I entered first and second grade at East Main Elementary School. I lived on Mound Street with my dad and grandparents. Kids who lived across the street went to Columbus schools. Remember when the Burger King was built on the corner of Main and ??? (in 1970??). My friends and I inaugurated it by stuffing the bathroom toilet full of toilet paper. We loved nothing more than to get a couple dollars apiece, hop on our bikes and head to Burger King. Growing up on Mound street was fun. My best friend Marla lived a few doors down (we shared the same birth day). Her dad worked at DCSC and her mom worked at General Electric on East Broad St. We were a mischevious group. Neighbors Mark and Troy Todd would tie fishing wire from stop sign to stop sign to see what would happen. Throwing snowballs at cars, reading Mad Magazine, Barbies, etc. I attended 1st and 2nd grade at East Main. My dad asked out my attractive second grade teacher and took her and her son out to Plotnick's farm for a day of horseback riding. I had a Dalmatian, Wilbur, who would later be hit by a car in front of my house.
My grandparents owned The Alamo Motor Inn on Main St and my Aunt Anne ran the place. I often stayed at the Alamo when my grandparents were away. There was a drive-in theatre next door that I used to peer over the fence at. Sometimes the movies were inappropriate for children. The Time Out bar was on the other side. New Years Eve found me lying in bed watching all the intoxicated (drunk) patrons stumble outside at midnight. A favorite task was emptying quarters out of the "Magic Fingers" boxes in the rooms.
When I was 6 I learned how to work the old-style switchboard (think of one ringy dingy Lily Tomlin). I'm sure guests were surprised to hear a young child's voice answer the phone. Does anyone else remember Whitehall? the original Massey's? Lum's? Charlie Bear's? Emil's Restaurant? What was the name of department store on the corner of Main & Hamilton?
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Oh wow Lori. How did you ever find a picture of the Alamo? I too worked the motel switchboard with all the cords & plugs. I loved it. I went to Emils many times, often after dates in high school. Somewhere in my pictures I think I have a copy of their menu. Thanks for the great trip down memory lane. Love, Bev
ReplyDeleteThanks for the note Bev! The picture of the Alamo came off a Google Image search. I was also surprised to see it. You need to scan the Emil's menu so I can post it.
ReplyDeleteHi Lori,
ReplyDeleteI grew up on Eastmoor until we moved to Gahanna in 1971.
Wasn't the department store called "Town and Country"? That strip mall was supposedly the first one in the nation, at least I remember reading that somewhere. My Mom used to shop there all the time. Do you remember the BBF fast food restaurant(which later became “Borden Burger”) or the “Grill and Skillet” on Main st. Eastmoor Pharmacy which had a soda fountain in it. My Mother and I used to walk down there and get a soda. How about the old "Whitehall Discount" grocery store on the east side of Hamilton Rd on Main st. We used to buy fresh bread there. Then there was Davis's Bakery on Yearling Rd. I'm sure you remember Martin's was it grocery store, all I remember is that they had great pastrami. (Dam that was good pastrami, I’ve never had anything like it since) Then of course the "Kahika" my first exposure to Polynesian food, my father ordered a steak?
I remember the East Main drive in very well. I was actually there the last night it was open, literally stayed there all night.(long story). Do you remember when Eastland mall opened up and that string art that dripped water from the ceiling?
Recently I drove down Main st, it's all gone now. Those were the days.
Dustin
Awesome note Dustin! The Town & Country shopping mall was on Broad Street. My dad used to school shop for me at The Union. The department store I referred to was on the corner of Main & Hamilton (Grant's???). I bought a training bra there but for the life of me I'm not sure what I was "training" for.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely remember the Whirling Satellite (BBF) along with Burger Chef somewhere near the railroad tracks on Hamilton or Main. Yep - been to the Grill & Skillet (yum!). My Jewish grandmother fixed me up with the deli guy from Martin's....yes they had the best deli food around.
As for the Kahiki, that will be a separate topic. I remember the real orchid leis they used to give to customers, the exotic entraceway with the neon blue and running water...the fish tanks....the gong they would ring when someone ordered that special cocktail (what was that?). My dad also dated one of the several "Mystery Women". What a great place and an absolute lost treasure.
I think my mother was one of those mystery women that your father dated. Can I ask how your father (Marty) passed away?
DeleteHi Lori,
ReplyDeleteI moved from Cleveland to Columbus in 1961 and lived at 374 Napoleon Ave, down the street from the Kahiki. Back then there was a forest that went along the railroad tracks seperating Whitehall and Columbus that went from Broad St. to Main St. My brother Mike,sister Wendy and I would spend hours and hours back there, catching snakes and frogs and moles and butterflys and acting like we were Robin Hood and Tarzan. There were deer & foxes and pheasents, it was the greatest. I also was a block away from Eastmoor High School and sports were my life. I watched Paul Neumoff, Frank Staveroff, the Van Horn Brothers, Jerry Groves, Ron Bollie and many other amazing ball players. I went to Fairmoor Elementry, Eastmoor Jr. High and Eastmoor High School, where I had a wonderful experience with many, many friends. I started playing guitar in 1961 and remember taking guitar lessons from Mr. Emde at the O Days' Music Store in the Town & Country shopping center, the first shopping mall in the US of A. I was in bands in elementry school, Jr. High and High school and met my first Afro American friend Robert "Tico Bob" Street in Junior High. (Later on in life Tico Bob and I went on tour with the Australian band "Air Supply" from 1980-1983 as Tour Manager & Production Manager.) In junior high I would go to the Holiday Swim Club and see the Dante's, Rebounds, The Byrds, McCoys (Hang on Sloopy) and watch the Chandlers & Soul T's play at the Columbus Jewish Center. In High School I was in a band in called "The Contempraries" and played all the Bar Mitzva's and school parties at that time. I played Little Buckeye's foot ball for three years and later played for the Eastmoor Warrior's with Archie Griffin. More great times. Out of High School I went to OSU, Hocking Tech in Nelsonville & 3 years at Ohio University. I came back to Columbus in the mid 70's to help transfer our favorite OSU bar The Castle to Zacharias Red Eye Saloon which brings more incredible memories. Playing solo sets between McGuffey Lane's sets, opening for Jerry Jeff Walker and building a pretty substancial following of my own. I moved to Los Angeles in 1978 after a performance at Rally in the Alley and have been in the music and entertainment business ever since. I just came back for my 40th high school reunion, and got to spend time with lots and lots of friends from elementry school on...it was magnificent. I loved Columbus and couldn't of grown up in a better place.
My brother Gary and I were walking to school one morning when we noticed some loose change in the street in front of our house . . . a whole lot of it. We picked it up as fast as we could, and when we counted it, it added up to $86. What a score.
ReplyDeleteLater that night, we found out that the Kahiki was robbed and the robbers threw some of the money (bags of change) as they sped down Napoleon. Our father, after a lot of arguing, convinced us to turn the money into the Kahiki, which we did. They were appreciative, but that was it.
About a year later we got a nice letter from the Kahiki thanking us for our honesty and offering a free meal for the whole family. We took them up on it and had a great time.
What a crazy story! Thanks for sharing...both you and your brother. My dad dated a Mystery Woman from the Kahiki and she and her small son lived somewhere also on Napoleon. Stay in touch and spread the blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lori for posting this ! I also want to thank Dave davis for sending this to me. I am from the class if 1979 Eastmoor and my sister dated Gary Ballen back in high school. The East side was a great place to grow up. I worked at Service Merchandise in Whitehall and Eastland Mall in high school. Marlane Benadum- Foor
ReplyDeleteDepartment store at Main & Hamilton...you might be thinking of Swallen's. It was just a bit east of the corner, on Hamilton. They sold everything there! You could buy a dragster slicks, a couch, a guitar, and car speakers, all under one roof.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else ride the trails behind Service Merchandise?
Lori,How the hell are you!!!! I've been telling my husband about you for 30 years!! Then one day I googled you and found your blog about Columbus and about Frisch's!!I I was laughing so hard because I'm always telling my kids about my first job at Frisch's ( remember that crazy girl coming after you with a knife!!) I've been looking you up since we moved back to Columbus 20 years ago!!!We lived in Reynoldsburg for years and I had 4 kids in 4 years. So I was really busy with a set of twin girls and 2 boys!! So if that wasn't enough I had 2 more(one when I was 43.) Then we bought a house in Galloway 11 years ago- past Westland!! Then my daughter got a scholarship to Capital and I would always think about you when we go up Main st.(remember that little red brick apt' you had and when you worked at Pizza Hut!!!) We always go by the Top and I always think about going out with my parents and listening to Sonia Modes and singing at the Kahiki (I miss that place more than anything!!) My mom lived off Sheridan in Bexley till she died 3 years ago,and Anne was living in Fl. in a homeless shelter. I probably would have helped her, but she started lying to me (she told Epstein funeral home that she called me and told me my mom had died when she had never called me!!!) I had the Heratage House call me 3 days after she died!! So I finally got in her apt. after Anne kept me out!! She's crazy!!! We just picked her up 3 months ago because even though we paid for her funeral Anne wouldn't release her body!!! My mom was clear with what she wanted-Anne called Epstein 's so much they finally called me and told me I could get her!!They think she's nuts Well ,last week my little Capital girl had a baby!! I tried to talk her out of it,but they had the baby. I remember all the fun acid trips that we did , Remember the time you locked your keys in your car and we went to a Wyandotte party and then tripped all night in the grass behind my parents apt.!!! Whatever happen to Bill Moore?I'm taking a little bong hit as they cancel school since it is -9!! My 2 kids have been off so much!!Lucky you in the sun!!!I'm really glad I finally found you after all these years-I love you cousin!!!! Well I've been typing for two hours I really want to find out what you have been up to!!! I broke my foot last year and I am home all the time while it heals!!!Message me back!!!Love Lisa Rinkov Wulf
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