7 replies to this topic

[hankjr]

there was a time in Fort Worth before the Walmarts, Albertsons, Krogers, etc dominated the grocery business that Leonard Bros. was the big player in town. To supplement Leonards we had on the North Side. Lovelace on North Main,Hills on N.W. 25th. Franko's (1st one on top of hill)Azle Av. , Williams on Azle Av., Big Jim's by W.J. Turner school on Azle Av. Farrs by the water tower on Azle Av. and Bob and Freds where the bus turned around on Azle Av. Anyone remember the donut making machine at Leonard Bros?

[EwingFTW]

Anyone remember the donut making machine at Leonard Bros?

Thanks to Marty Leonard, the Leonard Bros. museum on Carroll Street just south of White Settlement Road, houses a great collection of pictures, old equipment and memorabilia from the big downtown store. The popcorn machine is on display, but not the donut machine. The M&O Cafe is located in the same building as the museum.

I understand they still have one car from the M&O Subway and sometime it will be on display at the museum.

[travelbear]

Not the oldest northside grocery, but the Stockyards Store was at NW25th and Ellis. I'm sure it was operating under another name years ago.

[lcbrownz]

there was a time in Fort Worth before the Walmarts, Albertsons, Krogers, etc dominated the grocery business that Leonard Bros. was the big player in town. To supplement Leonards we had on the North Side. Lovelace on North Main,Hills on N.W. 25th. Franko's (1st one on top of hill)Azle Av. , Williams on Azle Av., Big Jim's by W.J. Turner school on Azle Av. Farrs by the water tower on Azle Av. and Bob and Freds where the bus turned around on Azle Av. Anyone remember the donut making machine at Leonard Bros?

When I used work for Leonards in 1968, I used get off the subway and stop by the donut shop. The donut shop was technically outside of the Leonards Department Store. Every morning, before the store opened, the donut shop would have long lines of people buying donuts, while waiting for the store to open. They sold 2 different kinds of donuts (yeast and cake). I would buy at least 2 or 3 of the yeast donuts once or twice a week. I bought the yeast filled because they taste better than the cake donuts.

[cajunmike]

Your making me hungry for donuts..........its too early on Sunday morning.

[Bill Sievers]

I remember the great jelly donuts (Raspberry) at Leonard's! I pine away for those things today, but cannot find any anywhere that were as good. Seems like the Leonard's bakery was in their store in a corner. I don't remember exactly where, but I THINK it was in the southwest corner of the store (inside) where the bus stop was located, just outside the door. That was in the mid-'50's, so I may not have that exactly right.

Bill Sievers
Natick, Mass.

[NorthSider in Arl]

I used to work at Hill's Supermarket on NW 25th Street, from '81 to '85.

When I started, they were still in the old building. To the best of my knowledge, Hill's Supermarket was opened up in that same building sometime in the 1930's by Adlai Hill.

That old building had four cash registers near the doors that faced 25th St. They also had two cash registers that faced the doors on the east side of the building. There were about four concrete steps inside that led to the east doors.

When we "sack boys" had to help someone get their loaded shopping cart out the east doors, we would have to turn the cart backwards and pull it up one step at a time.

In late 1983, the new building on the north end of the property was finished and the old one was torn down. I took some pictures of the demolished building but I don't know where those photos are today. I think the store was owned by one member of the Hill family or another up to around 1990. The "new" building is now an Elrod's Cost Plus.

[lcbrownz]

My Grandparents used to live on Columbus St. When I was a little tyke (1950s), I used spend a few weeks with them in the summer. They used to go to the old Hill's store a lot. Hill's was a combination of grocery and hardware store. We would go to Safeway's,(next to Hill's ), then to Hills for the bread. Years later, I was with them and they took me to the new Hill's store.

I used to work at Hill's Supermarket on NW 25th Street, from '81 to '85.

When I started, they were still in the old building. To the best of my knowledge, Hill's Supermarket was opened up in that same building sometime in the 1930's by Adlai Hill.

That old building had four cash registers near the doors that faced 25th St. They also had two cash registers that faced the doors on the east side of the building. There were about four concrete steps inside that led to the east doors.

When we "sack boys" had to help someone get their loaded shopping cart out the east doors, we would have to turn the cart backwards and pull it up one step at a time.

In late 1983, the new building on the north end of the property was finished and the old one was torn down. I took some pictures of the demolished building but I don't know where those photos are today. I think the store was owned by one member of the Hill family or another up to around 1990. The "new" building is now an Elrod's Cost Plus.