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Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
rjzak
(---.lightspeed.nsvltn.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 14, 2013 11:09PM
I too remember Archer Avenue Big Store - it was HUGE when you were a little kid going shopping with your Mom for school clothes. Didn't they have Santa Claus every Christmas in the back of the store? Maybe in the basement?
I also remember a record store on Archer Ave. where my sister & I purchased many of our 45's. Furhter down on Archer Ave (I can't remember the cross street) my sister & I took accordian lessons at a music store. It actually was located on the 2nd floor of the building. Our Mother dragged our accordion every week for our lessons, even through snow.
I also remember a record store on Archer Ave. where my sister & I purchased many of our 45's. Furhter down on Archer Ave (I can't remember the cross street) my sister & I took accordian lessons at a music store. It actually was located on the 2nd floor of the building. Our Mother dragged our accordion every week for our lessons, even through snow.
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
nscrwf
(---.atw.suddenlink.net)
Date: May 20, 2013 05:14PM
[size=large][size=medium]Wow I remember this store very well. It was my first job! I worked wrapping packages for customers, and sometimes had to go upstairs where all the stock was and tag merchandise. I was paid a whopping 75ยข an hour.. I thought I was a big shot! Loved the old wood floors that creaked when you walked on them. Once in awhile I worked the candy section.. where we scooped out candy from a bin, no prepackaged stuff.This was my part time job after school. I attended Kelly High.. Graduated from St Joseph and St Anne School and was later married in that church.. hard to believe so much has changed.[/size][size=large][/size][/size]:(
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
BJButtons
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 06, 2013 01:22PM
The neighbiorhood has changed a great deal. Archer Ave Big store closed and is now a Zemkeys. The Store made its swan song in the Movie Backdraft. Just after filming at the firestation finished AABS closed and the signage changed. The building that hosued the Brighton Theatre and Girties was torn down, The White Castle Closed a few weeks ago, My pictues of the last hour of operations http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjbuttons/sets/72157633977754471/ Huck Finn's had a fire and closed, now its a cut rate car insurance agent, Archer Kedze Bowl is closed and all of the building street facing windows and doors have been bricked over, Fourtina is a day care center, The Rambler/ AMC dealer was torn down as well as the bar curencey exchange and Smoke shop at Archer and Kedzie across the fromthe WC is a Wallgreens. Kelly HS was expanded and the building now extends all the way to Archer and Califorina. Standard Federal Bank is now a TCF and almost 1/2 of the old lobby/ teller wondows is closed off. the only entrance to the bank is thru the parking lot entrance. Its NOT like the old days anymore
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 06, 2013 02:02PM
Wow, shocking that White Castle is closed at that location! Pretty cool that they offered Sliders for .25 for old times sake. I guess I'm showing my age but I remember riding the street car on Kedzie from 26th St. and we would get off at Archer for a snack at WC. My grandparents lived on 45th & Sawyer so WC was a typical stop for us when we visited. The street cars were red and had wicker seats, it was seven cents for the adult fare if I remember correctly and the sliders were twelve cents back in 1954.
And Fortuna Funeral Home is now a day care? Man, it seems like there might be some bad vibes connected with that. Just kidding; as my mother always said it's not the dead one's you worry about, it is the live one's that will get you. I'll be taking a ride to the old haunts just to see the changes, thanks for the update BJ.
And Fortuna Funeral Home is now a day care? Man, it seems like there might be some bad vibes connected with that. Just kidding; as my mother always said it's not the dead one's you worry about, it is the live one's that will get you. I'll be taking a ride to the old haunts just to see the changes, thanks for the update BJ.
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Chipast
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 17, 2013 06:39PM
It used to be a rather pleasant area, But with the realty/redevelopment behemoths, It didn't change for the better. It could give some futureshock.
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 18, 2013 02:27PM
[b]I will have to check that stuff out being from Brighton Park and had a TV repair shop at 4433 s. archer just a few doors west of white castle.[/b]
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 24, 2013 10:03AM
There was -- in the 50s -- a store on the south side of Archer Avenue, and in the vicinity of Melvina Ave. or Moody Ave., also called the "Big Store"; was there any connection to the original store?
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
b.a.hoarder
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 24, 2013 03:54PM
Nordsider, is it possible you are thinking of the Midwest Store? The M/W Store is(was?) between Moody and Meade and was the go-to store for back to school clothes, ladies finery, etc. I don't think it had the variety of departments that the Archer Ave. Big Store had.
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
nordsider
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 24, 2013 04:41PM
b.a.hoarder Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nordsider, is it possible you are thinking of the
> Midwest Store? The M/W Store is(was?) between
> Moody and Meade and was the go-to store for back
> to school clothes, ladies finery, etc. I don't
> think it had the variety of departments that the
> Archer Ave. Big Store had.
b.a.hoarder,
The Midwest Store, now I remember; it's been too long a time ago. Thanks!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nordsider, is it possible you are thinking of the
> Midwest Store? The M/W Store is(was?) between
> Moody and Meade and was the go-to store for back
> to school clothes, ladies finery, etc. I don't
> think it had the variety of departments that the
> Archer Ave. Big Store had.
b.a.hoarder,
The Midwest Store, now I remember; it's been too long a time ago. Thanks!
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: July 24, 2013 10:07PM
[b]Home TV Service just west of kedzie behind white castle in that big apartement building a few doors?[/b]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2013 08:43PM by Richard Stachowski.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2013 08:43PM by Richard Stachowski.
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Sit and Stew
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: October 12, 2013 05:20PM
Here's something from one of their anniversary shindigs:
I'm guessing 1984 because Old Man John founded the place in 1922. I like the way he still had the old format phone number on it. Another Salvation Army find!
I'm guessing 1984 because Old Man John founded the place in 1922. I like the way he still had the old format phone number on it. Another Salvation Army find!
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: October 12, 2013 08:33PM
[b]Anyone remember Home TV Service on Archer a few doors west of White Castle down a few stairs?[/b]
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: October 12, 2013 08:37PM
Berwyn Frank Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You mention "cottage that was transformed." Can I
> assume that the one with the red door was yours?
> :D
>
> http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&g
> eocode=&q=4600+s+francisco+chicago&sll=41.840569,-
> 87.725658&sspn=0.014467,0.032938&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear
> =4600+S+Francisco+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+606
> 32&ll=41.809436,-87.696648&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&lay
> er=c&cbll=41.809255,-87.696645&panoid=5umWct-gbEby
> EG3zN4SUcA&cbp=12,267.8,,0,9.34
I was at 4630 the one with the garage in front and cottage in the rear.
-------------------------------------------------------
> You mention "cottage that was transformed." Can I
> assume that the one with the red door was yours?
> :D
>
> http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&g
> eocode=&q=4600+s+francisco+chicago&sll=41.840569,-
> 87.725658&sspn=0.014467,0.032938&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear
> =4600+S+Francisco+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+606
> 32&ll=41.809436,-87.696648&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&lay
> er=c&cbll=41.809255,-87.696645&panoid=5umWct-gbEby
> EG3zN4SUcA&cbp=12,267.8,,0,9.34
I was at 4630 the one with the garage in front and cottage in the rear.
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: October 12, 2013 08:41PM
[b]Remember Home TV Service on Archer a few doors west of White Castle. It was a few steps down in the apartment building.[/b]
Re: Archer Avenue Big Store
Posted by:
Fscott
(198.161.141.---)
Date: January 04, 2015 09:43PM
Hi old Neighbors and friends.
Scott here from 46th and Whipple!
The best thing to remember about the Big Store was the STAMPS!!
LOL! God, I remember filling books of those damn purple stamps with my mom at the kitchen table!
And if you were sent there to pick up something, like a new window shade, or a lace Curtis panel, or a cooking utensil or just about anything else you can think of, the last thing you heard as you went out the door was "DONT FORGET THE STAMPS"! Hahaha...
I found five bucks while walking with my sixth grade girlfriend and took her there to buy her a cheep bracelet and a cone from Gerties (see other posts on some of this stuff here).
I used to walk through every time I passed (the doors were always propped open in the summer, remember?) just to pass by the wood and glass angled pocket knife display just to check if maybe, somehow, a real (not one of the fake ones with anon operating button) snuck in. Oh my. I wanted a switch sooooo bad. I wasn't in a gang or anything (others were) I just was fascinated by them.
Later in life as I traveled I started a collection and now have a couple dozen old and new in two locked display cases....vestiges of youth.
Like a small town general store three miles from downtown.
Thanks for the memories
Scott here from 46th and Whipple!
The best thing to remember about the Big Store was the STAMPS!!
LOL! God, I remember filling books of those damn purple stamps with my mom at the kitchen table!
And if you were sent there to pick up something, like a new window shade, or a lace Curtis panel, or a cooking utensil or just about anything else you can think of, the last thing you heard as you went out the door was "DONT FORGET THE STAMPS"! Hahaha...
I found five bucks while walking with my sixth grade girlfriend and took her there to buy her a cheep bracelet and a cone from Gerties (see other posts on some of this stuff here).
I used to walk through every time I passed (the doors were always propped open in the summer, remember?) just to pass by the wood and glass angled pocket knife display just to check if maybe, somehow, a real (not one of the fake ones with anon operating button) snuck in. Oh my. I wanted a switch sooooo bad. I wasn't in a gang or anything (others were) I just was fascinated by them.
Later in life as I traveled I started a collection and now have a couple dozen old and new in two locked display cases....vestiges of youth.
Like a small town general store three miles from downtown.
Thanks for the memories
