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Blog Entry 17 of 52 Mema becomes a writer

My blog is to discuss reading, to share good books I've read, and to encourage others to read. I will also talk about writing, the joys, the disappointments, and all that goes into writing a magazine article or novels for children and teens. Promoting books will be another topic I'd like to discuss. Getting publicity through the Internet, newspapers, TV, and radio. Using message boards and blogs to tell others about your work. Music too is an interest I may discuss from time to time.

Blog Url: http://wichitafalls.yourhub.com/~beverlyjean

Monroe Street As It Was

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Contributed by: Beverly McClure on 4/21/2007

This photo of my dad dates back to the 40s or 50s, I'm not sure which. His barbershop was in Monroe Street shopping center, on the east side of the street, which was a lot different in those days than it is today. The back half of the building housed a beauty shop. At the front was a shoe shine stand. So a man could get a haircut, shave (with a straight razor that my dad swiped back and forth on this long piece of leather that I don't know what it was called), and shiny shoes, while his wife could get a shampoo and curls and probably the latest gossip.

The best I remember, though it has been many years and memories have a way of getting distorted, the shopping area contained two barbershops. My dad's had a red-and-white barber pole outside the front door that spun and spun until it made you dizzy. On one corner was Tom McCarty Music Store. That's where my parents bought my clarinet when I started band in Zundy Jr. High, and I also took lessons there. When I became a majorette, my baton came from McCarty Music as well.

A small theater, named the Roxie, sat at the other end of the block. We had no TV in those days (hard to imagine, right?), so on Saturday afternoons we'd walk to the movies and watch Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Tarzan, or sometimes Dracula, though scary movies gave me nightmares and I wasn't too fond of them. Later the theater was renamed the Linda. We could sit through the show all afternoon if we wanted to and munch on popcorn and drink a coke.

I'm not sure what other stores were on this side of the street, I think perhaps a restaurant, but that's only a guess. Across the street, on the west side of Monroe Street, there was a post office and a bicycle shop and some other businesses, gone from my thoughts now.

Monroe Street Pharmacy sat on the corner across the side street. We'd go there after the movie and eat chocolate sodas, drink cherry cokes, vanilla cokes, chocolate cokes, or sometimes suicide (loaded with all of the above) cokes, and an occasional hamburger, depending on how much money we had. When I was in high school, my mom started working at the pharmacy.

One of the favorite places for high school kids to hang out was the A&W Drive-in, where we'd see everyone we knew as they drove through, if we stayed there long enough. They kept their mugs in the freezer and would bring your root beer to the car. Root beer has never tasted so good since.

As happens, the old neighborhoods change. And all we have are our memories. They, along with the photographs we have kept, are priceless.

Thanks for taking the journey back in time with me. I enjoyed it. I hope you did too.

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Showing 1-10 of 14 comments

Submitted By: Virginia Stepp

posted on 4/9/2008 @ 3:01:09 PM

Rated Blog Entry

I remember in the middle 50's- Hall Food Market, Spudnut Shop, and A & B Lock & Safe. David Stepp

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Submitted By: Jeff and Julie Coley

posted on 6/5/2007 @ 2:43:11 PM

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Beverly, I love your story! I used to own Monroe St. Antique Mall which was in the old Roxy and later Linda theatre and also the restaurant that was next door. I used to own copies of the only known photos of the shopping center back in the 40's as the Pharmacy was first being built. I donated them to the Museum of History downtown. I have heard SO many stories from old timers who would come into my store and tell me all about the shopping center back in the old days. Your story really brought back memories for me.

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Submitted By: BRENT PROFFITT

posted on 5/16/2007 @ 10:22:11 PM

Rated Blog Entry

GREAT STORY !!!!

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Submitted By: Beverly McClure

posted on 5/9/2007 @ 12:01:03 PM

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Thanks, Mark. I might. I talked with my sister a few days ago, and she remembered some of the shops I had forgotten. She is younger than I am, though.

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Submitted By: Mark Clopton

posted on 5/5/2007 @ 4:40:09 PM

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Beverly, If you are interested in doing a more in depth story on Monroe Street Pharmacy, you can talk to Mr. Franklin. I'm sure he would give you all the help you need. If you need a reference, then you may use my name. Mr. Franklin and I are old friends.

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Submitted By: Beverly McClure

posted on 4/28/2007 @ 7:17:34 PM

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Oh, yes, Jim, I can still taste those frosty rootbeers. I had forgotten about the five and dime store. Don't have a clue what kind it was.

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Submitted By: Beverly McClure

posted on 4/28/2007 @ 7:15:18 PM

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I didn't know about Mr. Franklin owning the pharmacy. My mother was in a nursing home by that time, and I lost track of what happened to it. Joe Fooshee (SP?) was the previous owner. It is a shame the neighborhood has gone downhill. We used to walk there without fear of any kind.

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Submitted By: Mark Clopton

posted on 4/24/2007 @ 1:20:47 PM

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Beverly, Mr. Franklin, the owner and operator of the current Franklin Pharmacy, was the last owner of the Monroe Street Pharmacy. I remember that soda fountain. I was sad to see it go. Mr. Franklin had many very old medicine bottles which he acquired with the old soda fountain, when he bought out the prior owner. It is a piece of Wichita Falls history which now is gone. The neighborhood had declined, and Mr. Franklin had to make some hard, business decisions and chose to close up shop at that location. Perhaps in a sense, the gang activity in the neighborhood was part of the cause, if you are looking for one. Bullets, flying into your building, or gang graffiti is crap folks should not put up with. If they can't they have to move.

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Submitted By: Mark Clopton

posted on 4/24/2007 @ 1:15:02 PM

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Folks, If a fella has never been to an old style barber shop, and received a close cut, via straight razor on his neck hairs, he needs to. Hot, wet cloth, upon your face, your neck, followed by a straight razor, by a skilled professional, all the while listening to local gab is surely a delight.

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Submitted By: Mark Clopton

posted on 4/24/2007 @ 1:08:13 PM

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Pamela, Seems as folks get older,many memories do die. Perhaps that it one reason for keeping some things afloat in the minds of the living public.

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