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LINDA VISTA PLAZA MEMORIES
Hope Cornell-Branson
This will go in our
memory book. Jerry and I didn't know each then of course . I was 6
and he was 10 but both of our families took us to the dedication and
we were proud to see Eleanor Roosevelt dedicate OUR shopping
center...we were told it was the FIRST one.
So many years we
spent shopping at the Linda Vista Department Store which later
became Walker Scott Department Store.We bought our shoes at Karl's
Shoe Store. They loved to see us come in because my daddy took all 5
kids at one time to buy our new school and Easter shoes. That was
all we bought during the year. How about the bread at the Bakery.
Nancy Sharp Bates and I would go to the bakery to buy hot bread for
my mother and on the way home couldn't resist the warmth of the bag
and the delicious aroma....Well you guessed it we ate much of it
before we got home. I still remember the "look" from mama. When the
Safeway and Movie Theater and Pool Hall next to it went in what a
celebration that was. No more going downtown San Diego to buy
groceries and we did NOT have a car. Daddy made several trips on
the bus most of the time to bring our groceries home. He carried a
box up on each shoulder and had bags tucked in the crook of his
arms and with his hands holding the boxes he held a bag or 2 in each
hand. Poor guy was small ( 5 ft 7 in and weighed 127 lbs. )but he
sure never complained. Took a few times to get it all off of the bus
but then he would go back for another load.The neighbor boys were
alerted to his trip and were always waiting at the bus stop with
their wagons to haul it home . I must say Daddy "tipped" them quite
well. We lived on Langmuir St at the bottom of Comstock so they had
a fairly long haul from the bus stop on Linda Vista Rd but in those
days we were used to walking.
Helen Likins-Bullock
Gosh, I have so
many great memories of the Shopping Center (all good).
It was an
integral part of our lives growing up. So many important events took
place there. My long term memory is great but my short term is not.
I can walk into the bedroom to get something and then can't remember
why I went in there. Anyone else have the same problem?
I worked at the
Linda Theater as the candy/popcorn girl making popcorn that bubbled
out of the kettle fresh and hot. Of course, I gave my friends FREE
refills. I remember every summer how we all looked forward to the
carnival coming and setting up in the vacant lot and all of the fun
rides and games. The Tilt- A- Whirl was my favorite. Oh how I wish I
had some of that carnival glass that we tossed pennies on. It is
quite valuable now.
We always
stopped at Thrifty's after school to get a coke. I always ordered a
chocolate coke. Remember when the candy store would charge $1.00 for
a bag of candy in order to get 1 piece of Bubble Gum? Everyone would
call each other to let them know when they got new
Levi's in at the
Department Store, as they were scarce in those days.
The Department
Store later became Walker Scott and we all saved our Green Stamps.
All of our basketball game were held at the Recreation Center Gym
and who can forget the Hub Bub Club.
My brother Bill
and I attended Kit Carson Yeah. We had 1 hour for lunch as many
children went home for lunch. We would take the money our mother
gave us for school lunch, run through the Olive Grove to the
Delicatessen and order a Hamburger and Grapett. Then we would run
back to Kit Carson in time for class. No wonder I was skinny in
Elementary School. As kids we would mow lawns with our push lawn
mower and hand clippers. 25 cents for the front and 25 cents for the
back and hand edged all of the way around. Remember, we had large
lawns in Linda Vista. We too delivered groceries from the Safeway
when it was first built. (We had no bus service yet) As women would
walk out the door we would say. "Deliver your Groceries for a
quarter Mamm. We walked to both ends of Linda Vista and back and
were thrilled to get the work. They added the Bank of America and an
Appliance/TV shop to the South End of the Dept. Store.
Before the
Safeway and Shopping Center were built, we had to go up 6th street
extension (now 163) to Hillcrest to buy groceries at The Piggily
Wiggily.
We were so lucky
that we grew up in such a wonderful era. I wish my grandkids had
what we had. Everyone was safe and just clean innocent fun.
Elsie
Danuser-Kimpton
The Linda Vista
Theater was such a special place -- where many of us had our first
dates -- And, the dances at the Gym -- Oh, my. I can still hear the
Billy Eckstein music!!
We all surely have memories of the Linda Vista Plaza. I'd hate to
pick a favorite store, since I was in all of them often, but I guess
I loved most, the cherry cokes at the bakery fountain and the dime
store. How incredible to see that drawing and the aerial view! Sure
brought back wonderful memories
Bill Hudson
Brings back memories I worked at Thrifty's as a bus boy along with
Gary Ryan for awhile.
Roy Brewton
When I was 10 or 11 years
old I earned money with a radio flyer wagon hauling groceries from
the Linda Vista grocery store to the homes of those on foot, the pay
was in cents 25, 30, or 50. The 50 cent pay was for those that
lived out as far north as Homewood Drive, that seemed miles away.
In fact I remember eating their bananas and stealing their
cigarettes, an atonement I have yet to make. My father took the
money I made and saved it (which I didn't Know) it pissed me off
beyond words. I was to understand later the loving thing he did for
his only boy.
Like you when I
was 15 years old I got a work permit and went to work for Harold
and Gracie Samuels at Karls shoe store. I put on a tie that I was
to wear until I was 65 years old. I will never be able to express
the love I felt for these two people.
After we moved to
East San Diego and I like Elsie transferred to Hoover High School
and I continued to work at Karls. Hitch hiking back of Hoover to
Texas Street down the valley and up the hill to Linda Vista. It
seemed like the this was the natural progression of life and it
never occurred to me that this was a difficult time.,
My blessed father
took the money he was saving for me and 1952 sold me the 1950
Chevrolet I loved so much.
I continued to
work for Harold and Gracie until fall of 1953 when at San Diego JC
went to work for Jordan Marsh at 6th and C streets downtown. Which
proved to be the beginning of my career in the menswear business.
Stan Elmore
I also had my
first real job at the Linda Vista Plaza. I worked at the L.V. Dept.
Store. I started in the stock room and later worked as a salesman
in the hardware dept., men's ware and sold shoes. During my senior
year, I can't remember the month, but I also went to work for the
Linda Mart in the produce section. I worked mostly at the store on
the plaza but filled in at the other three stores. I quit when I
went into the army in Sept. 1953. After I got out of the army and
was working at Convair, before I became a policeman, I went back to
the L.V. Plaza and worked part time in the shoe dept., selling shoes
at the L.V. Dept Store. I continued selling shoes part time the
first few years that I was on the P.D. In those days policemen were
not permitted to work at outside jobs, so I was always on the
lookout for someone from the P.D. while selling shoes. Your email
reminded me of all the good time I had at the L.V . Plaza. Thanks
for the memories.
Lanny Ross
Takes me way back to shining shoes in front of Thrifty in 1944 or ??
Don LeCompte
The aerial sure
brought back memories of the Community Center and all the events we
used to have there. Dances, Basketball, Pool, etc.
Thelma Lawson-Eggert
We were blessed
to be a part of that. Lots of fun times. I also worked at the Linda
Vista Department Store as did my Mother.
I was planning to bring the article to our July Luncheon.
Marguerite Winter-McCue
I REMEMBER
THE CENTER, I BOUGHT LOTS OF ICE CREAM AT THRIFTYS. I AM GOING TO
FORWARD THIS TO MY SISTER, SHE WILL LIKE IT ALSO, SHE ALSO WORKED AT
THE DEPARTMENT STORE.
Jerry Dawson
Diagonally
across the street was the drive in, along the left edge of the
picture was Kearny, and in the upper left of the picture is the old
ball field where a good many of us played and the Eggerts and McMins
along with Ollie were famous.
Don Callard
I too worked at
the Linda Vista Department Store in the major appliance and TV
department as a general flunkie uncrating appliances and helping
deliver them to costomers. I got the job after Fred Schwend left
the job so he could play football, and didn't have time for work. I
made an astounding $.75 per hour, and worked 2 hours after school
and 4 hours on Saturdays.
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