Childhood Memories of Tulsa 1960s-1970s

[AMP]

Anyone else remember having the "Stick your tounge in the pop bottle" contest.  

You would open a bottle of coke or pepsi and before you drank it, see how long you could stand having your tounge stuck in the bottle.

The bottle had to be turned upside down and it burned your tounge to death!!! How long could you stand it before it burned you tounge where you could not stand the pain.

Another cool drink item back then was the flavored straw. Strawberry, Chocolate, Cherry.  

And FIZZIES !!!!  

Most people over 40-50 reading this survived the No Seat Belts, Riding in the rear window of the car, drinking out of the garden hose, Fizzies and other things that are banned today.  Is it we had more common sense or are people today less adapted to the outside world?

[AMP]

21st and Sheridan cool.  

"What's New Pussycat" with Tom Jones was the first movie that played at the Bowman Twin Movie Theatre.  I was there.

Mr. Bowman, who owned all that land near 21st and Sheridan which developed into Bowman Acres, drove a pickup truck and wore overalls, he reminded us of Sam Walton.  

He was in Oertle's store one afternoon making a large purchase using a personal check. A phone call came into my mom's office to see if his check was okay.  Upon phoning his bank, the person at the bank informed my mom that he could buy just about anything he wanted and his check would be okay.  He was buying some photographic equipment that day.  I trust he was able to get some awesome photos or movies with what he purchased.  

Anyone remember what movies they watched at the Bowman Twin?

[dbacks fan]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

Anyone else remember having the "Stick your tounge in the pop bottle" contest.  

You would open a bottle of coke or pepsi and before you drank it, see how long you could stand having your tounge stuck in the bottle.

The bottle had to be turned upside down and it burned your tounge to death!!! How long could you stand it before it burned you tounge where you could not stand the pain.

Another cool drink item back then was the flavored straw. Strawberry, Chocolate, Cherry.  

And FIZZIES !!!!  

Most people over 50 reading this survived the No Seat Belts, Riding in the rear window of the car, drinking out of the garden hose, Fizzies and other things that are banned today.  Is it we had more common sense or are people today less adapted to the outside world?

I remember the tounge in the pop bottle contests! While not 50 or over, I'm 43, I do remeber that. I also remember playing hockey as a kid in the Tulsa Minor Hockey Association which became the Tulsa Hockey League, before it was required for all players to have a face mask installed on their helmets. When I first started playing in 1972, my brothers had played in the late 60's when the only place to play was the Civic Center. Then came "Four Seasons Ice Rink" and the first hockey shop in town run by two families called "H&S Sporting Goods" run by the Hembre and Swan families. The Hembres got out of the business and left it to the Swan's, who's son John I played hockey with. Their mother was running the business until she was injured in a car accident in 1974 or 1975. My parents bought the business and changed it to "Allsop's Hockey and Supply". I learned how to sharpen ice skates, curve hockey sticks with a propane torch, and restring tennis rackets when I was about 12 or 13 years old, and started working in the business then. It was one of the greatest things that I learned in my life, working for my parents.

I also remeber the first skateboard park in Tulsa, that was built on the land roughly where the "Pink Barn" was on Memorial just south of 15th street. I don't remember any helmet and pad rules then. You went and rode your board but you signed a waiver (or your parents did) that released the park from any injury that might happen while using the facility.

People took responsibilty back then, the only law suits were based on true negligence of the owners, and those were not that common.

[dbacks fan]

This was the last place our shop was in 1978 and 1979 before we moved it into our own garage. At the time to the east of us was Mel's T-Shirts, D&G Audio Repair, and the first east Tulsa Police Sub-Station. This was in the strip shopping center on the north side of Oertle's. There was a Radio Shack, a shoe store, a Better Price store, Pizza Oven, a computer store where I heard the first computer generated voice, and some other stores that I can't remember.

[dbacks fan]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

21st and Sheridan cool.  

"What's New Pussycat" with Tom Jones was the first movie that played at the Bowman Twin Movie Theatre.  I was there.

Mr. Bowman, who owned all that land near 21st and Sheridan which developed into Bowman Acres, drove a pickup truck and wore overalls, he reminded us of Sam Walton.  

He was in Oertle's store one afternoon making a large purchase using a personal check. A phone call came into my mom's office to see if his check was okay.  Upon phoning his bank, the person at the bank informed my mom that he could buy just about anything he wanted and his check would be okay.  He was buying some photographic equipment that day.  I trust he was able to get some awesome photos or movies with what he purchased.  

Anyone remember what movies they watched at the Bowman Twin?

Let's jog the memory banks a little.....


LeMans, Marooned, What's Up Doc?, Freebie and the Bean, Sherlock Holmes Smarter Brother, The Dutches and The Dirtwater Fox, Airport 75, Airport 77,Smokey And The Bandit, Earthquake, Rollercoaster, The Bad News Bears, The Bad News Bears Breaking Training, 9 To 5, War Games, Rambo First Blood, Animal House, several Tuesday 25 cent movies as a kid, midnight movies- Pink Floyd The Wall, Flash Dance, Richard Pryor Live On The Sunset Strip, thats all I can remember right now.

[AMP]

I believe that Skateboard Park later became Johnny White's Tulsa Suzuki location after he sold the Memorial location to the Auto dealer.  

Johnny ater moved the Suzuki Dealership to 36th and Peoria where the Blue Rose or whatever it is called now is.  Smokey's Honda was either in that building or near it before Smokey Miller moved it to the 51st and Lewis location next door to the El Chico restaurant.  

Smokey's Honda began life in Turley near the curve on North Peoria.  My friends and I all owned Hondas so it was quite a ride across town back then from 71st Street all the way across town to either Jandebuer's on Pine between Sheridan and Yale, or keep on going north on Peoria up to around 56th street north to Smokey's Honda.  That location later was owned by the doctor and it was Buddy's Honda, then something else.  

I recall the street being so hot one afternoon it stuck to our shoes.  LOL

Shaw's Drive In near 32nd and Yale was my favorite hambuger joint.  Six or seven of us would ride our Hondas there and chow down on Saturdays if we had some time off.

We all ran with no muffler, just a straight pipe.  Everyone that rode a Honda with no muffler had a black circle on the top of their right shoe from covering the end of the pipe below the footpeg when ever a police car drove by so you did not get a ticket for loud pipes.

Braum's was another favorite stopping place in the Summer Time.  Hot Fudge Bannana Sundae.

Anyone remember Pennington's drive in. I rode my Honda 750 in there once and ordered a Wiz Burger with cheese and fries.  Lady on the other end of the speaker said, sorry we don't serve Motorcycles here. I said, good... cause I already have a motorcycle, I just want a hamburger today.  Don't think she thought that was funny, but I did and still do.  LOL  

Der served ya walking, riding or driving thru.  Long as ya had dough ya got a dog.

http://s176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/ampracing10/Legends/?action=view¤t=PICT1465.jpg

Here is an old ad for Tulsa Speedway, anyone remember going to Tulsa Speedway at the Fairgrounds on Saturday nights?  

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/ampracing10/Legends/PICT1485.jpg

[AMP]

Ever wonder why most Mezeppa fans know who Dr. Gene Scott is?  

Cast of the Uncanny Film Festival could be found at the IHOP restaurant late nights across from Utica Square, which I believe stands near where Orbach's clothing was at one time. It is today a Goldie's Burger I believe.  

There is a story about Mazeppa in his younger years at that Orbach's store.  Anyone know the detials?

[AMP]

Found this on Tulsa TV Memories



Gotta love the web....

http://tulsatvmemories.com/gb072001.html
Tulsa 60's & 70's Food Chatter....

[AMP]

Steven's Hamburgers rocked!  There about 29th and Yale.  The late Tanya Colt, who perished in a bad car accident back around 1968, her family owned Steven's Hamburgers.  They had some awesome pie too.  

Shaw's drive in hamburgers.  If you look behind the glass addition in the front to the original building in the back, you will see it is made from blocks that were and still are made at Chandler Building Materials on East 15th street.  My dad built that building in the early 1950's and my mom ran an Orange Julius stand there for a few years.

Anyone remember the crazy intersection with the wooden telephone type polls that held up the bridge on the North Side of 31st and Yale?

Same block used to build my grandparents home out on East 11th Street near the small Airport there. House is still there sits at an angle with a large front yard.  My mom had a Parakeet business she ran from our home, and my dad built another building from that same block behind our house at 32nd and Jamestown.  Popular building material then, and most those buildings are still standing to this day.  

Walmart uses blocks made at Chandler still.

[Susan]

I found this forum during a search for information on my brother, Carl Olzawski.  We were both surprised to find him mentioned here.  He would love for Steve to email him - Olzawski@aol.com  He lives in Virginia, has three children and works for Laureate Capital.

I am going to read the other posts here as it is fun to "think back," especially as we plan our 35th reunion from Nathan Hale.

I see where someone mentioned Oertle's facing 11th Street.  Weren't they actually on Memorial acrosss from the Mahu Mansion.  I remember crazy Halloween things over there later.....lines going down Memorial to just get in the door!

Susan Olzawski Barrett
Nathn Hale Class of 1972

[AMP]

Thr original Oertle's Wholesale Drugs distribution warehouse was located downtonn Tulsa on 1st Street.  In 1951 they opened a member only wholesale store on East 11th Street.  Buyers had to become a member by being an employee of a specific business or an owner partner of an existing business etc.

The Oertle's store location on South Memorial opened in 1964.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by AMP

Thr original Oertle's Wholesale Drugs distribution warehouse was located downtonn Tulsa on 1st Street.  In 1951 they opened a member only wholesale store on East 11th Street.  Buyers had to become a member by being an employee of a specific business or an owner partner of an existing business etc.

The Oertle's store location on South Memorial opened in 1964.

That's how I remember it AMP.  In many respects, Oertles was about 30 years ahead of their time, with the membership aspect.  Everything old is new again.

I recall someone telling me that the various departments of Oertles on Memorial were contracted out, or owned by other interests.  For example, I was told that the jewelry department at Oertles was in fact owned and operated by Zales Jewelry Inc.  Was that true?  

[AMP]

Only department in that building that was leased as far back as I can remember was the Grocery department that was operated by Hale Hasell. Family didn't want to have the liability of operating a butcher and fresh food retail facility.  

The eye glass doctors office of Dr. Wilks was also a leased department as was the United State Post Office located in the basement area of the building.  It was off limits to all associates and even us kids.  We had access to most parts of the building with the exception of the Vault and some maintenence areas like the giant Boiler behind the building.  I got to go in there once but with an adult.

Actually Max operated the Jewelry department when the store was on East 11th Street.  He made many trips to New York to purchase cut unmounted diamonds for creations he sold at the store. I can always spot a Max Oertle antique diamond ring still to this day.  Folks that own those comment about the clairty of the diamonds and I can always seem to catch a hint of blue when the diamonds are turned at a certain angle.  The settings are unique and that is another signature style that Max had.  

My dad managed the Camera department, and my mom set up records and tapes, small appliances, the credit department where you were issued an Oertle's Credit Card, she also set up Domestics and a few other departments.  The business started out as a Wholesale Drug distribution business that deliverd door to door pharmacuticles, Health and Beauty Items and Sundary goods to small and mid sized corner drug stores and neighbor hood stores.  

Later, parts of the business were sold in part to Zales Management Company out of New York. Not sure of their connection with Zales Jewlers.

[AMP]

Found this movie of the Ice Cream Truck days from Tulsa..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrsXYgy2ti8&mode=related&search=

[dbacks fan]

Hey AMP, wasn't the automotive department downstairs run by Whitlock before they moved into the Shoppers Fair location? For a short time in 1990 and 1991 I was a route driver for Drug Warehouse when they were in the old Oertles building, and we used the downstairs area for storage, and I can remember going dow there and seeing the old sporting goods sign on the wall and the outlines of some of the merchandise that was displayed on it. You could see where tennis rackets had had hung because the paint was discolored except where the racket was.

The ice cream truck footage brings back memeories of Melodee Ice Cream trucks that ran through our neighborhood.