CSNbbs

(07-23-2012 11:23 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote: [ -> ]I lived in Millington when I was in the first grade (Lucy Elementary). This guy was the ice cream man in my neighborhood.

Damn I miss a good Buried Treasure.

(07-23-2012 10:23 AM)georgiatiger Wrote: [ -> ]Maywood was the bomb.

Yeah, but that water was the COLDEST water I ever swam in.

(07-23-2012 11:39 AM)BartlettTigerFan Wrote: [ -> ]

(07-23-2012 10:23 AM)georgiatiger Wrote: [ -> ]Maywood was the bomb.

Yeah, but that water was the COLDEST water I ever swam in.

True. Funny how we just remember the good parts, lol.

(07-23-2012 10:23 AM)georgiatiger Wrote: [ -> ]Damn I miss a good Hi-Boy. Maywood was the bomb.

That Hi-Boy on Mt. Moriah is now a Easy-Way Produce store.


Main St. Memphis Circa 1959 - Planter's Peanuts Store with Mr. Peanut

Loved Mark Twain. Many Sunday lunches after church.

I miss Maywood, too.

(07-23-2012 11:51 AM)Cletus Wrote: [ -> ]

(07-23-2012 10:23 AM)georgiatiger Wrote: [ -> ]Damn I miss a good Hi-Boy. Maywood was the bomb.

That Hi-Boy on Mt. Moriah is now a Easy-Way Produce store.

Only knew of the Jackson Ave. location.

1st McDonald's in Memphis on Summer Ave. across from Summer Shopping Center.





Interior, St. Michael Catholic Church, 3863 Summer Ave., Memphis



1957 for Skateland roller rink, Memphis, Tenn. located on Summer Ave.
It moved to a smaller building on Old Summer Ave. behind the Cloverleaf Shopping center. Now it's a Fred's Dollar Store.

Lafayette's Music Room, Overton Square Memphis, TN



Billy Joel played Lafayette's Music Room - Circa March 1974

You're starting to scare me, Cletus.

(07-23-2012 12:46 PM)georgiatiger Wrote: [ -> ]You're starting to scare me, Cletus.

Too much "All Memphis, all the time"?

No, I'm starting to think you have some secret key to the city that no one else knows about.

Hernando Desoto Bridge Construction 1971



1972

A lot of "Stars" passed through this door, both entertainers and sports figures.

Britling's was a chain of cafeteria-style restaurants, which originated in Memphis during the 1920's. The company was owned by John H. Holcomb of Birmingham and a Memphis partner. About 1930 the partners split but they agreed the Britling name be continued. Britling cafeterias were local institutions. Their motto was: Good food is good Health". Sunday afternoon lunch at Britling's was a tradition. One of the downtown Memphis locations is noteworthy for one of it's former employees: Gladys Presley, mother of Elvis. Britling's fell into decline in the 1970's as fast food restaurants became more popular, and they were never as successful in moving to the suburbs. The Britling's on Madison opened in 1921. the Britling's on Union opened in 1938 and featured murals by prominent Memphis artist, Burton Callicott. This building was demolished along with the next door Loew's Palace Theater for a parking garage.

Britling's Cafeteria - Madison Ave. Downtown Memphis Circa 1952

Awesome Cletus.

I LOVED Britlings. I would beg mom to take me there as often as possible. We always went to the Laurelwood location, which I believe is now Grove Grill. They had the best comfort food imaginable. Their chess pie remains unmatched.

(07-27-2012 02:04 PM)k2tigers Wrote: [ -> ]Awesome Cletus.

I LOVED Britlings. I would beg mom to take me there as often as possible. We always went to the Laurelwood location, which I believe is now Grove Grill. They had the best comfort food imaginable. Their chess pie remains unmatched.

Quote:



Lost Memphis: What Did H.G. Wells Have To Do With Britling Cafeterias?
BY VANCE LAUDERDALE
Jul 13, 2011 - 01:52 PM



It's probably not common knowledge that the famed British author H.G. Wells played a role in one of our city's best-known restaurants.

I'm referring to Britling Cafeterias, which occupied very impressive buildings downtown before branching out to other areas of Memphis. The first one here opened in 1921 at 155 Madison. A second location opened in 1938 at 75 Union, right next door to the Loew's Palace Theatre.

The founder's name was not Britling, as you might expect, but A.W.B. Johnson, who decided that "Johnson's Cafeteria" just didn't have the right ring to it. The story goes that he was reading a collection of short stories by science-fiction master H.G. Wells (author of such classics as War of the Worlds and The Time Machine), when he encountered a story titled, "Mr. Britling Sees It Through." He decided that was a fine, classy name for his new eatery, and eventually opened others in Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, and Frankfort, Kentucky.

The company's slogan, as it was promoted on menus and matchbooks, was "Good Food Is Good Health." Still, eating there could, at times, be rather risky. Customers of the Madison Avenue Britling had a narrow escape on the afternoon of November 4, 1929, when rags stored in the basement somehow caught fire. Within minutes, the whole restaurant was ablaze. Firemen rushing to the scene discovered a tragedy in the making, as more than 300 people jammed the exits trying to escape.

But then an odd thing happened, as reported in the Memphis Press-Scimitar: "A phonograph that changes records automatically kept playing as the patrons filed out of the burning building. Officials believe this helped prevent a panic." Except for a few cases of smoke inhalation, nobody was seriously injured.

After the fire, the owners rebuilt the cafeteria, and this photograph (above) from the mid-1950s shows a stunning building with a truly fantastic ground-floor facade — all sweeping curves and polished marble and gleaming stainless steel. But that location closed in 1956, and the fine structure was demolished just a few years later to make way for First Tennessee Bank's headquarters.

The building at 75 Union, which featured a Colonial Revival facade complete with portico and white columns, was greatly remodeled during this period. Among the enhancements: murals by noted Memphis artist Burton Callicott, and "one wall will be a precast terrazzo panel in three dimensions in an off-white shade," which the designers bragged was "the first of its kind in Memphis." I guess we'll have to take their word for it.

Britling built another cafeteria in Poplar Plaza in the late 1950s, and by 1970 also had branches in Laurelwood and Northgate shopping centers. But then things just went downhill. The Union Avenue Britling came tumbling down — along with the Loew's Palace — to make way for Parking Can Be Fun. The Poplar Plaza Britling closed and went through several incarnations, I believe, before becoming home to a French Riviera Spa. I can't tell you what happened to the Northgate location, except to say that it's closed.

There are other cafeterias in Memphis, but not a single Britling. And the next time I venture to Nashville, Louisville, Lexington, or Frankfort, I'll let you know if any of those Britlings survived.

PHOTO COURTESY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS LIBRARIES

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It says here >>> http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Britling_Cafeterias that they started in Birmingham...

(07-27-2012 01:38 PM)Cletus Wrote: [ -> ]Britling's was a chain of cafeteria-style restaurants, which originated in Memphis during the 1920's. The company was owned by John H. Holcomb of Birmingham and a Memphis partner. About 1930 the partners split but they agreed the Britling name be continued. Britling cafeterias were local institutions. Their motto was: Good food is good Health". Sunday afternoon lunch at Britling's was a tradition. One of the downtown Memphis locations is noteworthy for one of it's former employees: Gladys Presley, mother of Elvis. Britling's fell into decline in the 1970's as fast food restaurants became more popular, and they were never as successful in moving to the suburbs. The Britling's on Madison opened in 1921. the Britling's on Union opened in 1938 and featured murals by prominent Memphis artist, Burton Callicott. This building was demolished along with the next door Loew's Palace Theater for a parking garage.

Britling's Cafeteria - Madison Ave. Downtown Memphis Circa 1952

They had one at Austin Peay and Yale back in the late 70's, early 80's. Used to eat there daily when I was in the car business. Thanks to Jimmy Carter and 20% prime, that's all I could afford to eat. Couldn't give a car away back then.

Mr. Jack Pirtle and Mr. Hodges at the first Jack Pirtle's Chicken location.


Original Jack Pirtle's Fried Chicken location.


Chicken Box


Steak Sandwich