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Spencer's Palace


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#1 LocalYokel

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Posted 17 June 2008 - 07:06 PM

Okay folks, I know that some of you tripped the light fantastic at Spencers, so let's hear some stories. Who was the disco champ? biggrin.gif

#2 cajunmike

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Posted 17 June 2008 - 07:33 PM

Just keep pointing your finger at the ground and then in the air along with wearing your silk shirt with the very big collar and your triple knit and your in like John Travolta on Saturday Fever..............was Spencer's over by TCU
Mike

#3 GenE

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Posted 18 June 2008 - 11:50 AM

QUOTE (cajunmike @ Jun 17 2008, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just keep pointing your finger at the ground and then in the air along with wearing your silk shirt with the very big collar and your triple knit and your in like John Travolta on Saturday Fever..............was Spencer's over by TCU


Anybody remember the "SPEAKEASY" ? I think it was on Camp Bowie south of I-20.

gbs



#4 Saginaw

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Posted 18 June 2008 - 09:44 PM

QUOTE
Anybody remember the "SPEAKEASY" ? I think it was on Camp Bowie south of I-20.


As a kid in the '70s, I probably would have looked pretty conspicuous trying to get into one of the local clubs with my elementary school library card. rotflmao.gif

Back on the subject, I seem to remember radio ads for the Speakeasy running on KXOL and KFJZ, which were my all-time favorite stations to listen to back then. I can also remember my (much) older brother talking about a place he used to haunt in the early '70s called the Electric Circus, which I believe was in a strip mall on the corner of E. Berry St. and S. Riverside Dr. Anyone remember that one?


--Saginaw
"If I only had a time machine..."

#5 TxConnie

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Posted 18 June 2008 - 09:55 PM

My husband, who is a long time resident of FW, says he thinks Spencer's was in or near the old 1849 Village off University.

#6 RD Milhollin

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Posted 18 June 2008 - 10:12 PM

QUOTE (TxConnie @ Jun 18 2008, 09:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My husband, who is a long time resident of FW, says he thinks Spencer's was in or near the old 1849 Village off University.


Spencer's Palace was north of the 1849 Village, in the building that once housed the Farmer's Daughter on the west side of University Drive slightly to the north of where Old University cuts off to go under the I-30 and RR bridges and into Trinity Park. Just to the north of the Palace was the entrance marquee for the Parkaire drive-in theater, it lasted long after the theater screens were torn down. All that property was developed into the shopping strip-center that now houses the Blue Mesa Grill.

The Palace was OK, but the Daily Double in the Village rocked! What a happy hour!

#7 JulieM

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Posted 18 June 2008 - 11:41 PM

Yep I remember the Daily Double's happy hour of double triples in mason jars.

#8 Ghost Writer in Disguise

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Posted 19 June 2008 - 09:46 AM

QUOTE (Saginaw @ Jun 18 2008, 10:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I can also remember my (much) older brother talking about a place he used to haunt in the early '70s called the Electric Circus, which I believe was in a strip mall on the corner of E. Berry St. and S. Riverside Dr. Anyone remember that one?


--Saginaw


From fortworthpd.com:
"E. M. Belcher - October 28, 1971

Officer E. M. Belcher was slain by a sniper's bullet on October 18, 1971. The shooting took place outside the Electric Circus night club at 3140 S. Riverside Drive and was one of a long string of incidents at the club. The shooting occurred during the aftermath of an earlier incident in which a 23 year old man was shot. Belcher was among some 24 police who responded to the call after the first shooting. The bullet which killed Belcher was believed to have been fired from the top of a restaurant about 200 yards away."

#9 Saginaw

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Posted 19 June 2008 - 04:44 PM

Man. It's a good thing nothing ever happened to my brother during his brief club-hopping days! In addition, my belated sympathy to the brave officer's family. I guess even back in the "good ol' days" which I remember as the 1970s, there were idiotic people, too, like that sniper.

Relating to the Electric Circus again, wasn't it's exterior vertically-striped red and white? The reason why I remember this is because the old Montgomery Ward used to be located on the northeast corner of Berry and Riverside, and my family used to shop there sometimes back then.


--Saginaw
"If I only had a time machine..."

#10 cajunmike

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Posted 19 June 2008 - 06:40 PM

The Farmers Daughter that was a upscale great place to eat in the day. We had quite a few good company dinners there. My wife's father took her there on her 16th birthday and let's just say she is not over 50 and leave it at that or I might be in the doghouse
Mike

#11 Papaw

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Posted 19 June 2008 - 09:12 PM

The best memories I have of Spencer's was their Wet T-Shirt Contest. I think the owner was Spencer Taylor who went from Spencer's to opening Billy Bob's.

#12 Birdland in Handley

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 12:23 AM

I can't remember the nomenclature of the two University Drive Spenser ventures, but I remember what i did and did not do.
I never went to the upscale t++y bar that was in the former Farmer's Daughter steakhouse building and maybe used signage from both the steakhouse and the old Parkaire Drive-in. Great Lite Brite signage.
I did go to the disco that was across University on the river. They had such a strict dress code that a friend and I were not admitted under "no Tee shirts" even though the T-shirt in question was a fancy long-sleeved version. And since it was the best dance place in town we returned, humbled, a couple of times. in different shirts.

I remember KFJZ advertising the Electric Circus and a club called The Box when I was Jr. Hi age, late 60's.

#13 RD Milhollin

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Posted 20 June 2008 - 06:43 AM

QUOTE (Birdland in Handley @ Jun 20 2008, 12:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I did go to the disco that was across University on the river. They had such a strict dress code that a friend and I were not admitted under "no Tee shirts" even though the T-shirt in question was a fancy long-sleeved version. And since it was the best dance place in town we returned, humbled, a couple of times. in different shirts.


Merrimac was across University Drive from Spencer's Palace, and sited back right up against the hike/bike trail along the river. A nice restaurant was downstairs and the disco was upstairs, suspended above the dining room. It was managed by the same family who owned the Carriage House and Mac's House.

#14 travelbear

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Posted 24 June 2008 - 09:17 PM

Don't forget Spencers Corner, the smaller of Spencer Taylors clubs. It was just north of the TCU Theater at W. Bowie and S. University.

#15 LocalYokel

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Posted 01 July 2008 - 10:25 PM

QUOTE (travelbear @ Jun 24 2008, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Don't forget Spencers Corner, the smaller of Spencer Taylors clubs. It was just north of the TCU Theater at W. Bowie and S. University.


In the teenage years, us small-town folks would temporarily put aside the jeans and ball caps, and put on the fancy shoes, pant and "silk" (polyester?) shirts, then head into the Big City (Fort Worth) for some disco action at Spencers. It's a shame nobody had video cameras back then because it would be hilarious to see some of those moves again rotflmao.gif

After an evening of being shot down by the gorgeous disco ladies, we would retire to a drinking establishment and lubricate the wheels of progress. In the later 70's a favorite spot for this was the Chelsea Street Pub at Ridgmar Mall, where you could get an enormous platter of nachos and some pretty tasty Hurricanes to wash 'em down. Hmmm in grown up life that doesn't sound so appetizing but at the time we thought it was pretty tasty. Of course the Hurricanes could have had something to do with that.

Looking back, I kind of miss my "silk" shirts. I had a couple that would induce epileptic seizures in small children, one being memorably printed with a quasi-abstract Broadway night scene. Looked like Andy Warhol had barfed all over it rotflmao.gif

#16 friscodana

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Posted 15 October 2008 - 09:44 PM

I am a newbie to this forum. Wow, this brings back my college days. Went to TCU in the mid 70's when drinking age was 18. Oh did I have some fun. Spencer's Corner was a Thursday night stop with the 3 for 1 hurricane specials. Then to the Stables across the street. A true dive- with beer everywhere - but oh so fun. Then came Spencer's Palace which was huge. Seems like the clubs were managed by Mike and Pat Lewis and Brent Cumbie (sp). All were successful Spencer Taylor clubs. Then he had a club off of Camp Bowie called the Triple Crown - very small and did not last long. My favorite was the Daily Double in 1849 Village. I was there every Thursday after work and on the weekends. Those 3 for 1's were so strong. I had to pace myself. Loved dancing and felt like it was home many a night! I would love to go back and live just one night at those places! What good memories.

#17 801hme

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Posted 16 October 2008 - 05:21 AM

QUOTE (LocalYokel @ Jul 1 2008, 11:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In the later 70's a favorite spot for this was the Chelsea Street Pub at Ridgmar Mall, where you could get an enormous platter of nachos and some pretty tasty Hurricanes to wash 'em down.


Now there's a blast from the past...hadn't thought about that place in years. Best root beer float I've ever had...


#18 Molly

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Posted 16 October 2008 - 11:23 AM

QUOTE (801hme @ Oct 16 2008, 05:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (LocalYokel @ Jul 1 2008, 11:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In the later 70's a favorite spot for this was the Chelsea Street Pub at Ridgmar Mall, where you could get an enormous platter of nachos and some pretty tasty Hurricanes to wash 'em down.


Now there's a blast from the past...hadn't thought about that place in years. Best root beer float I've ever had...



Spencer Taylor was quite the bar owner and operator. He was the first one that I remembered that kept inventory control of the liquor. Every bottle was weighed at the beginning of a shift and and at the end to compute the liquor poured tht night, and then compared against the revenues for that register. Yes, Mike and Pat Lewis ran the clubs for him. I believe that Spencer's Corner at TCU was first, then the Daily Double in the 1849 Village, and then Spencer's Palace in the old Farmer's Daughter restaurant building.

Spencer then hooked up with Billy Bob Barnett to start Billy Bob's Texas in 1981. It opened the same day that the Americana Hotel (Worthington) did in Sundance Square on April 1, 1981.

Does anybody here remember shopping at Clark's, then Cooks Department store that was the prior location of Billy Bob's Texas ?

#19 Birdland in Handley

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Posted 16 October 2008 - 09:47 PM

Off topically, I'll reply that I remember these freestanding discount stores: Clarks on the Camp Bowie, Spartan-Atlantic on the Lancaster (or was it Treasure City?), Woolco on east Berry. Warning--locations based on fuzzy memories.
And Seminary South had Murphey's untill the early 80's.

#20 Mjeff

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Posted 08 January 2009 - 01:56 PM

I bartended for Spencer at the Palace, Double and the Corner for a couple of years from 76-78. Talk about 2 years of my life that were a blur. You think you had fun as a customer, you ain't seen nothing til the place closed and the bartenders and waitresses got to party. Especially at the Corner. That place was just flat out wild. I won't put my name here on the forum but if you PM me I will tell you and maybe you remember me.

#21 hankjr

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Posted 08 January 2009 - 02:24 PM

Frank Kent Ford (before he took on Cadillac) was located where Billy Bobs is today. I bought a new 52 Ford convertable off showroom floor from Frank Kent in 1952. Also, same guy by name of Jesse something had Cattlemens Steakhouse in Stockyards area and then started the Farmers Daughter. He was buying Grand Champion Steers from Fort Worth Stockshow several times. Was quite successful and involved with city government.

#22 cajunmike

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Posted 08 January 2009 - 06:00 PM

Birdland,
In 1966 when we moved to Fort Worth, I sold Christmas trees one winter at the Spartan Atlantic parking lot on East Lancaster. We were told to charge $1 per foot. I don't remember how much the guy paid us , but it was not enough to stand out in the cold.

Some of the other places along the 5300 block of East Lancaster were:
Robert Hall mens clothing ( bought a few leisure suits there)
Kenny's shoes
Pappa's Pizza which then changed to several other names
McDonald's
Ted's Bar-B-Q which was next door to McDonald's (west) and had sawdust floors. A few years later it was a new Taco Bell
A&P Supermarket at the top of the hill in the strip center
Savvy's night club in the later 70's and the band Savvy...did some disco dancing there !
Local florist Jerry Westfall on the corner of East Lancaster & 820
Mike

#23 Willy1

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Posted 04 February 2009 - 11:03 AM

The Speak Easy was on the backside of the shopping center where Tom Thumb is on Camb Bowie... There is (or was) a Tuesday Morning back there now. I grew up in Ridlgea and my older brother and sister used to go to the Speak Easy all the time. It was a big hangout for AHHS Seniors, who were old enough to drink back then. It was gone by the time I got into high school so it must have closed sometime between 1979/80 and 1983/84.

#24 Papaw

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Posted 04 February 2009 - 11:42 AM

QUOTE (Willy1 @ Feb 4 2009, 11:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It was a big hangout for AHHS Seniors, who were old enough to drink back then. It was gone by the time I got into high school so it must have closed sometime between 1979/80 and 1983/84.


Looking back, when the legal drinking age was 18 we had no problem getting it a year or so younger and it seems we also learned responsible drinking - along with other responsibilities - at a younger age. We were not taught "not to drink", but how to drink responsibly. We had fewer alcohol related deaths and injuries and this was before padded dashes, seat belts and air bags.
It seems like our governing bodies are doing an injustice by trying to protect everyone by laws and support groups. When a kid screwed up and did something tragically stupid like commit suicide in a school bathroom they would let the other kids see the mess instead of lighting candles and calling in counselors. I think this is one of the larger problems of today - peoples lives have become too protected and forgiven and many grow up to have little or no responsibility or independence.

#25 jp54

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Posted 31 December 2012 - 11:12 PM

Chelsea Street Pub, in Ridgmar Mall, was a great place.  It was the  mid 70's and FW encouraged drinking.  My friends and I would start at the 2 story Mexican Restaurant  for 3 fers and continue at  the Pub.  They had the best french dips and live music at night.  The mall would close at 9 pm buy Chelsea Street Pub was open till 2 am.  Of course we parked at the opposite end of the mall and had to battle the locusts as we ran back to our cars.  I can remember one night when a guy,  you guessed in a pick up truck, was chasing us and we had to run towards the light where all the locusts were.  We weren't feeling any pain but back then there were no security guards at night or cell phones so we just ran.  I guess we are lucky to be alive but the crazies then  were not as crazy as the crazies are now, thank goodness



#26 lcbrownz

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Posted 19 April 2020 - 07:15 AM

In 1984, Spencer's Palace changed its name to Spencer's Beverly Hills where women drank free from 4pm - 10pm and men only drank 3-1s mixed drinks from 4pm - 10pm. They featured live bands, as well.



#27 rriojas71

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Posted 19 April 2020 - 11:53 AM

The crazies then were just as crazy.  You just weren't bombarded with news 24/7 like we are now.

 

Chelsea Street Pub, in Ridgmar Mall, was a great place.  It was the  mid 70's and FW encouraged drinking.  My friends and I would start at the 2 story Mexican Restaurant  for 3 fers and continue at  the Pub.  They had the best french dips and live music at night.  The mall would close at 9 pm buy Chelsea Street Pub was open till 2 am.  Of course we parked at the opposite end of the mall and had to battle the locusts as we ran back to our cars.  I can remember one night when a guy,  you guessed in a pick up truck, was chasing us and we had to run towards the light where all the locusts were.  We weren't feeling any pain but back then there were no security guards at night or cell phones so we just ran.  I guess we are lucky to be alive but the crazies then  were not as crazy as the crazies are now, thank goodness






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