So we are continuing to make our way down Broad Street. (All of you who have emailed me about “past places” to remind me about.  I promise they are on my list- I am just trying to work my way to the square and then from there…)  My memory is not the best on a couple of these places so you will have to do some “remembering” yourself.

Can you remember what this place was YEARS ago?  It was originally Compton’s Furniture… Remember that place? 

Then after that it was Jody’s Skate……I can barely remember going skating there.  My “Skate Memories” are from Park’s Skate Land.  That is a story within itself for when we get to Willow Street. Ha!  I bet many of you remember Jody’s….  Not sure who Jody was but obviously a “Skater Fan”.  I know I must have gone there for Birthday Parties because I did love to skate.  Matter of fact, I had white skates with Orange balls and orange and purple laces…  Can you remember what color your skates were?   I have been skating a few times with my girls and I will say it is not as easy as it was back then.  What used to be easy— like the “cross over” on the turns is just not that simple anymore. ha!  I have not even attempted to skate backwards.  That could cause some broken bones which I have no time for these days…. Of course, MM will not skate on the 4-wheel skates-  she pays the extra $1 and gets the roller blades which I think is more difficult.  Think about it…2 wheels or 4 wheels?  I personally think we need a Skate Center here.

After Jody’s Skate Place, it was the Red Raven (I think that was soon after we became a wet city) and then it was Mr. D’s Furniture.  And now, it is a Thrift Store…

Going on down the street…. This place has “housed” many businesses but the one that goes back a long time and was there for many years was-  the Golden Coral!!!  I think we ate lunch or dinner here most Sundays.  I got chicken fingers and baked potato.  Then you had to go to the “buffet” at times. 

Tracy Holland can remember it well because she was one of the lucky people who got to wait on people there.  She had the pleasure of working there one summer and getting to wear the great brown polyester skirt, checked blouse and checked bandanna over her hair.  I bet she was one “hot chick”.  She did not tell me, but you know she had to wear panty hose too (nude at that) and probably some kind of lace up leather shoes with thick soles so her feet did not bother her.  She only worked there 6 weeks and claims it was the worst weeks of her life.  Tracy said it was a very difficult chore — clearing off the dinner plates after someone finished eating.  Supposedly it was easier to “scrape the plates” of those that she knew better than the complete strangers.  That summer made her realize that working as a waitress was definitely not something that God wanted her to do.  Claims she has never eaten there since that summer.  She did enjoy working the morning shift and hanging out with Woodson Deerman while he drank his coffee. Ha!  I have to agree with Tracy, I am not a waitress either.  I admire those that have the ability to do that- my sister was a waitress in College and she was obviously pretty good at it by the tips that she brought home…

It was always dark and gloomy inside Golden Coral. I can remember gold and brown everywhere.  Guess that they wanted to match the uniforms. Ha!

After Golden Coral closed- it became the home of Rafael’s…. Do you remember this place?  Italian eating.  It had burgandy-red booths then and they changed the front layout some.  As for details of this place- I am not remembering it well and have no idea who the owner or manager even was then.  I am thinking that they had table cloths and red plastic glasses to drink out of….

Then came the beginning of the Chinese Restaurants.  I think there have been several different ones in there and I can remember one having a buffet (Like #1 China Buffet, which I have never even eat at but just heard about).

Across the street from the “Golden Coral” building is where we are now.  This one I had to think about and still had to use a “Life Line” and depend on Beth M. and her crew to figure out the name of the steak  place.  After much thought and consideration, it was decided on that it was the home to the Bonanza.  Bet some of you had to think about that as well.  This was early 80’s, we think. 

Then after Bonanza closed its doors- Patches Restaurant opened serving vegetables.  Kim N. worked here but did not make it long there as an employee because they would not allow her to go to the “June Jam” so she did what she thought was only right…. She quit! Ha!  The “uniform” for Patches was jeans/khakis, white shirt and a plaid apron or that is what Kim thinks she wore those few days that she was employed there.  I remember everyone was so excited about this place because they had that good southern (fried) food that we all love and cannot do without.

After everyone got tired of eating “unhealthy” food and Patches closed too.    Someone decided to give the “Seafood” Food a try.   It was Catfish Cabin (or I think it was and so does a few others) but not one hundred percent sure…..  Some of you may remember that place better than myself.

It soon became, Pizza Party USA!  Dana G.’s Dad owned this place and he made it a great “Family” place and of course “Kid” friendly.  I remember going to Ellen M. B’day when she was very, very little.  It had really good pizza but what the kids were in “awe” of was the “Billy Bob” Gorilla dancing on stage with all his other friends. (Maybe Billy Bob was a bear?)  For those, that do not remember this or was not in Scottsboro during this time, it was the same concept as Chucky Cheese.  The building was vacant for a long time after Pizza Party USA closed and now it is the home to Johnson Heating and Cooling.

Do you remember the Mobile Home Businesses that were next coming down Broad Street?  There were two of them and they were across the street from each other.  I can remember one being Olinger Mobile Homes and I want to say the one across the street was T&W Mobile Homes (or something like that).  I had not thought about it until I began doing this post, that we do not have a mobile  home business in Scottsboro and maybe not even in Jackson County.  I know we have several Mobile Home Parks- so I suppose that people purchase their homes somewhere else.

You have to go down the road a little ways to get to the next place  that I remember being a “hot spot”…. Dairy Queen!  I know many of you are thinking the exact same thing as myself…. Those broasted potatoes that they had there.  They were absolutely the best tasting potatoes ever.  If we could just have the seasoning that they sprinkled over them.Ha!    Their chicken fingers were so very good too.  I have not had DQ chicken fingers in years.  At home football games, you could not get in the door there- it was always “hopping” and I am positive that on those “Home” game nights- they had to bring in ALL of their employees to work.  I do not know or remember anyone who was employed there.  I was too young and working was not on my mind. ha!

After Dairy Queen closed it’s doors there on Broad Street, it soon opened as Lawler’s BBQ.  One item that this BBQ place was known for was their Stuffed Potatoes and they were divine. That is why I was so excited when Lone Star had Stuffed Potatoes on their menu.  The Green Family has those at least one time a week.

I think it was another BBQ place after Lawlers but I am not sure on that.  I do remember Mariachie’s Mexican Restaurant.  It was good too but nothing like Margarita’s which is what is located in this building now.  I cannot say enough “good” about Margarita’s.  They take such good care of me too.  I do not even have to tell them what I want these days. (Which I guess is really a sad thing rather than something to be proud of)  They just ask if I want the “normal” and I usually say yes. ha!

So we are not even half way down Broad Street (you have to remember, the JC Penney Shopping Center and old Walmart Shopping Center has a lot of spaces in them) and I have already covered so many “Has Been” places.  It is kind of depressing when you think about all that has been here at one time or another. BUT, what we have to remember is all the good memories that we have from those places.

The next “Remembering” will be covering the two “Shopping Centers” so if you can remember any thing- please email me at pennyg@scottsboro.org.  Thanks to all of you who sent me information on the places that we covered today.

Tomorrow, I will be giving you a “Run Down” of the weekend happenings and as usual, there are several.

Until next time- hope you are able to “jog” that memory of yours some.