At the risk of looking extremely ancient, I give you this landmark photo of my childhood. It’s old, I know.
When I was growing up, back in the 70s, we lived in a subdivision close to Eastland Center. It was a bustling place back in the day. It was an old fashioned strip mall that was the home of Kroger, Winn Dixie, Woolworth’s (does anyone reading remember that store?), a drug store, a Sears catalog store…just a place to pick up the things you ordered from the catalog, along with a few other stores including a bakery, a women’s boutique and a couple of others that escape my memory.
This sign is the embodiment of my childhood. It still stands proud and tall, with the hands of the clock ticking tocking all the while, just like it did in the glory years, yet the stores have seen far better days.
As kids we would ride our bikes through a field with a beaten path to this shopping center which we fondly called “The store”, as in “I’m going to the store”, which meant we were going to the center.
Or we walked as we got older. Biking was for kids in those days.
It was a great place to grow up.
My friend and I could scrape together a dollar in change and venture to the drug store and buy a day’s worth of candy, (though it rarely lasted the entire day) including a chocolate candy bar. We didn’t want to spend it all on chocolate because candy bars cost a whopping 10 cents back in the day.
I rode by that sign a few weeks ago and the memories came flooding in. Nostalgia is a funny thing. How can such a small chunk of time, in the grand scheme of things, mean so very much and live on forever in your mind?
The memories are mostly good, though there are some I’d just as soon forget but oh how I wish I could revisit those times, just for a minute or two.
I hope my kids have a landmark of sorts in their childhood that produces a heaping dose of feel-good. I know it won’t be a store because we lived in the country, but perhaps there are other land marks that evoke those days gone by good times.
Do you have a landmark in your mind’s eye that takes you back to yester-year? I would love to hear.
All I can think of is this ice cream parlor near our childhood house. It had a very distinct sign and it’s still there! In fact, it was written up as one of America’s best ice cream parlors.
I’m glad.
I love that it was written up. What a special memory for you.
Laurie, I didn’t know you grew up in Lexington, too. We have so much to talk about. I just saw that sign last weekend as we drove out Winchester Road to head to Eastern Kentucky. A frequent drive for me as a child 🙂
I grew up in Louisville. Is there a sign like that one in Lexington too? Glad to hear Parker is recovering well.
I am in West Virginia right now at a family reunion and this whole state brings back memories of my childhood. This is where we came to visit relatives, etc. If I had to say one thing, it would be Birch River in this state. Great memories there.
I love your Birch River memories. Enjoy your time spent in a great childhood place, at your family reunion.
Oh do I remember Woolworths!!!!!! My FAVORITE store EVER!!! And us sisters would walk down to the candy store every Saturday with our allowance and buy as much as we could with our dimes and nickels!!!
My favorite? The Marathon bars… chewy caramel goodness prezteled with chocolate covering. Remember THOSE?? And Charlston chews. And? Lemonheads. Jawbreakers. SWEDISH FISH!
I could go on and on and on and on….
And then on Saturday nights, we would have our babysitter Gail watch us while we sat in front of the tv all night eating our goodies and watching Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, The Carol Burnett Show, and Fantasy Island!!!!!
Those were the days….
Woolworths, I know, right? I loved that store! And yes, I do remember those candies and more. And just stop with the whole Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett and Fantasy Island…and don’t forget The Love Boat (I’m singing that title). Those were the days for sure.