Does anyone else from the Valley remember a chain of convenience stores called U-Totem? There used to be one on Galveston? I know there was more than one but they disappeared when I was around 10 or 11.
Then the timing is exactly right. I was 22 in 1982 and my dad passed away so my memory gets blurry around then, but that’s sort of the demarcation point in my mind.
It had to be to visit friends or family because why else go to Apache Junction in the 70s. Lol
I remember going to sunny slope high school with my mom in the mid-70s. If I remember correctly it was one of the super groovy, mid century modern kind of design with the sharp angled roofs and high narrow windows. Am I remembering it correctly?
Yep. They were popular in California when I was a kid in the 50s-60s and saw them here when inwas stationed at Willy in 69-71. We left the area and they disappeared over time. Been back for 5 years and, not surprisingly, completely changed.
You were at Williams Field!!!! I lived right off Williams field road and Gilbert and we LOVED it in the summertime when the pilots would fly over our horse property neighborhood and then do the sonic boom pass. It would rattle the windows and annoy our mom but we would be running around like fools, waving our arms and hooting and hollering as if they could see and hear us.
We always had a bunch of kids from the base get bused in to our Catholic school in Chandler. I was so sad when they closed that base. We used to go to Willy Days every year. The “Give an airman a lift” sign by the old train station/railroad tracks lasted far longer than the base.
Thanks for your support! I got here in October 69 returning from Vietnam then off to Korea 2 months later. Back in June 70, got married September 70 and left in July 71. We always said we wanted to come back here and finally moved to Queen Creek during Covid in October 2020. I miss a lot of things from those days including Bravino’s Pizza! Retired from the Air Force 1989. Still love the East Valley and have actually run across some great people like you that have been here a while! Back then Gilbert had a trailer park and a flashing red light at Williams Field Rd and Gilbert Rd. A few years ago for our 53rd anniversary we drove around Chandler and Mesa Gateway to see what remnants were left after over 50 years! Not much but surprisingly Wingfoot Is still there. It was a convenience store and laundromat at the time, Wingfoot Market. We would walk there to get stuff for dinner! How times have changed!
I remember Bravino’s!! Lol. So I was born in sept 69, and you were there. 😊 Gilbert had one Main Street, and Chandler wasn’t much bigger, but my dad was a WWII vet who came to Chandler on the train as its first optometrist in 1948. He brought our mom from Chicago after their wedding in ‘49. My family grew up with the Valley, and it’s crazy to me how much it’s changed. Every time I come back I have to reorient myself, but it’s still home to me, my family still has made significant roots there, and I will always come back home.
As a footnote, I had 2 brothers who worked at Wingfoot, but only after mom and dad’s really good friend Eddie Basha fired them from Basha’s #1, which was off the main square, not too far from dad’s office which was behind the dudding’s rexall. The bashas, the Dobsons, the Bogles, the other ranching Ryan family, those were all my parent’s group of friends.
Were they really? I was a kid so I always thought they were just local. I’ve visited both Texas and Louisiana more times than I can count as an adult now. Love both states.
Oh my goodness! Hahaha. Did you live in those depressing Lemon Terrace apartments? They’ve been demolished so long that it’s hard to remember but one of my brothers rented one for a semester and I seem to remember it was small, dark, with high in the wall, narrow windows, and I didn’t care for it very much. My sister’s apartment off of Mesa drive were all macrame and light and hippy chick
Three bound together on a day just like any day
They told me and taught me and showed me and bought me Whatever I wanted from the corner U-Totem (“South Texas Girl” by Lyle Lovett)
Circle K bought them all out in the 80s, right before Circle K took a big dump themselves and closed half the stores in the valley.
Then the timing is exactly right. I was 22 in 1982 and my dad passed away so my memory gets blurry around then, but that’s sort of the demarcation point in my mind.
Thank you!!
I remember!
There was one in maricopa...70s
Oh man. My high school was Class C in the 70s and we used to play Maricopa! Howdy. 😊 🌵
Yes! We used to stop at one on 19th Ave near Sunnyslope mountain to get drinks/snacks before long trips to Apache Junction to visit my Mom's friend :)
It had to be to visit friends or family because why else go to Apache Junction in the 70s. Lol
I remember going to sunny slope high school with my mom in the mid-70s. If I remember correctly it was one of the super groovy, mid century modern kind of design with the sharp angled roofs and high narrow windows. Am I remembering it correctly?
Yep. They were popular in California when I was a kid in the 50s-60s and saw them here when inwas stationed at Willy in 69-71. We left the area and they disappeared over time. Been back for 5 years and, not surprisingly, completely changed.
You were at Williams Field!!!! I lived right off Williams field road and Gilbert and we LOVED it in the summertime when the pilots would fly over our horse property neighborhood and then do the sonic boom pass. It would rattle the windows and annoy our mom but we would be running around like fools, waving our arms and hooting and hollering as if they could see and hear us.
We always had a bunch of kids from the base get bused in to our Catholic school in Chandler. I was so sad when they closed that base. We used to go to Willy Days every year. The “Give an airman a lift” sign by the old train station/railroad tracks lasted far longer than the base.
Thanks for your support! I got here in October 69 returning from Vietnam then off to Korea 2 months later. Back in June 70, got married September 70 and left in July 71. We always said we wanted to come back here and finally moved to Queen Creek during Covid in October 2020. I miss a lot of things from those days including Bravino’s Pizza! Retired from the Air Force 1989. Still love the East Valley and have actually run across some great people like you that have been here a while! Back then Gilbert had a trailer park and a flashing red light at Williams Field Rd and Gilbert Rd. A few years ago for our 53rd anniversary we drove around Chandler and Mesa Gateway to see what remnants were left after over 50 years! Not much but surprisingly Wingfoot Is still there. It was a convenience store and laundromat at the time, Wingfoot Market. We would walk there to get stuff for dinner! How times have changed!
I remember Bravino’s!! Lol. So I was born in sept 69, and you were there. 😊 Gilbert had one Main Street, and Chandler wasn’t much bigger, but my dad was a WWII vet who came to Chandler on the train as its first optometrist in 1948. He brought our mom from Chicago after their wedding in ‘49. My family grew up with the Valley, and it’s crazy to me how much it’s changed. Every time I come back I have to reorient myself, but it’s still home to me, my family still has made significant roots there, and I will always come back home.
As a footnote, I had 2 brothers who worked at Wingfoot, but only after mom and dad’s really good friend Eddie Basha fired them from Basha’s #1, which was off the main square, not too far from dad’s office which was behind the dudding’s rexall. The bashas, the Dobsons, the Bogles, the other ranching Ryan family, those were all my parent’s group of friends.
Wow, I had completely forgotten about those. They were all over Texas and Louisiana in the 60s and 70s.
Were they really? I was a kid so I always thought they were just local. I’ve visited both Texas and Louisiana more times than I can count as an adult now. Love both states.
Oh yeah. I remember them. As someone else said, they were bought by Circle K
Lemon and Terrace in Tempe had one
Oh my goodness! Hahaha. Did you live in those depressing Lemon Terrace apartments? They’ve been demolished so long that it’s hard to remember but one of my brothers rented one for a semester and I seem to remember it was small, dark, with high in the wall, narrow windows, and I didn’t care for it very much. My sister’s apartment off of Mesa drive were all macrame and light and hippy chick
Three bound together on a day just like any day They told me and taught me and showed me and bought me Whatever I wanted from the corner U-Totem (“South Texas Girl” by Lyle Lovett)
Yup! There was one not too far from where I grew up in Mesa.
Jackrabbit?
Yup!
I’m sorry. Lol 😊❤️