Facebook is an amazing place!! I can hardly call it a web site. It's a gathering place - guess that's why it's called a social network. At times I feel like my past and present are "Face to Facebook." I've found so many of my Langley friends and more are joining every day. Some I've known all my life and and all for most of my life!! So here's to each of you!! I see your faces, hear your voices and feel your spirits with me each time I log on!!
Thinking about the McLean members of Facebook, I decided it was time to resurrect my challenge to list the stores in Salona Village. Those of you who've been with me a while, go back and take another look at the old post and see what you can do. And to any new visitors....HELP!!! There is an old post that describes my "challenge."
Maybe one of the McLeanites new to this blog will step up to the challenge....some still live in the area and they can go check it out and tell us what's in Salona Village today. Remember.....I'm ONLY asking for the list of stores (in order) that were in the strip across from the Safeway - from left to right as you face the strip - Circa the late 60s. And don't forget - there is still that terrific prize waiting for the first one to get the list right!!!
Since we're talking about a shopping center, tell us what your favorite store was in Salona. For fun, include a memory or let us know why the store was/is your favorite.
I'll go first.....At different times in my life, my favorite store probably changed, but mostly it would have to be Mesmerelda's!! What a neat shop! There was always so much fun stuff to look at and occasionally buy for that special gift. I loved going in there!!
Here are a couple of other McLean shorts (not from Salona) that might trigger a memory in you.
Junior year at Langley, I worked at Eleanor's Town and Country in the Giant shopping center...(as did someone who recently joined Facebook...). The liquor store was next door and occasionally I was sent over there to get change. One day...TRUE STORY!!...Eleanor's window displays were being changed just as a man came out of the liquor store clutching the top of a small brown bag like he was holding a chicken by its neck. He saw the naked mannequins, his eyes got big and as he swaggered by, he chucked his bag into the trash can and kept going as if nothing had happened. I told the story at the dinner table that night and all my Dad said was that I was not to go in the liquor store any more! I thought it was funny....guess his sense of humor switch was not on. All he could see was his little girl in a liquor store and what would people think!! (I was only 16 and could probably have passed for a couple of years younger.)
How funny it is today to think about what folks thought of liquor stores back then. Fathers are protective of their "little" girls, but maybe some of Dad's attitude came from running liquor in southwestern VA during prohibition...but that's really another story!!
The summer after my freshman or sophomore year at VA Tech, I convinced my Mom to get me a bottle of rum. We went into that same liquor store, which still had a counter with a clerk who got what you wanted - no self serve. Mom asked for the rum...but was stumped when the man asked her what kind....she turned to me and inquired, "What kind?" You know how the rest of that story goes....the funny part was that it was her first time in a liquor store. Teachers weren't real people - it was not "appropriate" for her to be seen in a liquor store. We never went anywhere without hearing some young person call "Mrs. Parker....Mrs. Parker...." She may have slipped in and out of the liquor store that day without being "caught," but, I'll always remember it with a chuckle.
I look forward to hearing your stories!!
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12 comments:
I loved Eleanor's Town & Country, and went in there often, even though I hardly bought anything. I remember Jennifer Slocum and I bought matching dresses (on purpose) and then wore them to McDonalds. We were thrilled when everyone stared at us. We moved to McLean in 1955 and I remember the Safeway was in the heart of McLean on the corner of Elm Street and Chain Bridge Road. The library was across the street from where the McDonald's would be built in a crowded little building. My favorite store in Salona was Mesmereldsas! They had cool stuff. I also liked Rector's Florist and that is where I bought my first earrings when I had my ears pierced. Thanks for the McLean memories, Carol!
Thanks for your great memories! I remember getting matching dresses with B. A. Reed when we were about 6 or 7. Our mother's took us to what I think was Drug Fair where we got the dresses - that sounds funny now, but I think that was where they came from. We got the same dress in 2 different colors.
I couldn't afford much in Eleanor's until I worked there...but that's how I got my job. I was in there with my mom getting a blouse and jokingly she said something like....if you're going to get all these clothes you're going to have to pay for them yourself. Eleanor overheard the comment and asked me if I wanted a job. Surprised, I looked at my mom and then said "sure." And that's how I got my first job that was more than selling Christmas cards or my handmade pot holders door to door in Chesterbrook Woods.
Carol
In response to Barbs comments I went to Franklin Sherman Elementary with Nancy Rector. I thought it was very cool that her parents owned the local florist. Years later, Freddie Gray, opend the Gray Matter. He was several years ahead of us...it was a great business. McLean Hardware was a favorite place my dad and I would go...and Three Pigs and Color Wheel in the shopping center across from McLean Baptist Church..they are still there.
I looked on your profile and noticed that one of your favorite movies is "Cat Ballou". I am married to Dwayne Hickman who played "Uncle Jed" the drunk preacher opposite Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin and Michael Callen. My dad took me to see that movie and I thought at the time Dwayne was very cute. Who knew that we would meet, get married and here we are 26 years later...Small world.
Thanks for putting this together...fun memories.
Joan
Well, the memories keep on coming. It seems my Dad would go to McLean Hardware every Saturday. I think my family went to The Three Pigs on opening day! I still love their hamburgers. I looked up some of the stores in Salona Village in the back pages of my yearbooks. Here are some: Chase & Collier, Ltd, Enrico's Laundry, McLean Jewelers and Stanhope. There was a shoe store and also a deli. Can't remember the names! My sister and I were talking about the McLean pizza restuarant (can't remember the name) that had the murals on the wall. And of course we all had our first slurpies at the 7-11. Ah, the good old days when I could hardly wait to grow up!
OK, I tried to make a list of the stores when Carol first posted her challenge. Here's my 2nd try:
Cleaners
Hobby Shop
High's
Variety Store
A little convenience store
Pet Shop?
Eye Doctor
Barber Shop
Jewelers
Mesmeralda's (one of my faves also)
Dress Shop
Mort's Bootery
Something??
Chase & Collier
Stanhope
This might be early to mid 60s.
7-11--ahh memories! Sandy Tolson and I used to walk up there and buy candy. That was when it was all only a nickel! We were walking home and my father drove by, and we had to hide all of our candy!
We also used to go to Drug Fair and buy a cheeseburger, fries and a cherry coke, and we would split it all, as we usually only had enough money for one.
Remember birthday parties at the bowling alley?
Amy
I received an email from Richard Scott, one of my friends from my neighborhood in Langley Forest. Here is what he had to say:
"Here are a few of my memories. I trust that everyone can relate. Thank God for being given the experience of McLean in the 50's & 60's. I don't think that there is or has been any other place like it.
11 gas stations and only a few stores.
Eating at Pizza Supreme (Square pizza, go figure but it was goooood).
Riding horses at Great Falls.
Changing school every few years as they built new ones (7 schools in 12 years).
Franklin Sherman with the old building with the cool slide.
Churchill Road, with the dairy farm in back of it.
Herman's Deli, they had the best hot subs.
The yearly fair that was held each summer where the bowling alley was built.
Langley Pool, swim team and splash parties.
Building of Dolly Madison and the house they cut in half.
When a notorious fellow burnt down the Sealy plantation barn (where Westgate is now).
Evan's Farm Inn.
When McDonald's offered the 45 cent three course meal (yes, prior to the 47 cent), and everyone backed in to be seen.
When Hardies opened up, and the crowd moved there from McDs.
The Nike Missile site at Tyson's Corners.
All of the people with horses in McLean & Langley.
Drag races on Dulles Access Rd late Sat nights.
Dances at St Dunstan's church with the Cave Men.
Playing pool in the basement of St Johns Episcopal Church.
Fishing in the Potomac River.
Ice Skating on the ponds and streams.
Langley Forest & River Oaks.
Dr. Krebser (one of the few docs in town).
My first accident was also at McDonald's when someone backed into my parents car.
The gangs at Marshall HS from Pimmit Hills.
Buying Christmas presents from Dart Drug (and thinking everyone would be pleased).
The WOW when they built the bowling alley.
Being amazed how big the Giant Food store was.
Cutting through cattle fields and wondering if the bull was going to chase us.
Air raid practices, going into the hall and covering our heads (what were they thinking with the CIA so close? No one was going to live through a nuke attack).
When the Justice brothers put the car on top of LHS.
How LHS went from Beer to Weed after the summer of Woodstock.
Spending so much time at the Smithsonian because it was so close.
Spending time at the Brickskeller, Tombs, and Bayou dancing and ?
Burns Brothers Cleaners."
Thanks to Richard for all the memories!
I feel really cheated I did not get to go to Franklin Sherman School and slide down the slide for a fire drill! I did go there with my Mom to vote one time and also to get my polio immunization for the first time with a bunch of other terrified kids!
Fun to read these memories. Thanks, Carol. Here's a few I have that may not be on here already...
Not McLean:
Shopping at Kahns and Hecht Co in Arlington. Remember Hechts was painted green and had
big glass windows in front of it that had messages in them (lots of windows and multiple
stories high).
Shopping at 7 Corners mall.
Putt putt golf down there in Arlington - crossroads of Lee Hwy and ?
Glen Echo Amusement park. Roller coaster and house of mirrors.
Howard Johnson's pull up and park your car and order food. Could buy a (animal cracker
cookie) box filled with lollypops.
Merry-go-round at Great Falls Park (VA) that had the brass ring. Wasn't it destroyed
during a hurricane when the Potomac flooded? That was too bad.
Walking to the Potomac River via the end of Mackall where Holland Avenue started.
McLean:
Playing games in our front yard with neighbors. Catching lightening bugs. Feet got so
tough by the end of the summer - didn't feel a thing walking barefoot on Mackall Ave.
Burning leaves in our ditch each fall. I just loved this and still love fall.
My sister and I having a lemonade stand and the generous neighbors stopping by.
Walking into the woods behind our house - swinging on vines. Old civil war road ruts
still in woods - about as wide as a wagon and cannon on wheels. (Our house situated on
Gen. Mackall's camp site - at least where they ate. My uncle and cousin found the leg
from an old stove on our property, a hinge, and the assorted other civil war metal
relics.)
Cotillion at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Friday nights (me too Barb!) We had to wear
white gloves and when it was time for punch the boys seated us and then took our gloves
and held them on their lap until it was time to dance again. Woah!
Bent wood cafe chairs at Churchill Road Elementary school cafeteria. I remember more than
once having my skin pinched in the seats in those.
Walking home to Mackall Ave. from Churchill Road Elem. if I missed the bus.
Finally being old enough to ride my bike down the big hill on Mackall Avenue (right after
Cullivers house).
The Alfords giving a full-sized Hershey's bar out at Halloween. (they lived near the
Scotts)
Going to the Kennedy's house for trick or treat, being invited into their foyer and
reaching into a punch bowl sized bowl filled with candy and then another one filled with
pennies for Unicef (think it was that - remember the cardboard boxes?)
The tiny library across the street from McDonalds.
When you had your car filled with gas you did not get out of your car and they washed
your windows. Gas station incentives - set of glasses, doo-dads, etc. Esso gas down by
where you got onto GW Parkway - near Joan's home.
Woodrow Wilson's summer home at Tysons - Westgate (is that what Richard mentioned burned
down?)
Drug Fair and Peoples Drug.
Jack-in-the Box Tacos (for the younger crowd) across the street from fire station.
Playing "muckanine" (sp) at Churchill Road during recess.
Koke's pond behind the Scotts.
Playing tennis at court at the way end of Holland St. The house was modern inside and had
a water feature inside of it. Tennis court way down at bottom of hill. Could also cut
through to Whann Avenue through there. You can still see the tennis court on the
satellite version of Holland St. map.
The Gillette's house was somewhat modern too. I remember their weimereiners (sp).
The VanValkenburg's house way on top of a hill. Mr. V. had gems/rocks in his study.
Carnival's in McLean in the summer.
Hanging out at Sherie Dimond's house on Dogwood Lane - they had a nice pool and plenty of
boys were there with Cherie's older brother around.
My phone number: Elmwood 6 - 5055.
Nancy Perine:
Remember the children's shoe dept at Kahn's (i think) that had the live MONKEYS behind a glass window??
Great list of memories!
Amy (Reid) Paris
Wow!!! Thanks!!! Those are great lists and memories!!
I hope you'll come back and share some stories. I'd like to be able to post a topic on some subject and have people respond, but however it comes is great!! I'm just glad that the readers and posters are having a good time!!
I'd like to hear what some younger folks remember and did. Those of us there in the 50s and 60s really saw a lot of changes - like the the Giant and McDonald's being built.
It feels like we need to draw a McLean map and fill in all the stores. I'm going to start posting some photos, so if anyone has a great photo of McLean that we could post, let me know. My brother was a photographer for McLean HS when he was there (grad class of '65) and maybe I can get somethinng from him.
You all have given me a bunch of things to add to the memories, but I promised a special post, so I'm going to add that and hope you'll enjoy it!!
Thanks again to all!!! Hope you'll come back. I am tring to keep up and post about every 2 or 3 days. Keep our old McLean brains sharp!!
Joan,
It's fun reading each commentt - I get something new from each one. We've been discussing lots of places in McLean, but you mentioned a different one - Rector's Florist. I remember them well. And Freddie Gray had been one of Mom's math students at Cooper. Many of her students stayed in touch and I know she liked Freddie. I always called Gray Matter when I sent her flowers.
I remember that you're married to Dwayne, but I did not make the 10th reunion when I understand you were there. "Cat Ballou" is one of my favorite movies and I remember well the scene on the train with the preacher holding the "Bible." My Mom and I went to see the movie (if I remember correctly it was at the Glebe), and we missed the first 10 minutes, so when it ended, I asked Mom if we could stay and see the part we'd missed. They did not make you leave the theater between shows then and we ended up sitting through the whole movie a second time. I thought Dwayne was cute, too!! My husband gave me a video of the movie a long time ago but I just watched it within about the last month. It's just so much fun!!
One of the things I remember about you and LHS was all the plays - and making costumes for Annie Get Your Gun. I know that I made a bunch of Indian outfits.
I hope you'll check back in with the Blog every so often and remind us of some more great places. But I want the Blog to be more than that. I'm going to try and keep it fresh with my memories, in hopes that will help fire the old McLean synapses in all of us.
We're coming up on Prom time and I think that will be my next topic - dresses, hairdos, prom queens, themes, dinners, etc. And boy do I have a story about Senior Prom!!! Funny to me, at least now...not so much then.
Thanks again for posting...if you're on Facebook, "friend" me and I'll add you to my LHS and McLean lists. I'm going to send out special Blog memory requests through FB. There are a bunch of LHS '70 folks there are more are signing up every day.
The dress shop in Salona was called "The Orchard" wasn't it?
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