Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Garden Grove & Westminster in the 1950's and 1960's

Carol Kennedy submits her memories of growing up in Garden Grove, and going to school in Westminster. She also talks about the stores and restaurants she remembers...

What memories this site brings back! We moved to Garden Grove in 1954, and my parents bought a brand-new tract house the next year, on Florence Lane. There were still orange groves around us. Because we were the end house on a cul-de-sac, we had 1/3 acre. My dad fenced in a huge backyard, but that still left a triangular-shaped piece in back that stayed "wild." We used to build tumbleweed forts out there. We caught lizards and "horny toads" (horned lizards), and jackrabbits would leap across the lot.

My brother and I went to Blessed Sacrament grade school in Westminster, but all our neighbors went to public school: Marie L. Hare, which was a grade school at the time. Later we went to Mater Dei, and the neighbors went to Rancho.

I remember, just for starters: the A&W and the Pink Spot on Chapman; a truck farm where a number of Japanese-American families lived at Magnolia and Garden Grove Blvd.; the Gem Theater (in downtown); the Hiway 39 drive-in; a trampoline place where you could pay to jump by the half-hour or hour, on Chapman east of Gilbert; the polo grounds on Garden Grove Blvd. east of Magnolia.

I remember when the Sav-on was built on the southwest corner of Chapman and Brookhurst--ice cream cones there were 5 cents for a scoop, with a choice of about ten flavors, and candy bars were three for 10 cents; when the plaza on the northwest corner of that intersection was built, and my folks shopped at the Thriftimart; when St. Columban's school was built, and later St. Polycarp's; when the Grove Theater was built, and we started going there instead of the old Gem.

So many memories came flooding back as I read comments here! I wish your site had a "search" feature, but it's great as it is. Thanks!

If anyone thinks they remember me, they can email me at bigred_56@hotmail.com.

Carol Kennedy

55 comments:

  1. I'd completely forgotten about the trampoline place. It must have gone when I was very young, because I have just a faint memory of it.

    That brings to mind the little "amusement park" that was next to a building in the shopping center on the south side of Garden Grove Blvd. just east of Gilbert (Garden Grove Plaza, maybe?) They had a small "train" that ran in circles and lots of animals (rabbits mostly, as I recall) in little cages. That must have been there until the mid to late 60's.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Does anyone remember a restaurant called Edo's in the Garden Grove area? It was my grandmother's favorite restaurant and we ate there often. Many wonderful memories.....as I think about the expanded tables that they set up for us it is sad to realize that only one other person is still alive.

      Delete
    2. I not only recall but as an apprentice carpenter during 54 or 55 I was very instrumental in building the place ! I took a date there for the grand opening. My boss was Frank Ebert who contracted the job through Long Beach Restaurant Supply . Jerry Lugert

      Delete
    3. I helped build it during 54 or 55 jerry lugert

      Delete
  2. "Kiddieland" was the name of of the little amusement park. It was rigfht off of GG Blvd - next to the Foster' Freeze - with the Grove Theatre further back. Judkin's Music, Priscilla's Bakery weere in the same shopping area. Wasn't there a bowling alley in the corner (to the right of the Grove Theatre if you were facing it? Coles' Grocery Store across the street...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good times in GG. In the same shopping center as Kiddieland there was Treon Drugs and Shi's Japanese store. For a while there was a take-out Chinese food place called Han-Hong. Maple Lanes bowling alley was east on GG Blvd before Nutwood. I believe it burned down in the 80's. Accross the street was Coles Grocery Store.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I went to Blessed Sacramnet first and second grade, then I went to St. Columban's - Father Murphy, Father Moran - Father Gearty. who died very young. Irish Sisters of Charity nuns....very Catholic. The big thrill was once a year (might have been at Easter)we would walk from St. Columbans to the Gem Theatre and see "The Ten Commandments." That was a neat day!

    Maple Lanes --- first time I was in there the pins were manually set! Must have been like 1956? Edo's Restaurant, on GG Blvd. WT Grant's; Leonards; Hamburger handout; Roller Skating rink at Haster & GG Blvd. What ever happened to Kid's Haven???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We share so many of the same memories. Although I do remember going to the Gem to see many movies over the years (and for just 25 cents for a double feature) but I just remember walking from the school to the old church for movies back then. It was the church hall back in those days. I remember seeing The Song of Bernadette there and it is still one of my favorite movies. Fr. Fitzgerald was also a parish priest back then and my mom was the secretary at the church. My sister joined the Irish Sisters of Charity and is still a nun (celebrating her 50th Jubilee this year. They are now just called the Sisters of Charity. Thanks for the memories.

      Delete
  5. Does anybody remember Lance coffee shop across from the Grove Theater and All American grocery store in that shopping center? We went Earl Warren school and Garden Grove High. They were some really good days.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Please somebody tell me the name of that trampoline game!! There was like a basketball hole in the back with walls separating the players. Very cool.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I believe the trampoline game was called "Hi-Ball". It had 4 chambers with like an 8 foot divider net between them. I remember one version where all 4 people jumped on the same trampoline, and then a later version where each chamber had it's own. The object of the game was to chuck the "ball", more like a stuffed pillow, into the hole at the back of your opponents chamber. Great fun!

    Anyone remember the Copper Penny restaurant on the North side of Chapman west of Brookhurst? I also have a recollection of a diner/deli called Big Bernies??? on the South side of Chapman, west of Brookhurst, near where currently stands an IHOP.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i remember the copper penny. they had a perfume dispenser in the ladies room. it had white shoulders in it, which was what my grandmother wore, so every time i went to the bathroom, i was reminded of her, lol.

      Delete
    2. It was called "Space Ball" We had a blast there! ............. The best place to eat in all of Garden Grove was CHRIS'N'PITTS!!!!!

      Delete
    3. Yes, a friend's mom owned it in the early 70s. Their name was Jaquez. My wife worked there.

      Delete
  8. I definitely remember the Copper Penny restuarant in "The Plaza".

    I do remember the other place you're talking about...it was back in the corner, behind the IHOP, right? I had to think about it, but I have a faint recollection.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't know how I came accross this blog but how nice. I grew up in Garden Grove on Bluebell Ave, just a few steps from Harbor and Orangewood. I remeber everything y'all (in Texas now) are talking about. The Copper Penny was a regualr stop for my parents. I went to Parkview Elementary, Issac Walton Jr High, Santiago HS and UC Irvine.

    cheers

    Bryan Nelson

    ReplyDelete
  10. Please tell me about the "copper penny" restaurant!! I'm collection the ware and its almost impossible to find platters, plates and whatever else i can get. I have enough mugs.

    I wished I could find a menu from their also!!

    Penny

    ReplyDelete
  11. anyone remember safeway and the old dk donut sign in orange county plaza?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Memories- Moved to GG in 64,Their was a friendly older man I called Doc Boysen who owned a very large piece of land near my house - He would always help me out and buy some raffle tickets I was selling for the Boys Club or school. I did 6th grade at Brookhurst Elementary then went to Lampson Jr High & Bolsa Grande HS. Grew up near Zestos and remember their terrific Onion Rings.... The Grove Theater in the back(Remember standing in line to see one of the Beatles movies and all the girls screaming during the movie). Herb Freidlander MG dealer and Army Navy Surplus store on the corners. Being exited when the Trampolines opened, Bowling at Maple Lanes, Champion lanes and GG Bowling alley (same area as the Grove Theater?? am I remembering that right??) Stopped at Treons and also bought Japanese candy at Shi's Fish market (the candy with rice paper), frequented Judkins Music & Priscillas Cake Box, Ate the good food from Han Hong's, Fed the animals at I think it was called Kiddie Land?? (Oh what those miniature rides would be worth today..) Ate at Bob's BigBoy on the corner of GG Blvd & Gilbert, Bought Ice Cream at CALVA Dairy (I think there is still one open around here somewhere).There was a Roy Rogers Fast Food place near Bob's Big Boy (that didn't last very long)and Taco bell down the street on GG blvd where we would stop & get a Taco for .29 I think and also a Bell Beefer(Taco meat, cheese & lettuce on a hamburger Bun). Worked for a VERY short time at the Copper Penny. Worked at CAL Store food Dept for a couple of years and worked for Safeway for many years - from time to time at both the one off Chapman and the one that was on GG blvd near Beach blvd. Big Bernies was always a treat and Dimicellis Italian deli - when it had a deli. Well I'm sure the old memory will kick in more later but that's it for now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, after hearing your story, i wonder if i know you! We hung out at the same places (almost all you mentioned!), went to the same schools too. Small world.
      Garden Grove was a great place to grow up in back then. Orange groves & all. I used to love the candy in the Japanese store as well, loved kiddyland, Zestos & the bowling alleys. Used to take shortcuts through the neighbors back yards to get to the grove theater & I too remember the pandemonium & the Beatles movies. good times for sure!
      rick carsten

      Delete
  13. Not sure who you are but my family owned the Army Surplus Store...White's Army Surplus across the street from Zestos and the Grove Theatre. Mr. Boysen owned the land where the store was and was a nice old man.

    Your memories are my memories as well. Big Bernies, The Cakebox....Herb Friedlander and his group of nasty hard drinking salesmen and the girls who answered the phones, not good for a fifteen year old who has no idea what a hangover and a one night stand was EVEN about. Dennos Records and my very good friends the Hunt's who owned Calva.....yes sir same great world I remember!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Random memories: Grove Sporting Goods; Taco Lita; Winchell's Donuts; Helms Bakery man; Sunnyside Dairy - home delivery; salt & pepper cordouroy pants, white button shirts and a red sweater for St. Columbans School. "Status" determined by if you wore black Converse low cuts or Jack Purcell tennis shoes...or, fake models of those brands, or "soakies" = which the surfers (or pretend surfers) wore. Shoes bought at Van's Shoes? Fire Stix for a nickel; nuns at St. Columbans gave you trouble if you had hot cinnamon-flavored toothpicks. Haircut at Harvey's (Chapman & Harbor...behind Van's) - Belisles on the Southwest corner, White Front across the street on the Northeast corner. Played Little League (for Hasty's Rentals - Mr. Draper the coach...still have the team picture) at Andres Field --- that was near the Southeast corner, stepped-back a bit...signs on the outfield fences.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The copper penny home savings and loan, J.J. Newberrys, Phils Castle, Brookhurst little league
    til two bar, Der wienerschnitzel..I lived on the corner of Chapman and Ellen and went to Evans Elementry on Nelson..Saw the vacant lot where Ralphs is?(was) burn down at the hand of my little brothers! What was the name of the historical house with the strawberry field? Stanley house maybe...winning the GG chess championship at the library across from GG high oh the memories...

    ReplyDelete
  16. The trampoline place was in front of a mobile home park! It was awesome! What about the Jolly Knight on GG Blvd? Roberts Photos accross from the Gem! And what was the name of the restaurant that the GGHS teams ate at every Friday?? Good Memories!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Didn't anyone else enjoy the smell of LaCasia delicatessen on Brookhurst across from Newberry's? The original pizza place for the Hall family. On a rare occasion, my dad would splurge and take us to The Cape Cod House (I think Harbor and Chapman?) for dinner. Most of the time it was to Bob's Big Boy for the half a pound of ground round. I went to Brookhurst that I can proudly say has formed its own little alumni that 'graduated' in 1963 to middle school. We call ourselves the Brookhurst Buddies. Then went to Lampson (aka Ralston) then Rancho. My dad (95 years old) still lives in our home on Beverly lane along with a few remaining orange and avocado trees that are nearly as old as he is. GG was a great place to grow up and for me, to learn to swim.

    Gary W. Hall, M.D.
    Vice President United States Olympians

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous in 2008 mentioned "Doc Boysen" who owned a large tract of land and was very kindly. Perhaps he was the son of Walter Knott's associate, Rudolf Boysen (who died in Anaheim in 1950, after cultivating a unique new berry in Napa). The founding father of Knott's Berry Farm helped develop a special new berry was hybrid of the blackberry, raspberry and loganberry. It happens to be my favorite berry, from having grown up in Garden Grove and Anaheim. There were always boysenberry pies in restaurants in the area.

    I spent one year in what I like to call "First Communion boot camp" under the always active surveillance of the Irish Sisters of Charity at St. Columbans. Actually, my trauma came not from Sister Frances Oliver, who was kind as all get out. It was from transferring from a well organized small classroom at Salk under Miss Fulredi of the Midwest. Now I had to deal with brogues, and Latin hymns, cursive writing in second grade, and a class which was twice as large as the one I left. My experience straddled the years of second and third grades. I wound up (before transferring back - hallelujah!) in the class of a lay teacher (also Irish) who it was rumored was just waiting and training to be an "air hostess" and who did not enjoy kids half as much as the saintly Sister Frances. It was sink or swim for me. Total immersion in an foreign culture, even though my mother thought of herself as proudly Irish (she was in those days the dead spit of Maureen O'Hara, with her own temper - which did not work when she applied it to the Mother Superior about my reports of the lay teacher's meanness - especially to boys). After their little donnybrook, I slunk back to school in Anaheim, and breathed a huge sigh of relief.

    Sav-On was my favorite ice cream place - so much cheaper than Baskin Robbins at Brookhurst and Ball. Rocky Road and Orange Sherbet, with a surreptitious look at the big Life magazines tales of Cleopatra Liz and Caesar Dick.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Orange trees in the back yard, an incinerator too (what was up with that?), the strawberry fields, the Strawberry Festival, Garden Grove became a city. Steven Martin went to Lampson and GGHS. My husband worked at Denno's Records. Wow, this has really brought back a lot of memories. We moved into the first tract of houses at Chapman and Euclid,there was nothing around there except orange groves and strawberry fields.Cherry cokes and fries at Bob's Big Boy. There is still a Bob's out by Banning.The Gem. What was the name of the drive in food place down and across the street from Bob's Big Boy?

    ReplyDelete
  20. Orange trees in the back yard, an incinerator too (what was up with that?), the strawberry fields, the Strawberry Festival, Garden Grove became a city. Steve Martin went to Lampson and GGHS. Denno's Records. Wow, this has really brought back a lot of memories. My parents bought a house in the first tract of houses at Chapman and Euclid on Danberry Drive,there was nothing around there except orange groves and strawberry fields.Cherry cokes and fries at Bob's Big Boy. There is still a Bob's out by Banning. The Gem. What was the name of the drive in food place down and across the street from Bob's Big Boy? The Van shoe store.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I grew up on Beverly Lane. Corner of Brookhurst and Lampson. Dr. Hall actually tutored me in math when he was a teen and I remember the entire neighborhood being so excited about his being in the Olympics! My maiden name was Neal. We had a huge yard and a wonderful home. I went to the Gem Theater and Pricillas Bakery made the incredible 7 layer lemon cakes I had every birthday. As a young teen I remember cruising Zody's and getting a coke with fries in Newberrys. Sadly we lost my mother and brother while living there and my father lost his spirit. I have often thought of returning just to walk around.

    ReplyDelete
  22. My family owned that Copper Penny Restaurant Franchise ... My Mom was the hostess ... and my Dad worked in the back.
    My Dad's name was Jack Reitzen. I remember every Sunday having brunch there ... my friends and I would ride our bikes to get free hot fudge sundays. Have not thought about that place in years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Interesting, I worked at the Copper Penny in high school @64, statred as a bus boy and was a cook in a few years, part time in @66-67 college. The owner at the time was ??? Hart ? Hickman, he also bought the franchise in Buena Park. I found this blog, searching Bob's Big Boy on GG Blvd, last 10 cent cup of coffee. Rancho 1966

      Delete
  23. You sure brought back some memories.
    I remember tumbleweed tunnels and forts on a vacant lot at Bolsa and Ward.

    The endless sidewalks in our track for riding roller skates and skateboards

    Getting a dollars worth of penny candy and a Dr Pepper with 10-2-4 on it from the 7/11

    Playing little league at Calva Dairy (I was on the Padres – pitcher - (ooo that smell)

    Watching Disneyland fireworks from a lounge chair on the roof of our house with our neighbors (on their roofs)

    Flying kites at Post Elementary

    Picking strawberries and asparagus at Sodikonies farm (don’t know the spelling) before Post Elementary was built

    Leon Waltrip teaching neighbor kids electronics in his garage

    Leo Unser teaching us about cars and engines in his garage

    Scott Carder’s dad and his water rockets (he soldered soup cans together – watch your head when they came down)

    Our garage band playing surfin’ usa and last train to Clarksville

    Tasty Freeze, Slot Car Tracks

    Battle of the bands at the strawberry festival

    Tetherball during recess at Bolsa Elementary (Bolsa & Brookhurst)

    Playing caroms at Morningside Elementary summer school

    First sock hop Irvine Intermediate (The Adventures Played)

    First high school football game, LaQuinta VS Gardena

    But it’s the smell of orange blossoms that gets me most.

    I can’t think of a better time or place to be a kid!

    Greg Allen
    General Manager
    Active Technologies, LLC
    POB 1800
    Summerville, SC 29484
    gallen@active-technologies.com
    www.active-technologies.com

    ReplyDelete
  24. My family moved to Garden Grove in 1955 from L.A. It was a track home on Aberdeen Lane. This was located near Magnolia and Chapman. What memories I have! It was kinda like the movie Sandlot. I went to Marie L. Hare Elementary. We moved to Arizona in 1961 but I go back to visit from time to time.
    I remember the smell of the farms and orchards. It really has changed since then but the memories don't.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just found this. I was one of the girls that answered the phones at Herb Friedlander Imports on Beach Blvd. in Westminster. Went to work for him in 1966 and was there for 12 years. I had a blast. You could say I grew up there. Went right out of high school and boy did I grow up with all those "hard drinking salesmen". I am far from a "girl" now but still remember the great times when business wasn't so serious and we got to go for the 3 martini lunch and late nights in the greatest little bar at the Ha' Penny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How about Skateland on Garden Grove Bl and Haster (at Berrdale). The Seahorse pool across the street before the 22 freeway. The Eastside Little League. Me and Bed's Pizza. Taco Lita. World's Fair. Teddy's Pizza. Chicken Pie House. Burger Chef. Oscar's Drive In. The Golden Bear. Buffalo Ranch. Helm's Bakery trucks. Lukens Dairy. Skate Ranch. Good Humor Ice Cream. The Broadway Theater in Santa Ana. JJ Newberrys at Chapman and Brookhurst. Ah ... the Google old days!

      Delete
  26. anyone remember if there was a Markt Basket Market on the corner of lampson






































    7 knott avenue

    ReplyDelete
  27. Re:I grew up on Beverly Lane

    Hello, I now live on Beverly Lane. I'm sorry to hear about your Mother and Brother passing while you lived there. We have heard about the passing of a young boy from the neighborhood. Would that have been your brother?

    Feel free to contact me.

    Wayne 714-742-2377

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hello all, my last name is Julienne and the oldest one of the family. Moved to Garden Grove from Holland in 1960, the United Methodist Church sponsered our family to America. Our first house was on Acacia, right across the street from the Methodist Church back parking lot, (where I learned how to drive), there are condos there now, the house by the way was major haunted by a woman and poltergeist. Then we moved to Claussen street in 1962 or 1963 and lived there until I was 18. Fond Memories: riding my stingray with the neighbor hood kids, going to Sav-on for ice-cream, Newberrys, Zody's, White Front and donut shop in front, does anyone remember Fazio's where you could smell the hot french bread through out the store? Cole's Market and the Orowheat store around the corner from Cole's, the Sanitarium, the Japanese relocation camp on Beach/Magnolia, watching the Outer Limits with family gathered round. The Gem, the happenings at Euclid Park, Wheeler's Market. Also remember the spooky old 2 story house that used to be at the St. Columbans site, it was so spooky walking by it after dark, I remember them tearing it down and building the church. Also remember the original little white Methodist Church before they built the new one, my brothers and sister would also hang out and play at the old Veterans wearhouse. The bums that used to sleep in the railroad box cars. So many, many memories. Those were the best years of our lives..Bless you all, wish we could all get together and share stories, I love this site. Peace

    ReplyDelete
  29. Anyone have memories of Midway City?

    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=56448109121#!/pages/MidwayCitycom/145987172113045

    ReplyDelete
  30. when i was 8 my dad bought and built the dw franchise next to the till two on the corner of brookhurst and garden grove.i think it was the 6th der wiener franchise. we lived in los al but we went there all the time. my dad had to fire the manager because he drank in the till two all day

    ReplyDelete
  31. My parents moved into Costa Mesa in the early 60s. I do recall some of the places people have mentioned here. I remember the Army Surplus store. My dad would crawl through that place looking for goodness knows what. I have fond memories of the Hwy 39 drive-in. Many of the grocery stores mentioned here, we had over in Costa Mesa as well. I can't tell you how many times I've been to A&W or Der Wienerschintzel, but those were probably franchises closer to home. For me, A&W still holds a special place in my heart. Going there as a kid was a big treat.

    In the late 70s I worked at Danber Drugs while I was in college. (Bolsa & Magnolia?) Nothing special, just a stockboy. I also did prescription deliveries for Danber. I can recall delivering prescriptions all over that part of OC. This included Midway City, which at the time had no street lights, and a goofy way of assigning street numbers to houses. This was a problem, as all the deliveries were done in the evenings, and spotting a house's address in the gloom was no fun.

    I vaguely recall the trampoline place. I may have been there once on a Sunday school class outing.

    Attended Sonora Elementary, Presidio Elementary, Maude B. Davis Jr. High, Costa Mesa High, Orange Coast College and UC Irvine. I left OC in '87 and seemed to have wandered progressively further way ever since. Now in western burbs of Chicago.

    My parents still live in the same house there in Costa Mesa, and my sister lives in Garden Grove.

    Thanks for the trip down memory lane all!

    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  32. I grew up in Garden Grove and this site brought back many memories. We went to Big Bernies every Sunday after Church. They had the best Reubens ever, and the best chicken noodle soup and kosher pickles. You could buy pickles by the pound when you left, yummy!!! I also remember the Jolly Knight, I practically grew up there. My dad was a sandblaster and he did a lot of "business" there. I think the owners were the Ansells? They would donate crayons and coloring books and our family would take them to Mexico at the Holidays to give to the poor people. I also remember the piano player, I think his name was Larry. I went to Skylark Elemenary. What memories, thanks!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, I helped build the jolly knight for Ansells.....knew him well.....did various work for him and he paid by way of making payments on my house trailer

      Delete
  33. Lived on Patricia, near Euclid & Chapman.Orange groves all around. Moved to Brookhusrt and Trask in H.S. Went to Faylane, then Simmons, Lampson, GGHS, Bolsa. Met the Beach Boys when they were signing autographs and Dennos,(my dad knew the owner, got to hang with them behind their signing table). Copper Penney (my mom worked there for a while). Zodys, White Front, St Columbans, Euclid Park, the Gem theater, then the Grove, Priscillas Cake Box, Chris N Pitts, Coles Market, Gemco, Zestos-yum, Celebrated birthdays at Kiddieland. Bob's, Big Boy and Harvey at Belisles. Strawberry Festival. Great memories.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Just found this site...grew up in Garden Grove...lived on Havenwood Drive before the Garden Grove fwy was built...remember how dirty it was while they were building it. Woodbury Elementary School, Peters Jr. High and Santiago HS. I remember falling in love with Moondoggie at the Grove and the Gem, parents bowling at Champion and Garden Grove Bowl...shopping at Coles Market; birthday cakes from Priscilla's Bakery; great bar-b-que at Chris & Pitts...the Strawberry Festival...little league at the Elks Lodge; having my purse stolen while shopping @ Leonard's; still have my mom's Helm's Bakery sign (they had the best coconut macaroons); after-football pizza @ Shakeys and roller skating. Just googled the old street and it looks as great as it did when I lived there....ah, sweet memories.

    ReplyDelete
  35. does any one remember the imperial restaurant on garden grove blvd or the polo fields?

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hello, I would like to interview you for a book about the Beach Boys that will be published later this year. Please email me at bfinkmurphy@yahoo.com. Thanks! All the best, Jim

    ReplyDelete
  37. Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it
    seems as though you relied on the video to make your point.
    You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just
    posting videos to your weblog when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?

    See this: zobacz,
    http://aaron.warszawa.pl

    ReplyDelete
  38. I was adopted by Anna Von and Andy Noland, in 1959, and lived on Sheridan Lane (very near The Pink Spot). My father owned Brookhurst Paint at Brookhurst and Chapman and Sun Garden Paint & Wallpaper on the corner of Garden Grove Blvd. and Louise Street; my mother taught (elementary) school in Buena Park. I attended Brookhurst Elementary School (1959) and remember Mrs.(Hazel) Ranney (4th grade), Mrs. Vagnus (5th grade) and Mrs. Nichols (6th grade) I doubt that those names are spelled correctly; it's been a few years! Phil Rampey, a family friend, was Principal at Brookhurst - so I got away with very little! I went to Lampson Jr. High and attended GGHS my freshman year.

    My mother and I moved to Shannon Avenue, off of Chapman and Gilbert, in 1964. I attended Rancho Alamitos H.S. and graduated in 1967.

    I well remember "The Plaza". In 1959, there was a Carvel's (?) Ice Cream on the Brookhurst end of The Plaza (my mother would often stop at Carvel's on our way to watch the summer fireworks at Disneyland. We'd park near the orange groves near the D'land Hotel so we'd have a good view of Tinkerbell flying down to Sleeping Beauty's castle!) In later years, Chao's Restaurant opened in The Plaza - near Helen Grace's Candy and Ice Cream Parlor across from JC Penny. Big Bernie's - pastrami sandwiches to die for and a huge brick of halvah in the deli counter (we never left without a piece they'd hacked off of the brick!). Han Hong's was favorite (even after I was married). I remember (like it was yesterday) standing next to my mother at Pricilla's Bakery and watching the "bread slicer" doing it's magic! I remember Der Weinerschnitzel on GG Blvd . . The L'il Pickle wasn't far from there .. again, pastrami sandwiches to die for!! The Jolly Knight wasn't far from my father's GG Blvd store and it was one of his favorite haunts. The Brookhurst Theater (next to the bowling alley) . . a double feature for 50 cents (in the early 60's) . . huge kosher dill pickles and all-day suckers that lasted a week. I saw "A Hard Day's Night" at the Brookhurst, in August 1964 - my mom (brave soul that she was) took me - and ten of my friends - for my birthday.

    Belisle's, SavOn Drug (best peppermint ice cream EVER!), Newberry's soda fountain (where I had my first "date" - the summer between 4th and 5th grades - I can still hear our mothers laughing as we walked down the street! The Woman's Club House(?) at the corner of Chapman and Gilbert - I took dance lessons there for years.

    So many other memories have dimmed .. at sixty-three, I can see the various places in my mind's eye but can't remember the names! Nevertheless, Garden Grove was a wonderful place to grow up .. I have so many fond memories.

    I married Terry Dunn in 1968, he grew up in Garden Grove as well; Terry graduated from Santiago in 1964. We divorced in 1981 and he passed away in 2008; I'm happy that we were able to remain friends. I have two grown daughters and my granddaughters are 21 and 20! My eldest daughter still lives in Orange County, my youngest is in Madison, Wisconsin. I'm retired and living in Port Angeles, Washington.

    This walk down memory lane was great fun. Thanks to all who've posted . . those memories are good ones!

    Jo Dunn

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I helped build the Jolley Knight....an existing building we turned into an English Pub

      Delete
  39. It is nice to see this and be able to travel through Garden Grove in my mind. I was an ambulance attendant at Bowers Ambulance on brookhurst, I was in the back of the ambulance checking supplies when we got word of John Kennedys death. We would go to all of the coffee shops and run calls all over Garden Grove. My folks had a neighbor who was a salesman for Herb Friedlander in Long Beach and later I worked with a guy whose father worked there also. As a matter of fact Friedlander saved me one time, I had hit some ones car from behind and I said I would fix it. I went to the family friend and ask if they would fix it, They did, Took all of my money but it was done. Car salesman, You don't say bad things about them around me. My later girlfriend was assistant manager at the Harbor drive in.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I lived on pleasant pl , on lampson just west of brookhurst. Bought my first album at Savon drugs (Meet the Beatles).Does anyone remember licorice Pizza & demicellis? I used to go to Demicellis just to smell the place...wonderful!
    Went to Lampson jr high & bolsa HS. Lots of great memories of old GG. It was a great place to grow up.

    ReplyDelete
  41. check out GG mental hospital/greenbriar inn

    ReplyDelete
  42. anyone remember "kids Haven" on West st/.Chapman?

    ReplyDelete

Custom Search