Vancouver History

[Ride]

Originally Posted by tonyzoomzoom

A family friend drove us to this A&W. It was such a neat experience having the waitress come over to our car so we can make the order; and the food tray that hung over the car door....

Carelton was my first elementary school when we first came to Canada (Kingsway and Joyce / 41st) in the mid-70s. It has two school buildings on the same lot. The neat thing is that both buildings are still there. I drive by there everyday when heading to work. Brings back lots of memories. There was the bus loop across from the school (now a 7-11). The pancake house (bino's?) next to 7-11 is still here though.

Just east on Kingsway were a Safeway and a Super-Valu. Both had the same curvy roof design. I never figured out why the two looked exactly the same. I still remember buying a pound of Winsor salt there for 22 cents !!

The first house where we lived (on Ormidale) is still here. There was no alley in the back and back then there were no fences either. It was like one huge playground right in our back yard -- lots of grass and trees. It looks a lot less welcoming now. Everyone building fences around their lots

That bus loop was next to 7-11 now it' a apartment building and the Supervalu has turned into the now London Drugs.

[Ride]

Originally Posted by SumAznGuy

The Canadian Tire on Kingsway and Gladstone use to be a Home depot type place back in the 80's. IIRC, it was an Irly Bird?
.

Before the Irly Bird it was a IGA or a Stongs.

Any one remember the Dragon Inn with the huge neon dragon at Kingsway & Slocan it was one of the nicest signs in the area. Also when KFC used be called Kentucky fried Chicken with spinning bucket as their sign, those were the times their chicken was actually finger lickin good, and there butter milk biscuits they used melt in your mouth I still don't know why they got rid of those.

[Ride]

another piece of history is gone today the Richards on Richards nite club and Madam Cleos just got demolished today to make way for a new highrise.

[ZhangFei]

I remember wearing an Asian Avenue hat in my high school.... bahahaha

I rigged the system to get those points

[skyxx]

^ That's not Vancouver History.....

[thumper]

Originally Posted by Blinky

Cambie and Broadway has changed too. Where the Save-On/Crappy Tire complex was used to have GM dealership... and then a SportMart for a few years before it was cratered for what's there right now. The Wendy's there had an operating lower floor .

egh? not that it matters but i thought that was a ford dealership that was there... then it was some sort of computer store and then what it is now.

[MG1]

Originally Posted by Ride

Before the Irly Bird it was a IGA or a Stongs.

Any one remember the Dragon Inn with the huge neon dragon at Kingsway & Slocan it was one of the nicest signs in the area. Also when KFC used be called Kentucky fried Chicken with spinning bucket as their sign, those were the times their chicken was actually finger lickin good, and there butter milk biscuits they used melt in your mouth I still don't know why they got rid of those.

The Dragon Inn......wow. The parking lot is still there, I think. People sell corn and stuff off the back of their truck. Awesome sign. KFC was so good back then. Now it's pretty shitty. Church's Chicken is better. Spinning bucket was cool. I always thought it would tip over one day and kill people because it was titled.

[MG1]

Originally Posted by Ride

another piece of history is gone today the Richards on Richards nite club

That place was damn popular. People always lined up for hours to get in. Damn fine looking ladies.......... and I'm not talking about the hookers in that area.

Speaking of which, is the Penthouse still operating?

[MG1]

Originally Posted by Blinky

Wow. What an awesome thread.

Some random memories:

I remember going to Oakridge Mall as a kid. They were doing some massive renovations... Oakridge used to be open-air (the fountains were open to the elements).

Very much so. I remember Woodwards being there and the Bay? I guess it's Zellers now, which makes sense, since Zellers and the Bay are owned by the same people. Oakridge Shopping Centre was for the rich people, so most East Enders never went there. At least that was the perception.

[SumAznGuy]

Originally Posted by thumper

egh? not that it matters but i thought that was a ford dealership that was there... then it was some sort of computer store and then what it is now.

Thumper is right. The ford/Mercury dealership was on the underside from 7th ave?? while from 8th ave it was a sport Mart. The computer store was right beside it.

That ford/mercury dealership used to be on Broadway till they moved/combined the 2 dealers onto that location on 7th ave. If my memory serves me correct, the Ford dealer was on Broadway while 7th ave was a Mercury dealership. I'm thinking it was Totem Mercury.

There was also an AMG shop there, before they moved. I remember one of my friend's uncles working there and telling us stories of doing 200+ km/h over the Cambie st. bridge in some AMG Mercedes that was in for some servicing.

The McD's across the street is now a liquor store.

Does anyone remember the name of the chinese restaurant on 1st and Rupert? I think the owner was also the owner of Dragon's Inn? I know the look was similar.

[SumAznGuy]

Originally Posted by 89blkcivic

That place was damn popular. People always lined up for hours to get in. Damn fine looking ladies.......... and I'm not talking about the hookers in that area.

Speaking of which, is the Penthouse still operating?

I remember clubbing at RoR once. Always heard stories about Madam Cleo's cause I had a friend that lived in an apartment behind it and from his window he could see the women going outside for smoke breaks.

I believe the Penthouse is still operating. I was there 2 years ago for a friend's stag. Ewwwww....

Well, it is better today than it was when I was in high school though. Most of the hookers along that block are gone. I remember in high school how we would cruise around looking at the hookers and shit for fun on the weekends before we headed up and down Robson.

Around Vancouver, Quebec st. between 4th ave and 6th ave use to have the mid class hookers back in the early 90's while downtown had the high end ones. And of course Hastings had the lowest of the low class ones. Now downtown and Quebec street are hooker free, but there are some that stand on Kingsway near the starbucks and Safeway, though there are less now than there was about 3-4 years ago. Guess everyone that can, is moving indoors.

[Ride]

Originally Posted by SumAznGuy

Does anyone remember the name of the chinese restaurant on 1st and Rupert? I think the owner was also the owner of Dragon's Inn? I know the look was similar.

was it Canton Palace?

[Blinky]

Penthouse was operating a few years ago. I'm pretty sure that it's still there. Anybody remember the Marble Arch? It was where I popped my peeler bar cherry.

Kingsgate mall used to Not Suck. Safeway on top. Mr Mike's in the mall.

I've got a good one. There was Honest Nat's department store on Fraser Street, around 47th. It was an independent department store... don't remember if they burned up in a fire or else just up and died.

[jigjag]

Fastest growing thread i've seen so far, friggen eh!
anyhoo, i have a few good ones, but to keep in line w/ the topic...

Remember Caseys bar/stripclub? At the Mr. Sport Hotel on Kingsway? Its where "Jaguars" is now....
that was my peeler peepin' OG spot. I was 16. We used to pop in for a pitcher after hockey practices at Killarney. I swear, they knew we were younger i'm sure, but as long as u acting confident and didn't act a fool, it was all good. Then i brought one of my good buddy's (1/2 chinoise, 1/2 gwai lo, i'm EI btw) and we were promptly ID'd for the first time going there in like a year. Friggin asians and their lack of facial hair!!!!
Anyhow, it was sad when they shut it down, but went out with a bang, they musta had about 15-20 stripper given'er at the same time, w/ free lappy's all around. Sigh.

And how bout "BK grocery", the corner store on 34/nanaimo? Its a heritage blding from way back. I knew it was old, going there as a kid, but one day I was at the library, perusing some random shit, ie. vancouver heritage, and there it was in this hardcover book, a painting/pic of good ol' "BK" from baaack in the day. Kinda neat to see the corner store u've been going to since u were 3 in a book.

Avalon Dairy? On Wales st., just off of 41st? that place is like a mini farm in the middle of vancouver. Started in 1906, the Orig. farmhouse/office is still used today. You can go there to buy individual chocolate milk's, in glass bottles. That is fking gangster.
http://www.avalondairy.com/index-2.html


This farmhouse harkens back to days gone by in vancity. There was lots of lil' farms and the like around. I'm too young to remember this, but Cunningham Elementary School on 35th used to be a goat or chicken farm or something. There were houses on the property that had to be removed when they built the school, so they moved some of em over to St. Margerets and one over to nanaimo st. (a somewhat dilapidated older green house that's still there today).

And yes, street hockey was the norm. I remember having to bloody wait w/ my boys till we could play. Now, well, its been said. Fat lil' shits sitting round the screen, rotating btween their PS3 and facebook. Truly a diff. world we live in now, really quite sad.

And another thing i remember is how truly culturally diverse da' hood used to be. I went to gladstone/killarney and recall how there was so many euro's w/ lots of asians, and a few E.I.'s in the mix. Grew up learning bout everything/everyone this way. Now, it really is almost all asians in van (east anyways), in the homes anyhow. Sign of the times as all the euro's whose mom/dad pass on, sell the house, split the $, put the remaining parent in a friggin home, and move out to the burbs, as oppossed us asians (generally speaking of course), who stay united/together. And the folks that live here now, its almost like the whole multicutural/western thing has degraded, as lots more ppl don't speak english compared to b4.... more mainlanders, etc. Sign of the times i guess.....

Cheers,
jigger.

[MG1]

Originally Posted by ienhz

lol, I went to Macdonald elementary near Hastings. God damn, that school was like 50% asian and 50% native. We always had freakin potlatches at our school and I remember they made all the kids make native blankets for their ceremonies. I don't know what the educational value of that was but i guess they were smart in taking advantage of free labour.

What? No Bannock? I used to think Bannock and dried salmon were the only things FN people ate.

Originally Posted by skyxx

I did. Wasn't the best school haha. Had some fond memories. Apparently it's one of the lowest ranked school in Vancouver. Anyway, speaking of Macdonald elementary. I heard it's like 80% native now. My buddy's sister goes there and one time she got lice from one of the kids. Pretty funny stuff. On one of her report cards. It states that she did well in some aboriginal dances. That's all that was said. haha

Originally Posted by ienhz

I think my elementary (Macdonald) is one of the lowest ranked schools in Vancouver as well. Apparently it came 2nd last or so in some math rankings. Templeton didn't seem too bad (Grad '06) but Brit is ranked lower than Templeton haha. I think they (Brit) had a 25% failure rate for provincial exams in 2007 LOL.

It's funny, growing up in some of the shittiest schools and I'm still somehow managing a 3.6 GPA at SFU. I don't think these rankings really mean anything.

Well, the Fraser Report is pretty useful. The highest scores in all of BC come from the district of West Vancouver. I remember one of the assistant superintendent, or it might have been the super himself, going public and basically saying that the clientele was better bred. He got into a lot of flack, but he was just telling the truth. When your schools are filled with children from well to do families, you better do well. East End schools are filled with kids from families where half the children come to school with empty stomachs, have FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome), been through hell the night before, etc. It's no surprise.

Both Strathcona and Brit have changed demographics. Everything has gone downhill.

On a positive note, Templeton recently won a "Reach for the Top" type competition that beat out teams from other private schools like St. Georges. This was no local competition. It was national. People were like, WTF? Some dumb ass Vancouver East End school takes the national title for having the smartest kids? Haha.... so much for rowing clubs and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. I hear Templeton is one of the better schools in Vancouver now, with a good arts programme (film, drama, etc.). Good for them 'cause it used to be one of the shit hole schools for the longest of times.

[MG1]

Originally Posted by Blinky

Penthouse was operating a few years ago. I'm pretty sure that it's still there. Anybody remember the Marble Arch? It was where I popped my peeler bar cherry.

Kingsgate mall used to Not Suck. Safeway on top. Mr Mike's in the mall.

I've got a good one. There was Honest Nat's department store on Fraser Street, around 47th. It was an independent department store... don't remember if they burned up in a fire or else just up and died.

Marble Arch........... yes. I've been there a few times, but all time favourite is No. 5 Orange.

[MG1]

Originally Posted by Blinky

Penthouse was operating a few years ago. I'm pretty sure that it's still there. Anybody remember the Marble Arch? It was where I popped my peeler bar cherry.

Kingsgate mall used to Not Suck. Safeway on top. Mr Mike's in the mall.

I've got a good one. There was Honest Nat's department store on Fraser Street, around 47th. It was an independent department store... don't remember if they burned up in a fire or else just up and died.

Mr. Mike's. There were lots of those kinds of restaurants all over the place. Honest Nat's. I recall 3 Vets being the same for some reason. One of them replaced the other, perhaps?

[MG1]

Originally Posted by jigjag

Avalon Dairy? On Wales st., just off of 41st? that place is like a mini farm in the middle of vancouver. Started in 1906, the Orig. farmhouse/office is still used today. You can go there to buy individual chocolate milk's, in glass bottles. That is fking gangster.
http://www.avalondairy.com/index-2.html

Wow, I didn't know Avalon was that local. I must go there. This brings back memories of Dairyland milk delivery and tokens. I never understood how they worked, but they were plastic and red in colour. Strange how milk in bottles always tasted better.

[InvisibleSoul]

Originally Posted by ZhangFei

I remember wearing an Asian Avenue hat in my high school.... bahahaha

I rigged the system to get those points

LoL... what the random...

[InvisibleSoul]

Originally Posted by 89blkcivic

Wow, I didn't know Avalon was that local. I must go there. This brings back memories of Dairyland milk delivery and tokens. I never understood how they worked, but they were plastic and red in colour. Strange how milk in bottles always tasted better.

You can get Avalon milk in stores still... but not 100% sure which ones. Maybe Buy Low Foods?

[MG1]

Originally Posted by InvisibleSoul

You can get Avalon milk in stores still... but not 100% sure which ones. Maybe Buy Low Foods?

Well, the IGA close to where I live has it, but a sign on the dairy case reads, "Due to low supply, we cannot guarantee this product to be in stock at all times." Sure enough, empty. I'm really not interested in the bottled milk as I am in seeing this historic place in the middle of the city with so much history behind it.

I work in Abbotsford, so dairy farms are no big deal.

[jigjag]

check the website, it has their hours of operation....
its really amazing to see such a "farm" like this smack dab in the middle of urban residential vancouver....
that property must be worth MILLIONS!

hey 100 posts! 3 years later, woohoo.

[fliptuner]

Don't want to quote a bunch so I'll just say what I remember.

What most people remember as PhoBichNga was originally VicWay trucker style diner.

Where the Canadian Tire was on Gladstone/Kingsway used to be a Lumberland.

A few doors East was a full service Shell station that my dad's friend owned. Remember the rubber hoses that went ding-ding to call the gas boy? When they would check your oil and air and air and water were free?

IIRC the PetroCan on Kingsway/Naniamo used to be a Texaco and they would give away free steak knives and shit when you got a fill-up.

The cornerstore right across from there used to be owned by a Chinese family that lived upstairs. Back in the 80's we used to actually call cornerstores...ready...??? Chinese stores. It wasn't a racial thing - just that they were all owned by Chinese people. A carton of cigs was $15 and sticks were like 10cents each.

Further E on the same side of Kingsway was another Shell station (Clarendon St.) Followed by a Thriftway grocery store. Beside that was Vancouver Karate Club (used to go there) then further down was Beefway, Harvey's Hardware, Purdy's and Wally's and Collingwood Library.

The only reason we really went to Oakridge Mall was for $1.49 days at Woodwards and to check out the displays at Christmas time.

I went to Norquay Elementary on Slocan and 29th and in the summer we would all hang out at Slocan Park where they would fill the pool and have different activities for the kids. There were never a ton of parents there - only those watching very young kids. All our parents were at work so we would just kind of hang out and play til our parents got home. My friend's and I were all latchkey kids with the yarn necklaces lol. A lot of back alley street hockey, soccer and bike riding back then. All around the neighborhood - none of this up and down the street shit.

There used to be a REAL sense of community back then, less PC bullshit, more common sense, better service at stores, etc.......

[jigjag]

^^^Damn Straight dude....
I went to that dojo too, the head instructor was "Pat McCarthy" if i recall correctly. Ahh, good times...indeed latchkey, folks had to pay off the house!

Norquay Park FTW! haha, ah man... almost brings a tear to my eye thinking bout the good ol' days. Community fo sho, vancouver altogether felt like a big community, now its just grown out of that vibe, shit.

Wally's Burgers!!!!!!!

How bout when the McPukes on kings/vic was the ol' skool one w/ the 7/11 joined to it??
damn.

[SumAznGuy]

Flip, I'm pretty sure the CT use to be either an Irly Bird or a Beaver lumber, but definately not a Lumberland. The Revy near Knight st. was a Lumberland.

The Shell station is now that redish/pink coloured mechanic shop right?

One thing that hasn't changed is the Top's restaurant. That thing has been there for over 20 years.

There use to be a Jerrys Goal Crease hockey shop in the building just W. of the Wally's.

The old Royal Bank is still there, well the building anyways.