Triad Geezer Posts

[MZT]

Wendover was two lanes west of I-40. NOTHING was out there.

The city limits of north Greensboro was at Pisgah Church Road.

Bryan Boulevard was this expensive project that nobody thought would ever get off the ground. And run it north of the *airport*? What's out THERE??

The old downtown Belk's was still there. (Although empty.)

Jefferson Pilot was Jefferson Standard, with only one tower.

Drive west of Guilford College Road on Friendly, and look at the cows grazing....

[cityboi]

I know times have changed I remember when I-40 all the way to the airport use to be two lanes in each direction. The speed limit was 55 and it seemed like it took for ever to get to the airport. Today Greensboro city limits extend 2 or 3 miles west of the airport. Greensboro is really spread out now and its going to spread out even more with the eastern loop. pretty soon its going to be about 20 miles from the east city limit to the west city limit along I-40. its already about 14 miles now

[StevenRocks]

Channel 2 still had Lee Kinard on at 6

There was still a Leisure Living Show at The Coliseum

PM Magazine

Holly Farms Chicken on Battleground was still there.

The hotel at Four Seasons was a modest-sized Holiday Inn.

[Roadgeek]

Channel 2 still had Lee Kinard on at 6

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Speaking of channel 2, I have the old funky 2 emblem magnet I won at the Dixie Classic Fair about 11 or 12 years ago. Once I get on my computer with the scanner, I'll post a picture of it.

[StevenRocks]

^ I really love thew old WFMY logo. the lowercase call letters and funky 2 were a great combo.

[Roadgeek]

Here it is, knock yourself out.

[cityboi]

Oh yea, dont forget, Greensboro's downtown skyline was patheitcally smaller and downtown had no nightlife.

[StevenRocks]

Here it is, knock yourself out.

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You've made my day, Roadgeek.

[jjasonham]

You've made my day, Roadgeek.

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I'm only 22, and vaguely remember all of this stuff, but it really did bring a smile to my face.

[StevenRocks]

Anyone remember the Sears Surplus Store on Lawndale in Greensboro? Around this time of year, Mom and Dad will drag my brother and I over there on a Saturday afternoon to buy school clothes.

[Roadgeek]

Anyone remember the Sears Surplus Store on Lawndale in Greensboro?  Around this time of year, Mom and Dad will drag my brother and I over there on a Saturday afternoon to buy school clothes.

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I do. My oven was bought there on December 14, 1994.

[MZT]

WFMY's 2000 foot tower was the first one in the state (maybe even the east coast) to use strobe lighting. Some people really hated it, in comparison to the old red bulbs that were on radio station towers.

Oh yeah, one more time capsule: I can remember the wrecking ball crane tearing down the old O Henry Hotel. My dad even took me out there one afternoon, and we just parked and watched it for a while.

[jasoniman24]

I remember when I was a kid, Four Seasons Mall only having two floors, the old look of the Coliseum, and when Kroger was where Aaron's is on W Market St. Also does anyone else remember the old Foster Drug that was in that shopping center?

[Roadgeek]

I remember when Lowe's was at Palmer Plaza and Kroger was at Palmer Plaza.

[richthofen]

I remember Foster drugs! And Sears Surplus too.

It wasn't that long ago that there were still cows on Friendly--there were still some out there until they built the retirement village near King George Street. And that wasn't until the late 90's....

[suburban george3]

Just to get some Winston-Salem stuff in here:

- Remember when Lowe's was on Liberty Street down from Smith Reynolds Airport?

- Remember when Smith Reynolds had passenger traffic??

- Remember the movies made in Winston-Salem? (I'll give you a couple of days to respond to that one)

- Remember the Food Fair grocery chain?

- Remember Mt. Tabor and Paragon Food Markets?

- Remember Davis Department Stores?

- Remember when the Warthogs were the Spirits and we actually had a supported hockey team, the Thunderbirds?

- Remember Veterans Memorial Coliseum?

- Remember K&W/Sheraton Inn on Knollwood and the eventual end of that location?

- And for all triad folks, remember our local music video channel?? I believe it was channel 61, but I'm not sure on that.

Ahhh, memories...

[StevenRocks]

I remember some of that Winston-Salem stuff as well.

- I don't remeber the name of one of the movies, but I do know that Rick Amme of WXII-TV played a news reporter in it. i think he was eaten by zombies or something in it as well.

- I remember Davis stores, too: Downtown, Thruway and Reynolda! Anyone remember when Thalhimers was at Downtown, Thruway, Parkway Plaza, and at Hanes Mall in the smaller location next to JCPenney?

- Didn't K&W on Knollwood explode?

[suburban george3]

The movie Rick Amme starred in was filmed in High Point, so it doesn't count in the W-S movie count.

And yes, K&W on Knollwood suffered a natural gas explosion about 30minutes before workers/customers would have been entering the building for breakfast (nobody was hurt.) It shut Business 40(then I-40) down for the day!!

[kmurphy19662003]

I remember all of the catalog stores: Brendles when it was on Bessemer Ave, Best on High Point Rd, and I think it was Emerald's beside Toys R Us at Carolina Circle.

[StevenRocks]

I remember all of the catalog stores:  Brendles when it was on Bessemer Ave, Best on High Point Rd, and I think it was Emerald's beside Toys R Us at Carolina Circle.

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It was Ellman's, but that's close enough

Speaking of catalog showrooms: anyone remember Mann's? They were in High Point and Burlington.

[ezcheese]

i don't remember mann's in burlington, but i remember the brendal's where the bowling ally is now on church street. that's where i used to buy nintendo and turbo graffix 16 games.

[eddard]

Does anyone remember the original coliseum in Winston Salem? This picture is from Sept. 1964 (I was 6 years old).

This pic is part of the Forsyth Co. library collection. You can see more here

[jasoniman24]

The Libby Hill at High Point Rd & Merritt Dr was once a Holly Farms Chicken. I remember when the old Kmart on W Market had an arcade in the back of the store. Oh and dont' forget the old 1917 southern railway bridge on Merritt Dr. I remember quite a few accidents and trucks getting stuck under that thing! I think it only had 10' or 11' feet of clearance at best!

[cityboi]

I remember when I was a kid, Four Seasons Mall only having two floors, the old look of the Coliseum, and when Kroger was where Aaron's is on W Market St. Also does anyone else remember the old Foster Drug that was in that shopping center?

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I found of picture of the way the colisuem use to look. The exterior is much different today and the seating went from 9,000 to 15,000 in the 70s and from 15,000 to 23,500 in the early 90s. The coliseum has gonethrough two major expansions and renovations. BTW Eddard The origional design for the Greensboro Coliseum of the 1950s looks similar to Winston-Salem's old coliseum with the arch roof.

1950s

1970s

Today

Expansion/Renovation: 1994

Coliseum Seating: 23,500

mini-arena: 4,300

(flexible capacity) Special Events Center: 167,000 sq. ft.

(3 halls, 11 meeting rooms)

Auditorium Seating: 2,376 Parking Spaces: 6,000

The city is planning another expansion and renovation the will better connect the facilities at the coliseum complex. A very large banquet hall (primarily to help keep the ACC tpournament in Greensboro) will be built as well as a large parking deck. The main arena will be expanded from 23,500 to 25,500. The ACC Hall of Fame and Museum is planned to be built next to the coliseum complex and will have a "walk of fame" from the museum allthe way to the main entrance to the coliseum.

[jasoniman24]

Looks like the Coliseum was almost by itself in the 1950's photo. I know this was before my time, but I have heard stories of the original Greensboro Generals playing in a place called "Piedmont Sports Arena" on Norwalk St, across from the bulk mail center. Then after that it turned into some sort of night club, and then later on it was Ensco, and a muffler shop. Anyone remember the old place?