The Roller Garden in Garden Grove

Anyone remember skating at the Roller Garden in Garden Grove? It was located on Haster & Garden Grove Blvd, right by the 22 Freeway. I never went there, but drove past it all the time. Since I lived in Santa Ana, I always went to the Skate Ranch, though I also visited an outdoor skating rink at Camelot (Scamalot).

I've seen references to this skating rink being called both Roller Garden and Roller Dome. I'm not sure which was the official name, or if this rink had different names over time. Maybe someone knows the answer to that.

A couple of OCThen readers share their memories of the Roller Garden...

Chris said...

Does anyone remember a steakhouse in Garden Grove or Westminster called Mother, Jugs, Beef and Brew? My friend Kathy Lester used to sing there occasionally. I lost contact with her years ago so if you know of her please let me know.

Also, are there any skaters from Roller Garden in Garden Grove at GG Blvd. and Haster? It's gone now but in the late 60's and early 70's we had a blast on the weekends there.It was such a big part of our lives.

I want to say this is my favorite site. Love reading about all the things I forgot about but it breaks my heart that they're gone forever.

Pat /pismo beach said...

Chris, I remember the Roller Dome skating rink on gg blvd and haster. All of us from that general area would skate there on Friday and Saturday night in the late 50's and 60's. I couldn't wait until I was old enough to stay for the second session starting at 10:30pm. My parents bought my sister Melody the best high top percision skates from their skate store in the office area. Our friend Jody use to sing live sometimes while the owner played an organ up in the attic. We would go to "sock hops" once in awhile and dance in our socks on the rink floor during special times of the year. Remember the snack bar where you could get pizza or a sucide drink ( coke, rootbeer, orange mixed together). That was bad tasting, but we ordered it anyway. The men's bathroom offered black plastic combs from a machine for 10 cents and they would always break when you sat on them. My sis took lessons and entered several skating tournments (doubles) where we would travel to other cities like Bakersfield for competitions. Do remember any names of the people you knew there? Thanks for the post.

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Remembering Pup 'N' Taco

Pup 'N' Taco was one of those "crossover" fastfood joints that came up during the 1950s when fastfood mexican was an experiment. The chain offered hot dogs and tacos.

Wikipedia has some more history on Pup 'N' Taco.

I never liked the place, I seem to recall the french fries being very salty. And at the time, my dad was really into Taco Bell, back when they still had those faux adobe buildings, and the "Bell Beef" (I can't remember exact name) sandwich, which was basically a taco meat sloppy joe.

I remember a Pup 'N' Taco in Santa Ana on the corner of Harbor and Edinger. I think a Taco Bell sits there now.

Anyways, a couple of OCThen readers share their memories of Pup 'N' Taco...

JJohnson said...

One of my vivid childhood are the Pup 'n Taco food chain and Taco Tio food chains. I did a Google search and Wikipedia has some pretty cool links on Pup 'n Taco. You can even get buy retro Pup 'n Taco t-shirts there. Anybody else remember Pup 'n Taco these?

Lee said...

I remember the old Pup 'n Taco commercial jingle, "I'm Pup, he's Pup, I'm Taco!" The animated hot dog and taco would be singing and dancing around on TV. I actually applied for a job at Pup 'n Taco on Westminster Blvd, but instead took a job at the Mobil gas station on Westminster and Beach Blvd.

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Remembering Capistrano Beach Club

Doug offers his memories of Capistrano Beach Club...

Does anyone remember the old Capistrano Beach Club in the 1960's, located at 35001 Beach Road, where the basket ball and other courts are today. This is where the olympic size swimming pool once was. The club was one of William Doheneys mansions back in the early part of the 20th. Century, The building was torn down in about 1970 due to repair needs. My parents belonged to that club and would take my brother and Me there every week during the summer in the early to mid 1960's. They had a wonderful seafood buffet and a band. My parents would dance there and enjoy the evening and my brother and I would explore the beach at night.

The California State Parks has a pamphlet regarding Doheny State Beach which mentions Capistrano Beach Club...

During the 1920s, his son Edward L. (Ned) Doheny, Jr. began development of 1,000 acres in the Capistrano Beach area and built several large residences and three local landmarks: Capistrano Beach Club, a pier and a gazebo. The son died in 1929 in a tragic shooting at the home his father had built for him, the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills. The father's health suffered from events of the 1920s, and he died in 1935.

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Robert Schuller's Drive-In Church

I didn't know this, but before Robert Schuller occupied the Crystal Cathedral, he used to lead his congregation at a drive-in movie theater. A couple of OCThen readers share their memories...

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember the old drive-in in Garden Grove where Dr. Schuller used to hold his church services on the roof of the snack bar? When you went into the drive-in you would stop a get one of the speakers for your car. I remember this being back in the late 40's.

Pat / pb said...

Old drive-in-church in Garden Grove. In the 60's we would walk through the orange grove across GG Blvd from where we lived and explore.Somewhere in the middle between gg blvd and chapman we came upon an old drive-in that looked like a ghost town. No signs of life and run down. I was 12 years old and went to Riverdale Elementary School. I think the entrance was off of Luis? Sometime around then and 1966 , Robert Shuller leased or bought the drive-in and turned it into his church. When we were in the 10th grade at Santigo High, we would drive to the church service sometimes on Sunday, grab a speaker for our window and listen and watch Shuller deliver his sermon standing on the roof of the snack bar with a single mike. Smoke and be in church at the same time, at a drive-in during the daytime. What a trip!

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Blue Note Music in Santa Ana

An anonymous OCThen reader submitted the following memory of a favorite little shop in downtown Santa Ana...

After school in 1967 and 68 I sometimes wandered around downtown Santa Ana, "exploring." There was a marvelous place called The Little Shop, which featured an amazingly random collection of items such as used comic books and 10-cent popcorn. There was also a "psych shop" (on Third or Fourth Street I believe) with an excellent blacklight poster room as well as pipes and papers and where one could meet real Hippies as well as the occasional Hell's Angel....

This jogged my memory of a small music store I used to frequent in my high school days called "Blue Note Music" also in downtown Santa Ana. I haven't been in a long time, so I don't know if it's still there. But it was on Broadway and 3rd street. This would have been the early 1980s.

But it sold musical equipment, all acoustic stuff, as well as old sheet music and old LPs. I still have some old 1930s era sheet music framed and hanging from my office wall from that place. The store was always dark inside and smelled like a musty old attic.

I bought a harmonica from that store too.

The guy that used to mind the store was this old guy who seemed like he had seen it all and done it all and was now content to sit inside this little store, with a cup of coffee, and look through the window and watch the world the pass by.

I wonder if there are still stores like this?

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Wild Punk Parties in Santa Ana

"Xpunker" recalls a time in Santa Ana where there were some pretty wild punk parties...

Does anybody out there remember the punk parties at the "white house" in santa ana located on first st between bristol and flower in 1990-1991? That was when the punk scene was out of control in the OC. This guy I think his name was Rudy threw the wildest parties in that part of town. Live punk bands like Violent Outrage, Dogma Mudista, MFR and Total Chaos with a crazy mosh pit in the backyard of an empty house. Thanks dude for the great times.

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Serna's Mexican Restaurant - Dana Point

Isaac O. remembers eating at Serna's Mexican Restaurant in Dana Point...

anyone remember sernas mexican resteraunt? on pacific coast hwy. in dana point across the street from capistrano beach back in the 1960's - 1975 the owners lupe serna and daughters martha and [ cora a.k.a. guerra]
excellant tacos enchilladas chili rejguennos
good old memories and food. thy were my cousins
we got to eat for free, mmm, i miss them all,l.o.l Isaac O.

Dana Point seems to have some really good mexican restaurants, most notably Olamendi's, a favorite hangout of President Richard Nixon, and El Patio. As for Serna's Mexican Restaurant, I've heard of it. But I did a Google search and found a post saying that there was a Henry's Mexican Restaurant in Dana Point, that was run by a Serna family.

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A "Captain's" Restaurant in Seal Beach

Anonymous remembers going to a restaurant in Seal Beach named "Captain's" something, but can't recall the whole name...

I've lived in Orange County since 1982, but in the LA area since 1959. Back in the 60's, when my Aunt & Uncle lived in Los Alamitos, we used to go to a restaurant on the water in Seal Beach. My best recollection was that it was called The Captain's Inn or Table. I believe it's long gone but have never been able to find any information about it, or even confirm the name. Even my cousins don't remember it.

The same conversations went on for years about a drive-in that I remember being located at the corner of PCH and MacArthur. I finally found an online reference to The Zoo, though my cousins still don't recall it.

I'd really love some help with the 'Captain's' in Seal Beach.

I think he's talking about Captain Jack's Prime Rib & Seafood, which is technically in Sunset Beach, just south of Seal Beach. Captain Jack's has been there since 1956, so it would have been in the time frame.

But Captain Jack's is still in operation.

What do you think?

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Which Park Had This Aluminum Slide?

OCThen reader "Billy" writes about a long aluminum slide he remembers as a kid, but can't remember where the park was. He wants to take his kids there...

Hello, Steve
Stumbled across your site. Wow! I was born in Garden Grove and lived in Buena Park and Fullerton till '77. I always returned and visited often for I had the best memories living here. My late great mother use to take us to all sorts of parks, beaches, shows and events all the time. Loved being out and about!!

Recently I moved back and I remembered a special park my mother use to take us to. It was in the hills somewhere with a very long aluminum slide (at least it was long when I was 3 or 4 years old) and it was embedded into the ground. The slide started on top of a grassy area. As you slid down, you could not see the area you started from and eventually ended up in a sandy playground with a 15ft long (I think) horizontal ending. I remember it being a long ride. Still to this day I remember it fondly. I remember riding with my mother, brother and sister. My dad does not remember this park for he worked long hours. I have been driving all over OC and can not find this place. I have children of my own and would LOVE to have them relive the memories I once did and ride the slide again for my mom....

Cool Web Site!
Billy

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Chicken Delight of Buena Park

John Burton asks if anyone remembers the Chicken Delight restaurant in Buena Park...

Does anyone remember The Chicken Delight on the corner of LaPalma and Knott in B.P.

Actually, another OCThen reader, "Amber" recalled the same restaurant in a memory I posted last April entitled, "Memories of Anaheim in the 1960s"...

I remember "..don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight.. we deliver.."

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