154 replies to this topic

[kksmith]

Sorry -- duplicate post.

I have merged the two threads, since they both had replies. John

Edited by John T Roberts, 15 October 2008 - 10:25 PM.

[kksmith]

This post is for no purpose other than nostalgia.

The stores I remember at Westcliff Shopping Center from about 1964 are (starting at one end):

1. Christian Science Reading Room. (I think that's what it was, but could have been something before that.)

2. Bob Bolen's toy store; and in a connected room, a slot car track; and in another connected room, a card shop.

3. Around the corner, a five and dime. I can't remember the "brand". It had everything from household goods to toys to pets (hamsters, chamelions).

4. Next to that a Worth grocery store, which later became a Piggly Wiggly.

5. A Rexall drug store. So on what I took to be the main front, there was a five and dime, grocery store, and drugstore. Did someone mention on this forum that the drugstore was called Moreland's? It had a great soda fountain, where they served all the usual: breakfast, hamburgers, fries, BLTs, shakes, ice cream cones, etc. The drugstore later became a Skillern's.

6. Around another corner, a camera store.

7. Was there a laundromat next to the camera store, or was that later?

8. At the end of that storefront area was a record store -- yes, 33s and 45s.

9. Around the final corner, a hamburger place. Can anyone help with a name?

10. Across the parking lot was a Fair Department Store. We bought our clothes and shoes there.

11. Across the parking lot, and separate from all the others, was a grocery store. I remember it as being a Buddy's and a Kroger's. I think it was an A & P before that, but could be wrong. (I remember my grandmother saying that she was going to the A & P, rather than that she was going grocery shopping.)

12. I have read that there was once a movie theater at Westcliff, but I do not remember that. I assume it must have been where the Buddy's/Kroger's was. I don't think the shopping center developer would have planned on two grocery stores right across from each other. I guess the movie theater came at the very end of the period when people went to movies regularly, and at the beginning of the period when folks stayed home and watched TV.

If anyone has corrections to the above, store names, history, details, or other recollections, please add!

[Papaw]

The hamburger joint was Ernie's - great hamburgers!

[Thurman52]

Minyards has a closing sign on it now.

[Fort Worthology]

Minyards has a closing sign on it now.

Word I've heard is that Market Street will be replacing Minyards.

http://www.marketstreetunited.com/

[bailey]

My memories of Westcliff go back a little farther to the mid 50's. The main center had 3 stores on the front and wings on both sides. The stores I recall starting at the far south end are as follows.

1. At the very end was a doctor's office which faced the street.

2. On the corner was a gift shop. I can't recall the name.

3. Westcliff hardware was the next store in the south wing. It was one of the first stores to have a mini post office on site.

4. Next was the Toy Palace or Bolen's Toy palace. There were actually 3 connected stores to Bolen's. The first was the card shop, the second was the bike shop, and the end store was the toy store. Inside the toy store to the right as you went in the door was a jewelry counter rented from Bolen's. Bolens was the last store in the south wing.

5. The first store on the frontage section was Mott's five and dime.

6. The middle store was Worth Food Mart which later became Piggly Wiggly as you noted. Today it is Westcliff Hardware. It was the store we shopped for grocery's at and I recall riding in the basket as a youngster.

7. The last store on the frontage was Moreland's drug store. It was know for it's soda fountain which was actually more than that. There was a sections of booths to sit in and they also prepared full meals at lunch everday. Each day they had a different plate lunch. Great food.

8. The first store in the north wing was actually a cafeteria. I don't recall the name but it later became a camera store.

9. I believe there was another slot next to the cafeteria but I don't recall what the store was. Maybe it was a laundramat.

10. Next was Westcliff Records where you went to by 78's, 45's, and 33's. I still have some records and tapes I bought there. This was the end store of the north end of the center. There were more stores along the frontage.

11. The end of the wing contained a hamburger restaurant and a barber shop.

The other grocery store across the parking lot was initially a Wyatt's which later became Kroger's. It is now a Minyard's which is closing. It was never an A&P or Buddies.

11.

[Lonn Taylor]

I'm thinking of Westcliff Shopping Center as it was in 1957, when I was a senior at Paschal High School. Following K.K. Smith's order, there was a doctor's office next to the Christian Science reading room, where our family doctor, Dr. Myres, practiced. Around the corner was C.A. Taylor's hardware store, which may be what Smith remembers as a five-and-dime, because it did sell household goods, toys, and pets as well as hardware. I believe the Westcliff post office station was in the back. I dont't recall a laundromat next to the camera store but there was a beauty parlor next to it that I know was there for many years, because my mother went to it for once a week well into the 1980s. Her hairdresser was named Crystal. The hamburger place was called Ernie's, and they served ice-cold root beer in frosted mugs. It was the archtypical after-school hangout, with a counter, booths, and a juke box. The record store on the corner had listening booths where you could preview records before buting them.

The department store, the grocery store, and the drug store changed ownership several times between 1957 and 1980, but I'm pretty sure that in '57 the drug store was a Mooreland's and the department store was a branch of Stripling's. I don't recall a movie theatre.

Thanks for the memories, K.K.

Lonn Taylor
Fort Davis, Texas

[John T Roberts]

The theater sat between the Wyatt's Grocery Store and the cafeteria. The Washington Mutual sits where the theater once stood.

[sonny 2]

The theater sat between the Wyatt's Grocery Store and the cafeteria. The Washington Mutual sits where the theater once stood.

The Theater was the Westcliff Theater....I saw the horror movie "THEM' there in 1955.

[sonny 2]

I'm thinking of Westcliff Shopping Center as it was in 1957, when I was a senior at Paschal High School. Following K.K. Smith's order, there was a doctor's office next to the Christian Science reading room, where our family doctor, Dr. Myres, practiced. Around the corner was C.A. Taylor's hardware store, which may be what Smith remembers as a five-and-dime, because it did sell household goods, toys, and pets as well as hardware. I believe the Westcliff post office station was in the back. I dont't recall a laundromat next to the camera store but there was a beauty parlor next to it that I know was there for many years, because my mother went to it for once a week well into the 1980s. Her hairdresser was named Crystal. The hamburger place was called Ernie's, and they served ice-cold root beer in frosted mugs. It was the archtypical after-school hangout, with a counter, booths, and a juke box. The record store on the corner had listening booths where you could preview records before buting them.

The department store, the grocery store, and the drug store changed ownership several times between 1957 and 1980, but I'm pretty sure that in '57 the drug store was a Mooreland's and the department store was a branch of Stripling's. I don't recall a movie theatre.

Thanks for the memories, K.K.

Lonn Taylor
Fort Davis, Texas

Lonn...I was also a Senior at Paschal in 1957. Did you attend the 50th reunion last year?

[Papaw]

It's a small world, Dr. Bill Myers was also my physician (and skiing partner) until his retirement and I am still taking my mid-nineties Aunt and Mother to the same beauty parlor(Mam'Zelle) where Crystal always did their hair but Crystal retired about a year ago. The dentist next to Dr Myers office was Dr. Curtis La Due (sp.?) who was well known for his frequent flights in his own plane to South America and Mexico to volunteer free dental service to the poor. Both of the Doctors are now deceased.

[Lonn Taylor]

It's a small world, Dr. Bill Myers was also my physician (and skiing partner) until his retirement and I am still taking my mid-nineties Aunt and Mother to the same beauty parlor(Mam'Zelle) where Crystal always did their hair but Crystal retired about a year ago. The dentist next to Dr Myers office was Dr. Curtis La Due (sp.?) who was well known for his frequent flights in his own plane to South America and Mexico to volunteer free dental service to the poor. Both of the Doctors are now deceased.

It's an even smaller world. When I moved to Washington, D.C. in 1984 my neighbor across the street was Dr. Bill Myer's brother, Manson Myers, whose book "The Children of Pride" is a primary text on the pre-Civil War South. I am not sure who is asking if I attended the Paschal Class of 1957's 50th reunion last year, but I did not.

Lonn Taylor
Fort Davis, Texas

[kksmith]

Bailey and everyone,

Thanks for the great corrections and clear recollections!

Several stand out:

(1) The hardware store -- how could I forget? I was in there often with my Dad.

(2) As you mentioned, the food store was a Wyatt's (not a Buddy's or A&P). I worked across the parking lot as a sacker at the Piggly Wiggly. That was in 1970-1971.

(3) I remember the listening booths at the record store.

(4) I can't quite recall the cafeteria, but it rings a bell. Did Colonial have a cafeteria there?

(5) Moreland's Rexall Drugstore did have great food.

Thanks again!

[kksmith]

Lonn and everyone,

Thanks for the great corrections and clear recollections!

(1) The hardware store -- how could I forget? I was in there often with my Dad. (There was also a Mott's next to the Worth/Piggly Wiggly.)

(2) As several folks pointed out, there was a beauty parlor.

Thanks again!

[bailey]

It was indeed a great shopping center for kids. I could spend all day there and often did as my mother worked at the Toy Palace. I spent hours in the hardware store, toy store, record store and dime store and sometimes ate three meals at Morelands. I can still taste their food. Great honey buns and pancakes for breakfast, a lunch from hamburgers and fries to a full meal, and to top it off their hand dipped shakes and floats with whipped cream and cherries. They don't make shopping centers like that anymore.

[Scalliwag]

Dr. Myers was my doctor in the early 70's. He was a real hoot! I remember that he would always have a cigarette going in his office. We would go in there after an exam and he would write an Rx and it seemed like the room was only lit by his desk lamp.
It's funny that I saw this post come up this morning and did not have time to write in about Dr. Myers and when I got home this evening all of you guys were talking about him.
I went to McLean middle school and my friends and I would take a shortcut across the apartment property and cross the street to the shopping center sometimes at lunch.
This is such a neat site because it brings back a lot of really good memories. When is the last time you saw a doctor that smoked?!?!?!

[Giraffe]

I remember the camera store. When I was a kid (late '70s) my folks found a real live 35mm camera at a garage sale and bought it for me. (It was a very old Argus.) I was really into photography at the time and I wanted to upgrade from the box cameras with roll film, and the cartridge-loading cameras. With a 35mm, there was no limit -- you could keep the shutter open as long as you wanted to take special-effects pix! Unfortunately, none of us in my family knew how to use a 35mm camera; we did not know that after you shot up a roll of 35mm film, you had to rewind it. The folks at the camera store explained how it worked and things took off from there.

We didn't go to this shopping center that much, simply because we lived in Wedgwood and we could get pretty much everything we needed at shopping centers there. But if my memory is right, it was at the grocery store (Piggly Wiggly?) in Westcliff Shopping Center that I picked up a lifelong scar. I have absolutely no recollection of this event, because I was very young... so young that I could still fit in the seat of a shopping cart! The story goes that my brother and sister were having a grocery-cart race while Mom's back was turned, with me sitting in one of these carts. They took a turn too fast and I went sailing out, splitting my noggin on the edge of a store shelf. Blood all over the place, and I'm pretty sure I didn't keep my mouth shut when it happened. I think they took me to a nearby medical clinic (may have been in the same shopping center) to stitch me up, and I still carry that short scar just underneath my hairline on my forehead to this day. I'm sure Mom gave my siblings pure hell. I recovered just fine, and in fact you'd never notice the scar today unless I were to point it out. Over 30 years later, the day before my brother's wedding, I jokingly pointed out that scar to him and he just about had a heart attack; he'd forgotten all about the event and he could not apologize enough.

The hardware store was, like all storefront hardware stores, fun to prowl around in. You felt like a mouse in a Habitrail. My dad and I once enjoyed a cold Saturday afternoon in there after leaving the TCU football game early. This was back in the late '70s when TCU football sucked canal water through a bent straw and it wasn't uncommon for the Frogs to lose every game in a season. My dad got a couple of tickets to the game against nationally ranked Texas (Dad had called the TCU ticket office earlier in the week and asked if they had any tickets left; the clerk laughed her fool head off and finally said, "Yeah! How many do you want?") There was snow on the ground and Dad had to put tire chains on the old Dodge station wagon, and the two of us thump-thumped our way to Amon Carter Stadium with a dozen blankets and a Thermos full of hot chocolate. There could not have been 30 people in the stands that day! It was cold, wet, overcast, dreary, and painful to watch; TCU was behind something like 34-0 at halftime and Dad and I finally looked at each other, nodded our heads, and left. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the hardware store, browsing around. Lots of fun!

[John T Roberts]

I had to stop in at Westcliff Hardware today at lunch and they were removing the signs from the Minyard's. According to a banner, the new grocery will be a City Market.

[bobr]

Great topic. We moved to Westcliff in 1968, my dad bought my grandparents house on Winslow Dr. They built it in 1948 or 1949. Westcliff shopping center was my hangout from 1968 - 1976 as a kid. I remember the great soda fountain and burgers at the Moreland's and sometime during my era it became skillerns and they took out the soda fountain! Turkeys! I am surprised no one has mentioned MONNIG's Department Store. It may have been the Fair or Striplings first, but during my time there it was a Monnig's. Mr. Monnig lived right across the street from me on Winslow Dr. This being near the Halloween season, I remember Mr. Monnig didn't really like kids very much. He used to set out a box of candy on his porch with a note to take one piece and not to ring the bell. Of course some jerks used to always empty the box in the first two minutes and I never got anything. But all in all Westcliff was a pretty good area for trick or treating. Used to come home loaded. I have fond memorys of Bolen's Toy Palace, too. Once Mr. Bolen gave me a giant pencil that I was coveting while my mom was shopping for something. I always liked him after that. I guess he did like kids. My number one hang out was the record store, where I used to buy all of my 45's. Smoke on the Water, Hooked on a Feeling...the one with all the OO GA SHOCK UH, OO GA SHOCK UH's! I still have those 45's. I remember the guy who worked in the tiny post office at the back of the hardware store was a small man, but very nice. And the Monnig's had all the Boy Scout uniforms, etc. Lot's of fond memories. Thanks for the post.

[Birdland in Handley]

Monnig's did have all the Boy Scout uniforms, etc. and they had a pretty good Camp Fire Girl department too.

[Justsaywhoa]

When I was probably 6 or 7,I remember I got chased out of Monning's toy department by a little old gray haired lady who worked there! All I was doing was looking around, while my Mom was in another department. Forever traumatized by the experience...
I had a friend who would look for fossils in the rock walls on the outside of the store... Always thought that was rather odd, but she liked fossils...

Anyhow, I thought the name of the dime store was Davenport's? This was like when I was really a little kid. Then it was Mott's, I think.

[Bradleto]

A few more memories come to mind for me... it would have been about 1963:

1) Bob Bolen, and perhaps a toy wholesaler, sponsoring yo-yo contests on the walk in front of his toy store;

2) "fish" or high school sophomores (I guess since freshman were not yet in high school, and perhaps this extended to 7th graders moving into junior high school)... were painted with lipstick as sort of an initiation of sorts. I recall this happened at the beginning of new school years when they shopping in stores getting their school supplies at the Westcliff Shopping Center;

3) Neaby neighborhood "characters" included an older kid or young adult everyone called "Screwy Louie" and he lived near Paschal to the south there as I recall. And, of course, the little odd lady, "The Berry Street Walker" who wore black boots and heavy attire. I guess if I recall, she looked a bit like a modern day bag lady.

4) a fading memory from the grocery store... white and "colored" water fountains side by side at the rear of the store.

Brad

[bailey]

A few more memories come to mind for me... it would have been about 1963:

1) Bob Bolen, and perhaps a toy wholesaler, sponsoring yo-yo contests on the walk in front of his toy store;

2) "fish" or high school sophomores (I guess since freshman were not yet in high school, and perhaps this extended to 7th graders moving into junior high school)... were painted with lipstick as sort of an initiation of sorts. I recall this happened at the beginning of new school years when they shopping in stores getting their school supplies at the Westcliff Shopping Center;

3) Neaby neighborhood "characters" included an older kid or young adult everyone called "Screwy Louie" and he lived near Paschal to the south there as I recall. And, of course, the little odd lady, "The Berry Street Walker" who wore black boots and heavy attire. I guess if I recall, she looked a bit like a modern day bag lady.

4) a fading memory from the grocery store... white and "colored" water fountains side by side at the rear of the store.

Brad

Yo-yo's were the thing back in those days. I still have all my old Duncan yo-yo's. They all had names like Imperial, butterfly, etc. There were contests outside Bolen's as you noted.

[Molly]

This post is for no purpose other than nostalgia.

The stores I remember at Westcliff Shopping Center from about 1964 are (starting at one end):

1. Christian Science Reading Room. (I think that's what it was, but could have been something before that.)

2. Bob Bolen's toy store; and in a connected room, a slot car track; and in another connected room, a card shop.

3. Around the corner, a five and dime. I can't remember the "brand". It had everything from household goods to toys to pets (hamsters, chamelions).

4. Next to that a Worth grocery store, which later became a Piggly Wiggly.

5. A Rexall drug store. So on what I took to be the main front, there was a five and dime, grocery store, and drugstore. Did someone mention on this forum that the drugstore was called Moreland's? It had a great soda fountain, where they served all the usual: breakfast, hamburgers, fries, BLTs, shakes, ice cream cones, etc. The drugstore later became a Skillern's.

6. Around another corner, a camera store.

7. Was there a laundromat next to the camera store, or was that later?

8. At the end of that storefront area was a record store -- yes, 33s and 45s.

9. Around the final corner, a hamburger place. Can anyone help with a name?

10. Across the parking lot was a Fair Department Store. We bought our clothes and shoes there.

11. Across the parking lot, and separate from all the others, was a grocery store. I remember it as being a Buddy's and a Kroger's. I think it was an A & P before that, but could be wrong. (I remember my grandmother saying that she was going to the A & P, rather than that she was going grocery shopping.)

12. I have read that there was once a movie theater at Westcliff, but I do not remember that. I assume it must have been where the Buddy's/Kroger's was. I don't think the shopping center developer would have planned on two grocery stores right across from each other. I guess the movie theater came at the very end of the period when people went to movies regularly, and at the beginning of the period when folks stayed home and watched TV.

If anyone has corrections to the above, store names, history, details, or other recollections, please add!

------------

Yes I remember Ernie's. He had a great luncheon buffet and hamburger steak and his Ernie-burgers had his special sauce, like a 1000 Island-type sauce on them. His name was Ernie Morgan and lived around the corner on Stadium Drive. His children, Ernie Jr. and Deborah (Debbie) along with his wife all helped at the restaurant. In 1968/69 ? he moved to the Westcreek Shopping Center near McCart and really missed all of his TCU buddies that used to gather around and solve all of the world's problems.

[Molly]

A few more memories come to mind for me... it would have been about 1963:

1) Bob Bolen, and perhaps a toy wholesaler, sponsoring yo-yo contests on the walk in front of his toy store;

2) "fish" or high school sophomores (I guess since freshman were not yet in high school, and perhaps this extended to 7th graders moving into junior high school)... were painted with lipstick as sort of an initiation of sorts. I recall this happened at the beginning of new school years when they shopping in stores getting their school supplies at the Westcliff Shopping Center;

3) Neaby neighborhood "characters" included an older kid or young adult everyone called "Screwy Louie" and he lived near Paschal to the south there as I recall. And, of course, the little odd lady, "The Berry Street Walker" who wore black boots and heavy attire. I guess if I recall, she looked a bit like a modern day bag lady.

4) a fading memory from the grocery store... white and "colored" water fountains side by side at the rear of the store.

Brad

Yo-yo's were the thing back in those days. I still have all my old Duncan yo-yo's. They all had names like Imperial, butterfly, etc. There were contests outside Bolen's as you noted.

Nobody has mentioned the S & H Green Stamp Redemption center next to the grocery store (and just north of Monnig's).

Also, I remember buying stamps for my collection as they were issued from the real nice gentleman that ran the post office in the rear of the hardware store.

Skillern's had the old-style soda fountain with the round seats in front of the counter. Best malts and ice cream around !

[Papaw]

"BTW Papaw, are you the Papaw who used to drive a 1955 Chevrolet, and much before that, lived across the alley from Mrs. Grubbs, and down Butler Street about a block from Joe Sheumack, who lived across Townsend Drive from Mrs. Grubbs?"

That would be me.

[Scalliwag]

Does anybody here have any pictures of or in Westcliff SC?

[Papaw]

These are all from a distance with wide angle lens and don't show much detail.



Looking North


Southwest corner shooting SW.


Shooting Northwest (Old Minyards)


Shooting East (hardware store)



Shooting ESE (old Bolen's Toys)


Shooting East (the Northern part)


Shooting South at the North end (old Ernie's Hamburgers)

[sonny 2]

Thanks for the pix, Papaw.....been a long time since I've been there. Looks a little different now though.

[Papaw]

It has changed over the years - most of those cars you see in the parking lot probably have factory air conditioning now.

[fortworthman]

Yes, I also remember Ernie's hamberger joint. About 1959 / 62 he leased the store next to his hamberger joint. He knocked a hole in the back for access from the kitchen and opened up a regular resturant, steaks etc. He called it Erniees' (french pronounce). good food. Had the best green goddess salad dressing with toasted sesame seed on it.

This post is for no purpose other than nostalgia.

The stores I remember at Westcliff Shopping Center from about 1964 are (starting at one end):
!

------------
Yes I remember Ernie's. He had a great luncheon buffet and hamburger steak and his Ernie-burgers had his special sauce, like a 1000 Island-type sauce on them. His name was Ernie Morgan and lived around the corner on Stadium Drive. His children, Ernie Jr. and Deborah (Debbie) along with his wife all helped at the restaurant. In 1968/69 ? he moved to the Westcreek Shopping Center near McCart and really missed all of his TCU buddies that used to gather around and solve all of the world's problems.

[Urbndwlr]

Who developed the Westcliff Shoping Center and who was the architect?
Was it developed at once or in phases? I am suprised how well it has retained some life while similar mid century neighborhood shopping centers have declined into oblivion. I hope nobody goes in to "update" it by drastically changing the facades. Isn't it at an age where it can qualify for historic status and therefore protection from defacing?

[bailey]

Who developed the Westcliff Shoping Center and who was the architect?
Was it developed at once or in phases? I am suprised how well it has retained some life while similar mid century neighborhood shopping centers have declined into oblivion. I hope nobody goes in to "update" it by drastically changing the facades. Isn't it at an age where it can qualify for historic status and therefore protection from defacing?

I don't know who the developer was but the centers facade has been updated several times over the years. I remember back in the 50's when there was an art deco look to it. The center is well over 50 years old.

[Urbndwlr]

Who developed the Westcliff Shoping Center and who was the architect?
Was it developed at once or in phases? I am suprised how well it has retained some life while similar mid century neighborhood shopping centers have declined into oblivion. I hope nobody goes in to "update" it by drastically changing the facades. Isn't it at an age where it can qualify for historic status and therefore protection from defacing?

I don't know who the developer was but the centers facade has been updated several times over the years. I remember back in the 50's when there was an art deco look to it. The center is well over 50 years old.

Really? I had no idea. Would love to see photos of how it looked.

[Papaw]

It was developed by J. E. Foster. A link to a little information about Westcliff:

http://www.winiklein.../westcliff.html

[Mark S]

5. The first store on the frontage section was Mott's five and dime.

Perhaps it changed at some point, but in the mid '60s the five and dime was called Davenport's. It was distinctive for having hardwood floors (long after they were out of fashion), and as a boy I was amazed that they sold fake plastic vomit and dog poop, something you'd never see in a Mott's!

I forgot to mention...
The bike I'm posing on in my avatar photo? Purchased at Bolen's Bike World!

[Papaw]

"I forgot to mention...
The bike I'm posing on in my avatar photo? Purchased at Bolen's Bike World!"

Mark, I sure you have upgraded your bike since that avatar - they are a hell of a lot lighter, not to mention about 8 times as many gears now.
Seriously, I hope you are still riding, as I went to my doctor the other day and he got on me about my cholestrol (damn I can't spell that word) and I told him I usually ride my bike 30 or more miles a week but it had been too cold. He said, " I know that, but your heart doesn't and you could have a heart attack on New Years just as well as July 4th".
I sincerely admire John Roberts dedication to the sport and I think he has helped influenced many to a road to better health and enjoyment of our surroundings. I just hope we don't get our ass run over following in his tread prints.

[John T Roberts]

Papaw, I hope that you will be able to control your cholesterol by diet, exercise, and medication, if needed. I have been riding all winter and so far, I haven't let a little cold weather stop me. I have been out riding every weekend in December. If is really cold, I just do it on a warmer day. As for being run over, the trail system in Fort Worth is very extensive, so you can ride many miles without getting on a street. This thread is drifting off topic, so let's try to steer it back.

Regarding food: if it tastes good, spit it out!

[Papaw]

Regarding food: if it tastes good, spit it out!

That would have summed up his recommended diet to me to a T.
You are right, cold weather is no excuse for not biking and I am starting to get back on the program.

To get back on topic - Actually Westcliff is an excellent neighborhood for biking with wide, less traveled streets and most of the houses in that area have long driveways and most are older citizens that have no more than two cars so the streets aren't cluttered with parked cars like other areas have gotten. There's a bike lane on the West side of Trail Lake from Westcliff Shopping Center, South to South Drive, which is the entrance to the Bike Trail that continues North winding though the park, woods, a creek and the beautiful homes in Tanglewood onto a water crossing of Trinity Trails and runs into the main bike trail at that point.

[Justsaywhoa]

AH HA! I KNEW the dime store used to be Davenports! Yea! I was right! I remember the hardwood floors and the plastic poop! Also had Matchbox cars in the old matchboxes and these toy coffee pots where the "coffee" would magically disappear when you "poured" it! Used to fascinate me!

Neat!

[Bill Sievers]

I think the name for the dime store after Motts moved out was Devenports. As I recall it opened in 1959 I believe in the summer of that year.

The Westcliff shopping center was a bustling busy place back in the '50's. Since I lived essentially diagonally across the street from Wyatt's food store (3606 West Biddison), I spent a lot of time over there as a kid. The best hardware store in Fort Worth was located there, and was where I believe the bike store is today. The "new" Westcliff Hardware is located in the old Worth Food Store location between what used to be Moreland's Drug Store, north end of the central section, and Motts/Devenports in the south end of the same section.

Bill

[lcbrownz]

The $1 million dollar Westcliff Shopping Center was developed by J. E. Foster and Son. The first section was completed in 1949 and the first occupants were Mott's Variety Store, Worth Food Market, and the Moreland Drug Co.

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

There is a 1951 issue of the FWCoC magazine This Month in Fort Worth which has a picture of the theater that once stood at the north end. You can see it from above in 1952 on HistoricAerials.com. By 1956 it was gone.

[Bill Sievers]

That's a great picture of the Westcliff Shopping Center and the surrounding neighborhoods.  My old house is visible in the picture as well as the vacant land where the old Fair Dept. Store was (now a private office bldg) and the land plot where the grocery store is now (back when I lived there the Wyatt Food store was just being built at that time in 1955).  It looks like there was a house on the grocery store plot back before Wyatt's was built, but it was long gone when I arrived there in the area at the beginning of June in 1955.

 

The movie theatre was just in the process of being torn down at that time.

 

Do you know the date when this picture was taken?

 

Thanks,

Bill Sievers

[Bill Sievers]

Never mind on my earlier question about the date of the aerial photo.  I see on the FaceBook page it was 1954.

 

Thanks,

Bill 

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

I guess they needed the theater out of the way so Wyatt's could have a parking lot. Too bad they didn't plan better.

[John T Roberts]

Since I wasn't around back then, I can't say for sure. Maybe they didn't own the property where the grocery store and department store were later constructed at the time they purchased and built the first parts of the center. That property could have been acquired later and then they built the western side, but needed to demolish the theater to provide parking for the expanded center.

[Bill Sievers]

It's ironic that after the theatre was torn down and the Wyatt's store finished, I never saw the parking lot totally full.  In fact the area around where the theatre was located was always devoid of cars.  There always seemed to be plenty of room for parking in front of the store and on the north and south sides.

 

As for the aerial picture, is there an actual photograph of that same scene that could be rescanned so the picture is less pixelated when zoomed in?  I'd love to see more detail of many of the homes and other features of the area back then.

 

Bill

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

Ask Detail Larry. That's his Fb page.