Tuesday OT: a business from your childhood that is extinct

[KidSilverhair]

I thought it was a block East of main st. I was maybe 5. Just remember my dad was pumped about a craftsman lawn mower. Maybe it wasn’t Sears been a long time.

There was a Sears catalog store which I remember being on 2nd Street, a block east of Main. That was probably it.

Are there any Breadeaux Pizzas left? They were huge in the mid to late 80s … can’t say I ever had one, but people seemed to love them.

Speaking of Ottumwa … Twin Galaxies! I spent many a quarter there, right across the street from the movie theatres, and of course the guy who ran that was a nationally known video game promoter fir some time.

 

[KidSilverhair]

Warehouse Market in Dubuque - write the price yourself on the item with red grease pencil, ride around on pushcarts with steel wheels that take the fingers right off your kids!

Also Irwin's in Marion. Got my first adult suit there, great suit, great service. Out of business now...

My mom did all the grocery shopping at the Warehouse Market in Ottumwa. Good times. Those piles of boxes at the exit so you could pack up your groceries …

We miss Irwin’s too. Great clothing store.

 

[Die4Cy]

The only pet store in that area I can think of was The Ark. It was underground and you entered from the parking lot behind the store fronts on Lincoln Way. Before it was a pet store, it used to be a pizza place called Minsky's.

That's the one.

 

[Al_4_State]

I grew up outside of a tiny, unincorporated town who’s population was maybe in the 30’s (Meyer, in Mitchell County). It had a grocery/general store into the mid/late 90’s. Everyone just had a tab that the owner billed our monthly so I never saw cash exchanged and thought it was just some kind of community service.

 

[houjix]

Lil' Duffer
Pamida
Walden Books

 

[TBT]

There was a Sears catalog store which I remember being on 2nd Street, a block east of Main. That was probably it.

Are there any Breadeaux Pizzas left? They were huge in the mid to late 80s … can’t say I ever had one, but people seemed to love them.

Speaking of Ottumwa … Twin Galaxies! I spent many a quarter there, right across the street from the movie theatres, and of course the guy who ran that was a nationally known video game promoter fir some time.

I think there's a Breadeaux in Pleasant Hill, next to the Hy-Vee, though I can't verify if it's still open or not.

 

[CoachHines3]

Mr. Beef - St. Charles, IL. Their gyros were amazing. And they have you a ton of it. Always had to order an extra pita because the one they gave you wasn’t big enough to hold all the meat.

theres still a mr beef in central iowa.


its me.

im mr. beef.

 

[JP4CY]

There was a Sears catalog store which I remember being on 2nd Street, a block east of Main. That was probably it.

Are there any Breadeaux Pizzas left? They were huge in the mid to late 80s … can’t say I ever had one, but people seemed to love them.

Speaking of Ottumwa … Twin Galaxies! I spent many a quarter there, right across the street from the movie theatres, and of course the guy who ran that was a nationally known video game promoter fir some time.

I feel like Breadeaux is still out there.

 

[JP4CY]

The only pet store in that area I can think of was The Ark. It was underground and you entered from the parking lot behind the store fronts on Lincoln Way. Before it was a pet store, it used to be a pizza place called Minsky's.

I didn't realize Minsky's was in the basement there, I thought it was in the basement at Mickeys. I could def be wrong. I think Pancheros was also in Mickeys?

 

[CapnCy]

There's a documentary from years ago about people that rebuilt these things and made them fit different modern songs.

Was pretty cool, a little creepy.

So good...the guy has essentially a shed, but you open it and it's a replica stage and seating.

I think that documentary also shows some of the remnants of the original factory/workspace of the inventor. I had some of the records back in the day where they covered the Beatles.

I love the old arcade documentaries (chasing ghosts, etc) and that era was wild in terms of the money being made and Showbiz was the epitome of it all.

Ok....as I typed this I had to go find the link...enjoy:.

 

[houjix]

I didn't realize Minsky's was in the basement there, I thought it was in the basement at Mickeys. I could def be wrong. I think Pancheros was also in Mickeys?

Panchero's was indeed where Mickey's is.

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

What was the arcade about 1 block east of Welch Ave in the early 80's? I want to say it was in a blue building.

I remember that but can't place the name. Something with an outer space theme...

 

[Shyzkoff]

I remember that but can't place the name. Something with an outer space theme...

Dark Star

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

A couple Campus Town spots:
Co-Op Tapes & Records was in the same building as Minsky's, the Ark & the laundromat. Bought all my records there late 70s-early 80s.

Also Stereo Town on Welch. Bought all my stereo components there.

It's been mentioned, but I'd often stop at Boyd's for a milkshake on my way home from campus.

 

[MeadForMyHorses]

Anybody remember Dog & Suds drive ups? I guess there are still a few around but not in Iowa. My family would go the the one in Vinton as a treat when I was a kid. 'World's Creamiest Root Beer'

 

[CascadeClone]

We were a family of 8. We shopped at the Warehouse Market all the time. I don't remember the parrot. I do remember when the Kennedy Mall had a Woolworths lunch counter. What was the name of the dime store downtown with the big green and white sign?

We rarely went downtown, mostly stuck to the hwy 20 west side area, so idr the dime store. The only one downtown I recall was a hobby shop, it was about the only place to get D&D stuff in the early 80s. It was on Central Ave, but idr the name.

Also, the Strand movie theater. That's where I saw Star Wars for the first time at like age 5, with my mom and her younger brother...

 

[CycloneBob]

Armstrong's department store, downtown CR. Did all of our back to school shopping there every year. Also Eby's Sporting Goods at Westdale Mall.

Yes, I clearly remember Eby's being on 1st Ave. SE during my time! Armstrong's was great!

 

[somecyguy]

I didn't realize Minsky's was in the basement there, I thought it was in the basement at Mickeys. I could def be wrong. I think Pancheros was also in Mickeys?

I feel like Minsky's possibly moved at one point? My memory of the place isn't great. I only remember it because shortly after I moved Ames, my parents took us there. We didn't know there was a difference between an Ames restaurant and a campustown restaurant. 8 year old me saw some things I hadn't seen before.

 

[CycloneBob]

There were Bonanza Steak Houses also. I remember because we'd hit them up on my dad's birthday.

Is the Ground Round still around?

What about Bishops? Was that a chain or local cafeteria type place?

Bishops was great. IA owned with a few locations (Cedar Rapids had at least 2 at one time, also one in Merle Hay Mall).

 

[JP4CY]

I feel like Minsky's possibly moved at one point? My memory of the place isn't great. I only remember it because shortly after I moved Ames, my parents took us there. We didn't know there was a difference between an Ames restaurant and a campustown restaurant. 8 year old me saw some things I hadn't seen before.

My parents liked the Korean restaurant that was above the Ark, so we'd go into campus town a lot as well.