saved.. I do not believe that the Mission Beach Ballroom has existed in that form for a very long time, as for the structure itself.. ??? (did this area ever once actually look like this http://www.johnfry.com/Media/MB2408.jpg ?) but Pacific Square? might this be what you speak of
http://www.swingorama.com/sd/viewtopic.php?=&p=27952
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/collections/theaters/images/83-14541-39.jpg
I also found this, “Pacific Square ballroom (1940-1989): The Big Band sound blared at this popular World War II spot at Pacific Highway and Ash Street. A condo tower is [planned] there.” the article was from 2004.
http://www.signonsand