The thread about Time of Day service got me thinking about local companies no longer with us. Some were large corporations, others only small Jacksonville institutions. Whatever the case, they were all based here.
(If any of you remember more, please list them)
Atlantic National Bank
Florida National Bank
Barnett Bank
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad*
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad*
Stand N Snack
Pic N Save (Whatever you want, Pic N Save has it! Pic N Save has it for LESS!)
Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company (Total way of Life)
Peninsular Life Insurance Company
McDuff Appliances (Its tough to beat McDuff)
American Heritage Life Insurance Company
American National Bank
First Federal Savings and Loan
Kight's Copy Center
State Bank
Eastern Seaboard Petroleum
Ploof Truck Lines**
Gulf Life Insurance Company
Offshore Power Systems
Florida Rock Industries
*Now part of CSX, still based in Jacksonville :)
**Now Cypress Truck Lines, also based in Jacksonville :) :)
On the other hand, 3 local companies have stood the test of time. (Again, if you can think of others please post them here)
Lee & Cates Glass
McCall Service, Inc.
Peninsular Pest Control
Quote from: BackinJax05 on July 13, 2012, 01:41:03 AM
The thread about Time of Day service got me thinking about local companies no longer with us. Some were large corporations, others only small Jacksonville institutions. Whatever the case, they were all based here.
(If any of you remember more, please list them)
Atlantic National Bank
Florida National Bank
Barnett Bank
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad*
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad*
Stand N Snack
Pic N Save (Whatever you want, Pic N Save has it! Pic N Save has it for LESS!)
Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company (Total way of Life)
Peninsular Life Insurance Company
McDuff Appliances (Its tough to beat McDuff)
American Heritage Life Insurance Company
American National Bank
First Federal Savings and Loan
Kight's Copy Center
State Bank
Eastern Seaboard Petroleum
Ploof Truck Lines**
Gulf Life Insurance Company
Offshore Power Systems
Florida Rock Industries
*Now part of CSX, still based in Jacksonville :)
**Now Cypress Truck Lines, also based in Jacksonville :) :)
On the other hand, 3 local companies have stood the test of time. (Again, if you can think of others please post them here)
Lee & Cates Glass
McCall Service, Inc.
Peninsular Pest Control
I miss Pic N Save (Whatever you want, Pic N Save has it! Pic N Save has it for LESS!) I was over in Live Oak last week and right off state rd 129 you can still see the old Pic N Save. The frame for the old sign still stands but the Pic N Save sign is gone. :(
Goode's Bakery in Five Points
LaRose Shoes downtown
Furchgott's
Ivey's
Forgot the name, but that juice bar downtown near Laura and Adams
The Luggage Shop where the main library now stands
First Guaranty Bank (1947-2012)
Jacksonville Terminal (Prime Osborn)
Seaboard Air Line Railroad (CSX)
Atlantic and East Coast Terminal Company
St. Johns River Terminal (NS)
Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad (NS)
Municipal Docks and Terminal Railroad (Talleyrand Terminal)
ROLL THE CLOCK BACK A BIT FURTHER AND...
Pine Street Railway
Main Street Railway
Jacksonville Street Railway
Jacksonville and LaVilla Street Railway
North Jacksonville Street Railway Town and Improvement Company
Duval Traction Company
South Jacksonville Municipal Railway
Ortega Traction Company
JACKSONVILLE TRACTION COMPANY
I won't roll the clock back further on the regular railroads as we'd be here all day!
Don't forget
QuoteJB Ivey's - I have NO idea why the video quits mid sentence, but it's still interesting
http://www.youtube.com/v/iA-QLTWVowk?version=3&hl=en_US
Quote(http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/50631/2537574620104969885S600x600Q85.jpg)
Furchgott's Department Stores - Furchgott's Department Store. Employs large number of youngsters as cash boys and wrappers. Counted nine apparently under 12. One was 9, he said, and other 11. Youngest work for $3. a week. Jacksonville, Florida Public Library, Published: 1913 March. Photos of child labour by Lewis Wickes Hine.
Zayre's Stores
http://www.youtube.com/v/qXnBqIMelds?version=3&hl=en_US
Milligan Burger
Par 9 Golf and Amusement Park
Oriental Gardens - http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-oct-remembering-oriental-gardens
House of Bargains stores
http://www.youtube.com/v/bMq4303WnbI?version=3&hl=en_US
FW Woolworth
J.G. McCrory's
W.T. Grant's
Atlantic Mills - Atlantic Thrift Center
Woolco
Peterson's 5 and 10 Cent Stores
(http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/51616/2242411900104969885S600x600Q85.jpg)
Cohen Brothers 'THE BIG STORE'
QuoteTGY Stores
T.G.& Y. STORES - OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
(OCK NOTE: Interesting, "Sam" Walton, Born March 29, 1918 â€" Died April 5, 1992, also born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma)
With the philosophy of "have what people want at a price they can afford to pay," the T.G.& Y. corporation opened its first variety store in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1936 and expanded to 930 outlets nationwide by the 1980s. The company was organized by Rawdon E. Tomlinson (ca. 1883 1948) of Frederick, Enoch L. "Les" Gosselin (1901 77) of Cordell, and Raymond A. Young (1904 2002) of Kingfisher. When they met at a trade show in Oklahoma City in 1932, they individually operated variety stores throughout the state. In 1935 the three men pooled their resources and formed a firm known as Central Merchandise Corporation to build a warehouse in Oklahoma City. The storage facility allowed them to purchase bulk quantities directly from manufacturers rather than from wholesalers such as Butler Brothers. When Tomlinson, Gosselin, and Young opened their first jointly owned outlet in 1936, the company's name came from the initials of their last names, placed in order of their age, with Tomlinson being the oldest. On February 1, 1946, the business incorporated under Delaware laws as T.G.& Y. Stores Company.
Generally, the outlets first opened in rural communities and small towns and gradually made their way to urban centers and suburbs, where malls developed during the 1960s. Most stores were six to eight thousand square feet; however, T.G.& Y. Family Centers built in the 1960s usually had an average of forty thousand square feet. During World War II, due to wartime manufacturing the company had trouble obtaining fixtures to outfit their new stores. To solve the problem the owners eventually built their own fixture factory in Oklahoma City in 1956. In 1957 Butler Brothers of Chicago, Illinois, bought out T.G.& Y., which had 127 outlets at that time. However, the company remained autonomous, and the management did not change. By 1960 T.G.& Y. was a subsidiary of Chicago-based City Products, which operated other variety stores nationwide. Six years later Household Finance Corporation (HFC) purchased City Products.
In order to be more competitive, in the 1980s T.G.& Y. executives changed some of the outlets to be comparable to department stores. However, the company continued to have financial difficulties. In January 1986 McCrory Corporation of York, Pennsylvania, bought the 730 T.G.& Y. outlets from HFC. The buy out brought about the closure of some Oklahoma stores and warehouses. In 2002 McCrory went out of business, causing the final demise of former T.G.& Y. stores. Ironically, Raymond Young, the last survivor of the three cofounders, died the same year.
G.C.Murphy .05 and . 10. - http://www.gcmurphy.org/
Ben Franklin Stores
QuoteIS GREEN COVE SPRINGS THE TRUE HOME OF K-MART?
Kresge Stores
Green Cove shenanigans launched financial empire
By Mary Jo McTammany
County Line correspondent,
He started out just a country boy conning the northern tourists, but by age 31 he was a millionaire and that was just the beginning.
In the last decade of the 1800s, everybody in the teeming resort town of Green Cove Springs knew "Doc" Merrill's boy, Charlie. His escapades were a constant topic of conversation at Kirkpatrick's saloon, in the billiard room at the Clarendon Hotel and at the women's Village Improvement Association meeting in their new Borden Cottage clubhouse at the corner of Palmer and Palmetto streets.
Charles Morton Merrill was a man of influence and stature. A graduate of the University of New York's prestigious medical school, he succumbed to an attack of "orange fever" in the 1870s and purchased a large grove near Jacksonville. The Ohio native settled in Green Cove Springs and married a local girl, Octavia Wilson. Octavia was a noted beauty and came from a politically influential Clay County family whose business holdings included the highly successful Wilson Bros. General Merchandise Store.
It appears, as the old-timers would say, that Charlie was their cross to bear. Until he turned 7 in 1892 and his younger sister Edith was born, the boy was kept close to home or, at any rate, in the company of one of his parents. As was the custom, when he started school the whole town became his playground. His free time was spent roaming, and with Charlie's gregarious nature and fertile imagination, the results were predictable. It has even been speculated that certain adults in the community egged him on, but it wouldn't have taken much.
His antics were endless. But always his stunts had an underlying hint of the entrepreneur and his uncanny awareness of human nature.
One of the boy's favorite haunts was the Clarendon Hotel and the adjacent sulphur springs baths. He and his buddies spent hours diving and swimming in the huge, icy, spring-fed pool.
In those days men bet on the least little thing, like which way a horse tied to the hitching rail would swish his tail first to discourage flies -- left or right. Charlie hatched a plan to combine his special knowledge of the spring and this compulsion to wager and began building his fortune. He was about 10.
Adopting an innocent and unsure guise, Charlie proposed to groups of gullible tourists that he could swim the length of the pool underwater in what seemed like an outrageous few seconds. He would pace around acting hesitant, then seeming to draw up his courage, dive in, and pop up at the other end with a charming smile and feigned astonishment at his own accomplishment. Then collect the wages.
That spring to this day pumps out close to 3,000 gallons of water a minute. Charlie just dove in and went deep to catch the current. The spring did most of the work. Northern tourists were not real swimmers but paddled around the surface suspended by rented water wing contraptions. They never had a clue of the deep, fast current.
Charlie's first real job was working in his father's drugstore. Some said "Doc" Merrill thought the shenanigans would halt if Charlie was under closer supervision from his adjacent office. It didn't happen.
Young Merrill's official title was soda jerk. Almost immediately, revenues skyrocketed and the long counter was populated by men, movers and shakers in the community, who usually only frequented the establishment occasionally with their children.
It seems Charlie made connections with the premier quality 'shine producer in the county and was judiciously spiking his fountain concoctions with the local joy juice. Of course, the high-octane sodas sold for a premium price -- for a while. Some said saloon owners finked to "Doc" Merrill. Others said when a supply of moonshine was late arriving once, Charlie's dad noticed his brandy supply was at a low ebb. At any rate, the enriched sodas were no longer available at the drugstore.
One wonders if Charlie should be credited with original merchandising genius or if he was simply observant and realized that most of the patent medicines and tonics on nearby shelves were loaded with alcohol or opium.
The family moved to Jacksonville when Charlie was 13, where the wheeling and dealing continued.
Charles Edward Merrill settled in New York and became an investment banker. He was the first to see that chain stores would dominate the retail economy. In 1914, he began his own investment banking firm called Merrill, Lynch and Company. He handled and controlled securities of S.S. Kresge (later Kmart), J.C. Penney and Safeway Stores. He was a millionaire but just starting.
Merrill saw the weakness and corruption of the pre-Depression stock market and predicted the crash of '29. Failing to convince President Calvin Coolidge of the danger of speculation and the need to act, he liquidated his personal and the firm's portfolios and advised his clients to do the same in February, a full eight months before the crash in October.
In 1940, Merrill and the firm again entered the brokerage business with the goal of "bringing Main Street to Wall Street." They launched a marketing campaign designed to open the opportunity of stock investment to the average family through investor education and rigorous guidelines for their brokers. Only today is his vision becoming a reality.
The firm he founded is the largest retail brokerage house in the United States and small investors are major participants in the economy of the world.
Folks in Green Cove Springs at the turn of the century knew he would be something when he grew up. They just weren't quite sure what.
Who would a' thought?
Clay County resident Mary Jo McTammany writes an occasional column for The County Line.
Was Pantry Pride a Jax-Based Grocery?
http://www.youtube.com/v/IvLhkdA5zEc?version=3&hl=en_US
For those that weren't around during the day's of the historic Jacksonville Railroads here's a video along the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in South Florida up as far as Winter Haven. Look at the trains, and the frequencies and one can imagine why I am critical of Amtrak. I don't believe that Amtrak should be eliminated, it's all we've got, but it's a piss poor substitute for what REAL train service was. We need more, not less train service throughout the USA, meanwhile at Amtrak and the politicians that hold the strings..."ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ" Then from the Republican side of the aisle, 'KILL EM ALL AND LET GOD SORT EM OUT'. Anyway, as you watch the historic flick, keep in mind that every one of these trains visited downtown Jacksonville, not only that, but, all of the trains of the Atlantic Coast Line, Florida East Coast and Southern Railway, not to mention '*foreign line' trains that got forwarded through JAX and into Florida by our local roads.
* Railroadese meaning, any railroad other then the one(s) you are on or served by.
Not sure if these were local, but: Burger Chef, Biff Burger, Milligan's, Patti's Italian, Frangi's...
Are we talking about Jacksonville based compaines? Or fallen compaines in general. BTW Pic N Save is still my ish. Forget Wal mart. As a child I loved Pic N save like no other. 48th and Main
^^^Haha, I knew that was coming, the obligatory pro Pic-N-Save, and anti Wal-Mart comment. With that being said, I too liked Pic N Save; I don't know anyone that didn't like it. Two defunct Jax grocers, Daylight, and Food Town.
I know very little about Goony Golf, but it's pretty cool that its red T-Rex has survived for all these years on the side of Beach Blvd.
I still miss Lighthouse Grill too.
Quote from: KenFSU on July 13, 2012, 01:49:55 PM
I know very little about Goony Golf, but it's pretty cool that its red T-Rex has survived for all these years on the side of Beach Blvd.
I still miss Lighthouse Grill too.
The golf range Goony Golf place is where I first learned to operate a steam locomotive. Built by Fred Perry of St Augustine she was a very trim and fun to operate engine. The park had actually closed by that time, but the railroad wasn't removed and the local National Railway Historical Society chapter got permission to maintain and run her on weekends. It was great fun until the line was cut by a (liquor store?) and the railroad, engine, train and track 'left the building'. I understand the engine ended up somewhere in North Carolina.
The Lighthouse Grill, now that was a nice place to eat. Tore it down and then built nothing. Sickening.
Big Daddy's , The Bombay Bicycle Club .
Raymond Mason's The Charter Companies which was a big conglomerate and a very big bankruptcy. At one time it owned Redbook Magazine and what is now the JEA Building (or maybe just part of it was the home of Charter Security Life).
I find it interesting that after the boards of directors of Independent Life and Peninsula Life sold out, we still have streets named after the companies that abandoned Jacksonville. Why is that?
My view on the T. Rex on the side of Beach Blvd.: I'll pay $100.00 to anyone who destroys it and provides proof they are the ones who did so. It is visual blight, plain and simple. It is ugly. It doesn't resemble what it is supposed to. Maybe we could hire David Copperfield to make it disappear.
While American Heritage Life is now part of Allstate, it retains that legal name and it is still headquartered in Jacksonville!
Easterling Drug Store
666 Drug Company
Tiny Tee - a miniature golf course on San Juan, between Blanding and Roosevelt - years before Putt-Putt came to town
Toytown - toy store on Edgewood, near the Edgewood Theater (also now closed)
more will come to me later, I'm sure
Southern Brick and Stone - "leave me come over to your house" to put siding on it
Here are some more off the top of my head.
Setzer's
Levy-wolf
Cummer Lumber
Merrill-Stevens/Jacksonville Shipyards
Florida Machine & Foundry
Jax Brewing Company/Jax Beer
Rhodes Furniture
Farris & Company meat packers
Berrier's Ice Cream
666 was the Monticello Drug Company
Quote from: If_I_Loved_you on July 13, 2012, 09:24:16 AM
Quote from: BackinJax05 on July 13, 2012, 01:41:03 AM
The thread about Time of Day service got me thinking about local companies no longer with us. Some were large corporations, others only small Jacksonville institutions. Whatever the case, they were all based here.
(If any of you remember more, please list them)
Atlantic National Bank
Florida National Bank
Barnett Bank
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad*
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad*
Stand N Snack
Pic N Save (Whatever you want, Pic N Save has it! Pic N Save has it for LESS!)
Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company (Total way of Life)
Peninsular Life Insurance Company
McDuff Appliances (Its tough to beat McDuff)
American Heritage Life Insurance Company
American National Bank
First Federal Savings and Loan
Kight's Copy Center
State Bank
Eastern Seaboard Petroleum
Ploof Truck Lines**
Gulf Life Insurance Company
Offshore Power Systems
Florida Rock Industries
*Now part of CSX, still based in Jacksonville :)
**Now Cypress Truck Lines, also based in Jacksonville :) :)
On the other hand, 3 local companies have stood the test of time. (Again, if you can think of others please post them here)
Lee & Cates Glass
McCall Service, Inc.
Peninsular Pest Control
I miss Pic N Save (Whatever you want, Pic N Save has it! Pic N Save has it for LESS!) I was over in Live Oak last week and right off state rd 129 you can still see the old Pic N Save. The frame for the old sign still stands but the Pic N Save sign is gone. :(
For many years I got my school supplies at the Town N Country Pic N Save. (BOTH of them). The night of the 1st day of school was an annual pilgrimage to "PIC" as we called it.
Quote from: Debbie Thompson on July 13, 2012, 10:02:16 AM
Goode's Bakery in Five Points
LaRose Shoes downtown
Furchgott's
Ivey's
Forgot the name, but that juice bar downtown near Laura and Adams
The Luggage Shop where the main library now stands
Thank you! :) :)
I did not know Furchgotts & Iveys were headquartered in Jacksonville. Cool.
The AWESOME juice bar was in the old Florida Title Building (orginally Heard National Bank) at Laura & Forsyth Streets. This 15 floor building, which could have been recycled, was thoughtlessly demolished in the late 70s. Helmut's Pencil stands there today.
Quote from: Traveller on July 13, 2012, 10:03:24 AM
First Guaranty Bank (1947-2012)
Thank you!
Forgot all about them.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on July 13, 2012, 11:13:58 AM
Jacksonville Terminal (Prime Osborn)
Seaboard Air Line Railroad (CSX)
Atlantic and East Coast Terminal Company
St. Johns River Terminal (NS)
Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad (NS)
Municipal Docks and Terminal Railroad (Talleyrand Terminal)
ROLL THE CLOCK BACK A BIT FURTHER AND...
Pine Street Railway
Main Street Railway
Jacksonville Street Railway
Jacksonville and LaVilla Street Railway
North Jacksonville Street Railway Town and Improvement Company
Duval Traction Company
South Jacksonville Municipal Railway
Ortega Traction Company
JACKSONVILLE TRACTION COMPANY
I won't roll the clock back further on the regular railroads as we'd be here all day!
Don't forget
QuoteJB Ivey's - I have NO idea why the video quits mid sentence, but it's still interesting
http://www.youtube.com/v/iA-QLTWVowk?version=3&hl=en_US
Quote(http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/50631/2537574620104969885S600x600Q85.jpg)
Furchgott's Department Stores - Furchgott's Department Store. Employs large number of youngsters as cash boys and wrappers. Counted nine apparently under 12. One was 9, he said, and other 11. Youngest work for $3. a week. Jacksonville, Florida Public Library, Published: 1913 March. Photos of child labour by Lewis Wickes Hine.
Zayre's Stores
http://www.youtube.com/v/qXnBqIMelds?version=3&hl=en_US
Milligan Burger
Par 9 Golf and Amusement Park
Oriental Gardens - http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-oct-remembering-oriental-gardens
House of Bargains stores
http://www.youtube.com/v/bMq4303WnbI?version=3&hl=en_US
FW Woolworth
J.G. McCrory's
W.T. Grant's
Atlantic Mills - Atlantic Thrift Center
Woolco
Peterson's 5 and 10 Cent Stores
(http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/51616/2242411900104969885S600x600Q85.jpg)
Cohen Brothers 'THE BIG STORE'
QuoteTGY Stores
T.G.& Y. STORES - OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
(OCK NOTE: Interesting, "Sam" Walton, Born March 29, 1918 â€" Died April 5, 1992, also born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma)
With the philosophy of "have what people want at a price they can afford to pay," the T.G.& Y. corporation opened its first variety store in Norman, Oklahoma, in 1936 and expanded to 930 outlets nationwide by the 1980s. The company was organized by Rawdon E. Tomlinson (ca. 1883 1948) of Frederick, Enoch L. "Les" Gosselin (1901 77) of Cordell, and Raymond A. Young (1904 2002) of Kingfisher. When they met at a trade show in Oklahoma City in 1932, they individually operated variety stores throughout the state. In 1935 the three men pooled their resources and formed a firm known as Central Merchandise Corporation to build a warehouse in Oklahoma City. The storage facility allowed them to purchase bulk quantities directly from manufacturers rather than from wholesalers such as Butler Brothers. When Tomlinson, Gosselin, and Young opened their first jointly owned outlet in 1936, the company's name came from the initials of their last names, placed in order of their age, with Tomlinson being the oldest. On February 1, 1946, the business incorporated under Delaware laws as T.G.& Y. Stores Company.
Generally, the outlets first opened in rural communities and small towns and gradually made their way to urban centers and suburbs, where malls developed during the 1960s. Most stores were six to eight thousand square feet; however, T.G.& Y. Family Centers built in the 1960s usually had an average of forty thousand square feet. During World War II, due to wartime manufacturing the company had trouble obtaining fixtures to outfit their new stores. To solve the problem the owners eventually built their own fixture factory in Oklahoma City in 1956. In 1957 Butler Brothers of Chicago, Illinois, bought out T.G.& Y., which had 127 outlets at that time. However, the company remained autonomous, and the management did not change. By 1960 T.G.& Y. was a subsidiary of Chicago-based City Products, which operated other variety stores nationwide. Six years later Household Finance Corporation (HFC) purchased City Products.
In order to be more competitive, in the 1980s T.G.& Y. executives changed some of the outlets to be comparable to department stores. However, the company continued to have financial difficulties. In January 1986 McCrory Corporation of York, Pennsylvania, bought the 730 T.G.& Y. outlets from HFC. The buy out brought about the closure of some Oklahoma stores and warehouses. In 2002 McCrory went out of business, causing the final demise of former T.G.& Y. stores. Ironically, Raymond Young, the last survivor of the three cofounders, died the same year.
G.C.Murphy .05 and . 10. - http://www.gcmurphy.org/
Ben Franklin Stores
QuoteIS GREEN COVE SPRINGS THE TRUE HOME OF K-MART?
Kresge Stores
Green Cove shenanigans launched financial empire
By Mary Jo McTammany
County Line correspondent,
He started out just a country boy conning the northern tourists, but by age 31 he was a millionaire and that was just the beginning.
In the last decade of the 1800s, everybody in the teeming resort town of Green Cove Springs knew "Doc" Merrill's boy, Charlie. His escapades were a constant topic of conversation at Kirkpatrick's saloon, in the billiard room at the Clarendon Hotel and at the women's Village Improvement Association meeting in their new Borden Cottage clubhouse at the corner of Palmer and Palmetto streets.
Charles Morton Merrill was a man of influence and stature. A graduate of the University of New York's prestigious medical school, he succumbed to an attack of "orange fever" in the 1870s and purchased a large grove near Jacksonville. The Ohio native settled in Green Cove Springs and married a local girl, Octavia Wilson. Octavia was a noted beauty and came from a politically influential Clay County family whose business holdings included the highly successful Wilson Bros. General Merchandise Store.
It appears, as the old-timers would say, that Charlie was their cross to bear. Until he turned 7 in 1892 and his younger sister Edith was born, the boy was kept close to home or, at any rate, in the company of one of his parents. As was the custom, when he started school the whole town became his playground. His free time was spent roaming, and with Charlie's gregarious nature and fertile imagination, the results were predictable. It has even been speculated that certain adults in the community egged him on, but it wouldn't have taken much.
His antics were endless. But always his stunts had an underlying hint of the entrepreneur and his uncanny awareness of human nature.
One of the boy's favorite haunts was the Clarendon Hotel and the adjacent sulphur springs baths. He and his buddies spent hours diving and swimming in the huge, icy, spring-fed pool.
In those days men bet on the least little thing, like which way a horse tied to the hitching rail would swish his tail first to discourage flies -- left or right. Charlie hatched a plan to combine his special knowledge of the spring and this compulsion to wager and began building his fortune. He was about 10.
Adopting an innocent and unsure guise, Charlie proposed to groups of gullible tourists that he could swim the length of the pool underwater in what seemed like an outrageous few seconds. He would pace around acting hesitant, then seeming to draw up his courage, dive in, and pop up at the other end with a charming smile and feigned astonishment at his own accomplishment. Then collect the wages.
That spring to this day pumps out close to 3,000 gallons of water a minute. Charlie just dove in and went deep to catch the current. The spring did most of the work. Northern tourists were not real swimmers but paddled around the surface suspended by rented water wing contraptions. They never had a clue of the deep, fast current.
Charlie's first real job was working in his father's drugstore. Some said "Doc" Merrill thought the shenanigans would halt if Charlie was under closer supervision from his adjacent office. It didn't happen.
Young Merrill's official title was soda jerk. Almost immediately, revenues skyrocketed and the long counter was populated by men, movers and shakers in the community, who usually only frequented the establishment occasionally with their children.
It seems Charlie made connections with the premier quality 'shine producer in the county and was judiciously spiking his fountain concoctions with the local joy juice. Of course, the high-octane sodas sold for a premium price -- for a while. Some said saloon owners finked to "Doc" Merrill. Others said when a supply of moonshine was late arriving once, Charlie's dad noticed his brandy supply was at a low ebb. At any rate, the enriched sodas were no longer available at the drugstore.
One wonders if Charlie should be credited with original merchandising genius or if he was simply observant and realized that most of the patent medicines and tonics on nearby shelves were loaded with alcohol or opium.
The family moved to Jacksonville when Charlie was 13, where the wheeling and dealing continued.
Charles Edward Merrill settled in New York and became an investment banker. He was the first to see that chain stores would dominate the retail economy. In 1914, he began his own investment banking firm called Merrill, Lynch and Company. He handled and controlled securities of S.S. Kresge (later Kmart), J.C. Penney and Safeway Stores. He was a millionaire but just starting.
Merrill saw the weakness and corruption of the pre-Depression stock market and predicted the crash of '29. Failing to convince President Calvin Coolidge of the danger of speculation and the need to act, he liquidated his personal and the firm's portfolios and advised his clients to do the same in February, a full eight months before the crash in October.
In 1940, Merrill and the firm again entered the brokerage business with the goal of "bringing Main Street to Wall Street." They launched a marketing campaign designed to open the opportunity of stock investment to the average family through investor education and rigorous guidelines for their brokers. Only today is his vision becoming a reality.
The firm he founded is the largest retail brokerage house in the United States and small investors are major participants in the economy of the world.
Folks in Green Cove Springs at the turn of the century knew he would be something when he grew up. They just weren't quite sure what.
Who would a' thought?
Clay County resident Mary Jo McTammany writes an occasional column for The County Line.
Thanx, Ock! When it comes to fallen railroads based here, you can roll the clock back as far as you want :)
Quote from: Timkin on July 13, 2012, 11:41:38 AM
Was Pantry Pride a Jax-Based Grocery?
I don't know. I don't think so, but I could be wrong. They were bought out or absorbed somehow by Winn-Dixie in the mid 80s. Used to get dragged there by my mom when she went grocery shopping. Dont ask me how I remember this, but I remember being put in that uncomfortable child seat in front.
Remembering that, I was happy to see Pantry Pride go ;D
Quote from: sandyshoes on July 13, 2012, 11:59:15 AM
Not sure if these were local, but: Burger Chef, Biff Burger, Milligan's, Patti's Italian, Frangi's...
I dont know about Milligan's (great sandwiches), but Patti's Italian & Frangi's were.
I proposed to my ex at Patti's :'(
Frangi's was a big Bishop Kenny hangout, especially before & after football games.
Quote from: duvaldude08 on July 13, 2012, 12:10:22 PM
Are we talking about Jacksonville based compaines? Or fallen compaines in general. BTW Pic N Save is still my ish. Forget Wal mart. As a child I loved Pic N save like no other. 48th and Main
Jacksonville based companies.
And yes, I remember the 48th & Main Pic N Save fondly, too :) Wal-Mart can, well, I better not post that on a family thread :D
Quote from: danem on July 13, 2012, 05:35:45 PM
While American Heritage Life is now part of Allstate, it retains that legal name and it is still headquartered in Jacksonville!
Thanx. And all this time I thought AHL was gone.
Thanks to Ennis Davis, we can add Milligan's Beefy Burgers to the list of fallen Jacksonville companies.
I dont ever remember eating at Milligan's, but as a little kid I always thought their restaurants with the big M in the middle was really cool.
Merrill-Stevens shipyards. At one time the shipyards were probably the largest employers by payroll in Jacksonville.
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 25, 2012, 12:29:50 PM
Thanks to Ennis Davis, we can add Milligan's Beefy Burgers to the list of fallen Jacksonville companies.
I dont ever remember eating at Milligan's, but as a little kid I always thought their restaurants with the big M in the middle was really cool.
As I recall, Milligans were as good as , if not better than Krystal. Very similar. I miss Milligans alot
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 25, 2012, 12:46:27 PM
Merrill-Stevens shipyards. At one time the shipyards were probably the largest employers by payroll in Jacksonville.
I've heard of them. Did they build ships here, or only repair them? On the subject of shipyards, I remember the drydocks Jacksonville Shipyards had. Those things were amazing.
There were ships built here since the time of the city's founding.
Jacksonville was one of several places on the east coast of the US that built Liberty ships during WWII. There was even a shipyard where Church of the Assumption and Bishop Kenny High School are now.
After the war ship building moved overseas and our shipyards did repairs. Finally, even that went away.
There is still a Setzer's on Philips Highway.
Does anyone else remember Kings Department Store on University? It sat back off the road. It closed very soon after we moved here in 1966, so I don't now much about it. As I recall, it was like a Pic 'n Save or a Zayre. The building is still there, used as something else.
The drive-in movies. Speaker hanging on the window, mosquito coil burning in the ashtray (like that helped) necking on the bench seat, and hoping your parents wouldn't ask you what the movie was about when you got home.
Setzer's was a local grocery chain that had a large warehouse in the Springfield Warehouse District. The Setzers on Philips Highway sells appliances.
Oops. Wrong Setzter's. Sorry. The one on Philips, I believe, is the Setzer family owned Pic 'n Save. But I could be wrong about that too.
Setzer's was a 40-unit chain that was purchased by Food Fair in 1958.
QuoteA native of Lithuania founded the Setzer's chain, which stretched throughout Florida and South Georgia. Benjamin Setzer arrived in the US in 1910, and he ran an ice business for many years after he moved to Jacksonville. When Mr. Setzer opened his first retail grocery store, it stood at Fifth and Silver streets in Springfield.
In 1958, Mr. Setzer sold his 40 unit chain to Food Fair Stores, but soon afterwards he founded another local goliath, Pic 'N Save Drugs. Before going out of business, this company operated over 40 discount department stores in Florida and Georgia. Mr. Setzer was also a partner in Arlington's Town and Country Shopping Center. And in the non-business realm, he served as the chairman of the board of trustees for the Jacksonville Jewish Center. Mr. Setzer passed away in Jacksonville in 1969, with his final resting place at Center Memorial Park Cemetery.
http://www.jaxhistory.com/Jacksonville%20Story/Picture%20of%20Supermarket,%20Setzer's%20Storefront.htm
Here are a few shots:
Setzer's in San Marco:
(http://www.floridamemory.com/fpc/spottswood/sp01973.jpg)
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/52880Setzer's warehouse on Liberty Street in the Springfield Warehouse District.
(http://www.floridamemory.com/fpc/spottswood/sp02048.jpg)
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/52954Inside a Setzer's in Tallahassee.
(http://www.floridamemory.com/fpc/commerce/c033480.jpg)
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/77754Setzer's original store was that historic commercial building on the NE corner of Silver and 5th Streets that was torn down a couple of years ago for a residential project that was never built.
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 26, 2012, 08:37:16 AM
There were ships built here since the time of the cities founding.
Jacksonville was one of several places on the east coast of the US that built Liberty ships during WWII. There was even a shipyard where Church of the Assumption and Bishop Kenny High School are now.
After the war ship building moved overseas and our shipyards did repairs. Finally, even that went away.
If only there was a way to bring back those skilled labor jobs; ship building & ship repair. Not much around here now but low paying sh*t service jobs.
We still have a couple of ship builders here. North Florida Shipyards at Commodore Point and BAE off Heckscher.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/1011656941_Hv4SS-M.jpg)
Combined, they employ a couple of thousand. Growing those types of jobs involves improving/educating our local workforce to be able to actually work them. Also, we can can grow skilled industries but it will require a cultural change in the direction of where we're taking our city. It doesn't seem that our city leaders overall are ready to head in that direction.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/St-Johns-River-September-2010/P1410064/1011656750_rUZ6U-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/St-Johns-River-September-2010/P1410068/1011656867_mpoMu-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/St-Johns-River-September-2010/P1410071/1011656978_8LfWM-M.jpg)
The images above are of the North Florida Shipyards near downtown. Next time you cross the Mathews Bridge, look south. Most of your downtown visionaries want to see places like this and Maxwell House gone and replaced with condos or parks. However, just remember when that happens, thousands of high paying manufacturing jobs in the urban core will disappear too!
^^ I agree.
We need MORE of what you pointed out, not less.
The St. Johns is pretty to look at & all, but commerce pays the bills!
What ever happened to Diversified Cooperative Training? DCT.
When I was in high school in the late 1950's, some of my fellow students went to school half the day and worked in industry training programs for the other half. Those of us on an academic track looked down on the DCT students as not up to our intellectual standards.
Joke was on us!
One of my classmates, who was in the DCT program, worked at the shipyards. He was involved in the building of a NOAA research vessel. He graduated at the same time the ship was finished and was hired on as an Assistant to the Engineer since he had helped install all of the systems over the three or four years it took to built it. He spent the next couple of years based in American Somoa earning a hefty salary. He learned to fly there.
The Chief Engineer had some health problems, quit, and he was promoted to the position. At age twenty, he was earning the equivalent of $100K per year with no living expenses. He saved all his money.
Two years later he returned to the US, bought a P-51 Mustang from a Central American air force and had it converted to a two seater. He returned to school at JU, where I ran into him again, and then went to MIT to finish a Phd in Mechanical Engineering.
He was gracious enough, based on our previous acquaintance, to let me take the controls of the P-51 once or twice. I was pumping gas at Craig Airfield at the time to make money for flying lessons.
So much for DCT students not measuring up to academic standards!
If we want a skilled workforce we need to bring back programs like that. What opportunities it can open up.
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 26, 2012, 08:37:16 AM
There were ships built here since the time of the city's founding.
Jacksonville was one of several places on the east coast of the US that built Liberty ships during WWII. There was even a shipyard where Church of the Assumption and Bishop Kenny High School are now.
After the war ship building moved overseas and our shipyards did repairs. Finally, even that went away.
The story of Liberty ship construction in Brunswick is a great one too. Tasked with building 6 ships during the month of December 1944 (I think it was 1944), the shipyard completed 7, and every employee refused to take overtime pay. There is a model Liberty ship on display in a downtown park.
Quote from: thelakelander on August 26, 2012, 07:57:37 PM
The images above are of the North Florida Shipyards near downtown. Next time you cross the Mathews Bridge, look south. Most of your downtown visionaries want to see places like this and Maxwell House gone and replaced with condos or parks. However, just remember when that happens, thousands of high paying manufacturing jobs in the urban core will disappear too!
AMAZING! I remember the Jacksonville Ship Yards and Merril Stevens Yard, and always thought of them as 'anchors' for the east side of downtown. The thousands of people they employed get to work via streetcar, then via bus and private automobiles, and when they went to lunch, guess where they walked? This math is pretty simple really. Guy goes to lunch downtown and hands off a shirt for the dry cleaners, then spends MONEY on food. On the way back from lunch he stops at the jewelers to pick up his wires watch and they have a sale on pearls (his wife's favorite) so he also buys two tiny pearl earrings. Just before ducking back through the fence, he stops at the downtown C-store and picks up a couple of soda's to take back to work with him... $80 dollars spent downtown. Multiply this by another 2,000 workers and you can see why chasing our shipyards away was another stupid stunt.
It always reminds me of 'Nelagoney Syndrome.' Nelagoney being a small town in the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. Once a busy railroad yard and oil field equipment staging area, Nelagoney boasted the Midland Valley Railroad and the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. When the oil drilling moved on, Nelagoney did act because they were still an important railroad junction. When the Midland Valley was bought by Missouri Pacific, they truncated the line north of Pawhuska (about 10 miles north of Nelagoney) not to worry though because they were sill a railroad junction. Next a flood washed out some track northeast of Oklahoma City, and the MKT simply bought the old Rock Island Line as their 'new' OKC access, and the old mainline through Nelagoney became a branchline. No problem because the railroads still 'could' use the old railroad junction. When the M-K-T applied to abandon the whole former OKC division in favor of their new Rock Island route, Nelagoney didn't speak up because they still had the MOP... ' Missouri Pacific'. The MOP wasn't really interested in operating north of a refinery in Barnsdall about 10 miles south of Nelagoney, and soon enough the track came up on that line too... Nelagoney no longer had a railroad but they still had a cool old station that tourists would flock to. Um, THAT never happened, so the depot was razed and guess what? NELAGONEY IS GONE!
Hey, at least they got rid of those unsightly old railroads!
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 27, 2012, 10:04:41 AM
What ever happened to Diversified Cooperative Training? DCT.
When I was in high school in the late 1950's, some of my fellow students went to school half the day and worked in industry training programs for the other half. Those of us on an academic track looked down on the DCT students as not up to our intellectual standards.
Joke was on us!
One of my classmates, who was in the DCT program, worked at the shipyards. He was involved in the building of a NOAA research vessel. He graduated at the same time the ship was finished and was hired on as an Assistant to the Engineer since he had helped install all of the systems over the three or four years it took to built it. He spent the next couple of years based in American Somoa earning a hefty salary. He learned to fly there.
The Chief Engineer had some health problems, quit, and he was promoted to the position. At age twenty, he was earning the equivalent of $100K per year with no living expenses. He saved all his money.
Two years later he returned to the US, bought a P-51 Mustang from a Central American air force and had it converted to a two seater. He returned to school at JU, where I ran into him again, and then went to MIT to finish a Phd in Mechanical Engineering.
He was gracious enough, based on our previous acquaintance, to let me take the controls of the P-51 once or twice. I was pumping gas at Craig Airfield at the time to make money for flying lessons.
So much for DCT students not measuring up to academic standards!
If we want a skilled workforce we need to bring back programs like that. What opportunities it can open up.
They still had it when I was in school, back in the 80s. It was called DECA then. Distributive Education Clubs of America. That was a long time ago now, so I dont know if DECA is still around. Had alot of classmates in DECA. They all did pretty well.
College is fine, but its not for everyone. Im glad I graduated college. Now Im going back to Florida Coast Career Tech for a Commercial Driver License (CDL).
Quote from: thelakelander on August 26, 2012, 07:57:37 PM
We still have a couple of ship builders here. North Florida Shipyards at Commodore Point and BAE off Heckscher.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/1011656941_Hv4SS-M.jpg)
Combined, they employ a couple of thousand. Growing those types of jobs involves improving/educating our local workforce to be able to actually work them. Also, we can can grow skilled industries but it will require a cultural change in the direction of where we're taking our city. It doesn't seem that our city leaders overall are ready to head in that direction.
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/St-Johns-River-September-2010/P1410064/1011656750_rUZ6U-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/St-Johns-River-September-2010/P1410068/1011656867_mpoMu-M.jpg)
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/Neighborhoods/St-Johns-River-September-2010/P1410071/1011656978_8LfWM-M.jpg)
The images above are of the North Florida Shipyards near downtown. Next time you cross the Mathews Bridge, look south. Most of your downtown visionaries want to see places like this and Maxwell House gone and replaced with condos or parks. However, just remember when that happens, thousands of high paying manufacturing jobs in the urban core will disappear too!
UNF's Construction Management Department just launched a new track in maritime construction. It's one of the few in the country. I had a great meeting with the chair last month about promoting it, he's very optimistic about it all and thinks it could be a good compliment for the region. I hope there's enough student interest for it to take off.
^^ I sure hope so. There's nothing wrong with being a blue collar town! Once upon a time it seemed Jacksonville did quite well as a blue collar town. Then somewhere along the way we got an inferiority complex that still exists to this day.
F**K the outside world! This is Jacksonville, and this is who we are.*
*While there's nothing wrong with being blue collar, its nice having the river relatively clean and the air not stinking to high heaven from the paper mills & Buckman Street sewage plant. (my late mother used to call it THE SH!T FACTORY) r.i.p. Mom :'(
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 31, 2012, 12:12:16 AM
r.i.p. Mom :'(
I'm with you there, brother. Mine would be 73 years old this Wed. :'(
Nostalgia.. oh the comfort given, as if one has seen one’s long gone grandmother return from the grave to give love and be loved once again. Thus we embrace the images of past realities which offer a comfort and security to our minds, allowing us to believe that some stability, and a little measure of immortality, is with us in this crazy world.
For a long summer in 1964, I worked as a shipfitter helper at Jacksonville Shipyards. I miss the shipyards, the sweet smell of the steel and the welding gases...... the simplicity of the thick 1" steel plates. When we weren't building something, we were repairing something. It was hard work........ 16 hour shifts, seven days a week for about five months, at $1.05/hour, but it was interesting for a young fellow. But then, you could buy a new VW bug for around $1,500 or so.
Quote from: Timkin on September 01, 2012, 11:44:55 PM
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 31, 2012, 12:12:16 AM
r.i.p. Mom :'(
I'm with you there, brother. Mine would be 73 years old this Wed. :'(
Our mothers have gone the way of Jacksonville's historic buildings*. If there is any comfort, at least our moms weren't thoughtlessly bulldozed when they got older.
*When Mom graduated from Andrew Jackson in 1952, the ceremony was at the George Washington Hotel. Oh,George. Where are you now?
Quote from: ronchamblin on September 02, 2012, 12:52:10 AM
Nostalgia.. oh the comfort given, as if one has seen one’s long gone grandmother return from the grave to give love and be loved once again. Thus we embrace the images of past realities which offer a comfort and security to our minds, allowing us to believe that some stability, and a little measure of immortality, is with us in this crazy world.
For a long summer in 1964, I worked as a shipfitter helper at Jacksonville Shipyards. I miss the shipyards, the sweet smell of the steel and the welding gases...... the simplicity of the thick 1" steel plates. When we weren't building something, we were repairing something. It was hard work........ 16 hour shifts, seven days a week for about five months, at $1.05/hour, but it was interesting for a young fellow. But then, you could buy a new VW bug for around $1,500 or so.
Did you have a '64 Beetle? Its one of my favorite model years. The glass covered headlights, oversized CHROME bumpers, & small taillights are so cool.
I miss the shipyards, too. The butt-busting work you & others did there made this city great!
Quote from: BackinJax05 on September 02, 2012, 01:52:15 AM
Quote from: ronchamblin on September 02, 2012, 12:52:10 AM
Nostalgia.. oh the comfort given, as if one has seen one’s long gone grandmother return from the grave to give love and be loved once again. Thus we embrace the images of past realities which offer a comfort and security to our minds, allowing us to believe that some stability, and a little measure of immortality, is with us in this crazy world.
For a long summer in 1964, I worked as a shipfitter helper at Jacksonville Shipyards. I miss the shipyards, the sweet smell of the steel and the welding gases...... the simplicity of the thick 1" steel plates. When we weren't building something, we were repairing something. It was hard work........ 16 hour shifts, seven days a week for about five months, at $1.05/hour, but it was interesting for a young fellow. But then, you could buy a new VW bug for around $1,500 or so.
Did you have a '64 Beetle? Its one of my favorite model years. The glass covered headlights, oversized CHROME bumpers, & small taillights are so cool.
I miss the shipyards, too. The butt-busting work you & others did there made this city great!
Nowhachamean BakNJx. The old bugs were quite the autos. So simple. So effective and efficient for the time. And quite pleasing to the eye. The efficency allowed one to live within one's means more easily than with the huge American autos of the sixties.
My first Bug, bought in '64, was a '58, perhaps with a slightly smaller rear window than your '64. I rebuilt the engine... ran great, and then a drunk rammed its rear. Repaired it and then bought a new '67, which had I think a good jump in rear window size. The bugs were unique, being air cooled, and very simply built so that we could work on them, each having the now rare points, coils, condensers and carburetors. The simplicity of the old autos allows easy wrenching. That's one reason I recently bought an old '34 Ford. Once I learned the simple attributes of the Ford, I have confidence that I will seldom be stranded. To achieve reliability with the Ford, all one need within it are some tools and a spare coil and condenser.
As for my other auto, I never touch it mechanically because one must spend half a day getting to the desired component, not to mention the fact that working on it is discouraged by the computers, which require test equipment investments, along with learning the systems, all requiring time, which I don't have.
Quote from: BackinJax05 on September 02, 2012, 01:45:45 AM
Quote from: Timkin on September 01, 2012, 11:44:55 PM
Quote from: BackinJax05 on August 31, 2012, 12:12:16 AM
r.i.p. Mom :'(
I'm with you there, brother. Mine would be 73 years old this Wed. :'(
Our mothers have gone the way of Jacksonville's historic buildings*. If there is any comfort, at least our moms weren't thoughtlessly bulldozed when they got older.
*When Mom graduated from Andrew Jackson in 1952, the ceremony was at the George Washington Hotel. Oh,George. Where are you now?
True that. Mom graduated from Robert E. Lee class of 1957. I do not know where commencement was held.
Skinner Dairy!
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-sep-taylor-hardwicks-iconic-skinner-stores
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinner_Dairy
Quote from: coredumped on September 02, 2012, 12:45:34 PM
Skinner Dairy!
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-sep-taylor-hardwicks-iconic-skinner-stores
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinner_Dairy
They had the BEST chocolate ice cream! Even better than the national brands.
They also had the secret for getting very rich in Florida; have grandfathers who were dairy farmers.
Not much refrigeration in the early days so the dairy farms had to be close to the cities. Dairy farms take a lot of land. Result? McArthurs, Skinners, etc. Lots of pasture land near Florida's rapidly growing cities.
Has anyone included Winn-Dixie among the dearly departed? Truly it is gone. Stores with that name remain, but the company is no longer among the living - it was absorbed by Bi-Lo. It's kind of funny that JU still has the Davis School of Business, after the present generation of that family showed us how not to do business.
^^^W/D is just a subsidy of BI-LO, just like many other supermarkets are subsidies like Food Lion, so it's hardly 'departed from Jax'. There really is virtually no changes to the W/D stores at all, so it's not like BI-LO (a company based in Jax anyway) came in and did a drastic overhaul, the only difference is on Wall Street. I went to a BI-LO store in Charlotte, and they have a near indentical floor plan to W/D. Winn Dixie seems to be quite well in Jax these days. I know that alot of Publix zombies seem to think that the entire city of Jax is covered with a green & white blanket, but that definitely isn't the case. The WD's I see across the city have a steady clientele which is mixed, something I can't say about the other grocer in Florida.
Quote from: WmNussbaum on September 02, 2012, 11:52:41 PM
Has anyone included Winn-Dixie among the dearly departed? Truly it is gone. Stores with that name remain, but the company is no longer among the living - it was absorbed by Bi-Lo. It's kind of funny that JU still has the Davis School of Business, after the present generation of that family showed us how not to do business.
Mr. Nussbaum..... Do you remember BEFORE Winn-Dixie, it was called Winn-Lovett?
I think Originally Lovett's was here (though not sure it was a Jacksonville-based grocer) Then it became Winn-Lovett and then Winn-Dixie.
Does anyone remember the Frostop Root Beer place across from the Old Normandy Mall? :)
Quote from: WmNussbaum on September 02, 2012, 11:52:41 PM
Has anyone included Winn-Dixie among the dearly departed? Truly it is gone. Stores with that name remain, but the company is no longer among the living - it was absorbed by Bi-Lo. It's kind of funny that JU still has the Davis School of Business, after the present generation of that family showed us how not to do business.
I, personally, wouldnt call the big W-D dearly departed.
P!$$ poor management, and they treat their employees like dirt* I was sooo hoping they would go under >:(
F**K Winn Dixie! >:( >:(
*I know this 1st hand. I worked for the b@$trads right out of high school.
Quote from: ronchamblin on September 02, 2012, 09:18:52 AM
Quote from: BackinJax05 on September 02, 2012, 01:52:15 AM
Quote from: ronchamblin on September 02, 2012, 12:52:10 AM
Nostalgia.. oh the comfort given, as if one has seen one’s long gone grandmother return from the grave to give love and be loved once again. Thus we embrace the images of past realities which offer a comfort and security to our minds, allowing us to believe that some stability, and a little measure of immortality, is with us in this crazy world.
For a long summer in 1964, I worked as a shipfitter helper at Jacksonville Shipyards. I miss the shipyards, the sweet smell of the steel and the welding gases...... the simplicity of the thick 1" steel plates. When we weren't building something, we were repairing something. It was hard work........ 16 hour shifts, seven days a week for about five months, at $1.05/hour, but it was interesting for a young fellow. But then, you could buy a new VW bug for around $1,500 or so.
Did you have a '64 Beetle? Its one of my favorite model years. The glass covered headlights, oversized CHROME bumpers, & small taillights are so cool.
I miss the shipyards, too. The butt-busting work you & others did there made this city great!
Nowhachamean BakNJx. The old bugs were quite the autos. So simple. So effective and efficient for the time. And quite pleasing to the eye. The efficency allowed one to live within one's means more easily than with the huge American autos of the sixties.
My first Bug, bought in '64, was a '58, perhaps with a slightly smaller rear window than your '64. I rebuilt the engine... ran great, and then a drunk rammed its rear. Repaired it and then bought a new '67, which had I think a good jump in rear window size. The bugs were unique, being air cooled, and very simply built so that we could work on them, each having the now rare points, coils, condensers and carburetors. The simplicity of the old autos allows easy wrenching. That's one reason I recently bought an old '34 Ford. Once I learned the simple attributes of the Ford, I have confidence that I will seldom be stranded. To achieve reliability with the Ford, all one need within it are some tools and a spare coil and condenser.
As for my other auto, I never touch it mechanically because one must spend half a day getting to the desired component, not to mention the fact that working on it is discouraged by the computers, which require test equipment investments, along with learning the systems, all requiring time, which I don't have.
There was once a V-W dealership on 8th Street. You could see it from the Haines Street Expressway overpass. I think it was Catlin & Sons, but Im not sure. Anyway I seem to remember in 1974 the MSRP for a new Beetle was $2,526. The Super Beetle was a little bit more money.
There was also Tom Bush Volkwagen, & Frank Griffin Volkswagen. When Frank Griffin 1st opened, he did commercials in a rabbit and superhero costume. He was Super Rabbit - hawking the Volkswagen Rabbit (VW Golf) as it was called in the US back in the 70s. I used to laugh at those commercials. Meanwhile, Mr. Griffin laughed all the way to the bank.
Quote from: BackinJax05 on September 03, 2012, 01:48:58 AM
Quote from: WmNussbaum on September 02, 2012, 11:52:41 PM
Has anyone included Winn-Dixie among the dearly departed? Truly it is gone. Stores with that name remain, but the company is no longer among the living - it was absorbed by Bi-Lo. It's kind of funny that JU still has the Davis School of Business, after the present generation of that family showed us how not to do business.
I, personally, wouldnt call the big W-D dearly departed.
P!$$ poor management, and they treat their employees like dirt* I was sooo hoping they would go under >:(
F**K Winn Dixie! >:( >:(
*I know this 1st hand. I worked for the b@$trads right out of high school.
:o
I-10, I think you meant "subsidiary," not "subsidy." A subsidy is what W-D needed before it went Ch. 11 Belly-Up. To say the only difference is on Wall Street is pretty funny, like "the only difference is that Winn-Dixie as a separately owned entity does not exist. " Which is the case, and which is why I brought it up on this board.
Timkin, I have a vague recollection of Winn-Lovett, but I suspect the Lovetts were bought out in my childhood and I wasn't really paying much attention to anything but "The Lone Ranger" on early TV back then.
During my Junior and Senior year of H.S. I worked for W.D. as a bag boy / stock boy. It was located at the Cedar Hills mall, but on the south side of Wilson Blvd. At that time, the right side of the road was woods. When I returned in 1964 from four years of military, they had moved to the north side of the road, and there was a restaurant there.... sort of like a Morrisons.
There was a Mr. Davis as an assistant manager, who perhaps was a relative of the W.D. owners at the time. However, I heard that the manager fired Mr. Davis when he found Mr. Davis doing something concerning "SEX" with one of the cashier girls, with her approval it was rumored, in the little office at the north end of the front area. Imagine that.... someone doing a "SEX" thing at the workplace.
Us bag boys used to do about $20.00 in tips on a Friday night, and perhaps $28.00 or so on Saturdays. I spent it all on beer, gas, bowling, and the drive in movies.
Ron, there wasn't a SEX thing going on at that drive-in was there? Say it ain't so.
Well Bill....... okay... you caught me. Yes, Yes, Yes..... that no no activity was the essence of the drive in movies. And during the fifties they played the 40's big band music on the speakers while waiting for the show. Remember the green loops called PIC, for mosquitoes in the summer, and how we would occasionally run the motor during the winter, unless of course there was enough other activity to keep things warm?
Quote from: WmNussbaum on September 03, 2012, 09:45:57 AM
I-10, I think you meant "subsidiary," not "subsidy." A subsidy is what W-D needed before it went Ch. 11 Belly-Up. To say the only difference is on Wall Street is pretty funny, like "the only difference is that Winn-Dixie as a separately owned entity does not exist. " Which is the case, and which is why I brought it up on this board.
Yeah, I meant to say subsidiary. To me, there's no equation with being a subsidiary, and not existing. W/D is owned by a company that's based in Jax, anyway. Don't you think that 'W/D not existing' sounds way too dramatic, and offbase? It's not like it's a defunct company like Premier Foods or something.
Thanks for the trip down memories lane.
My contributions: Daly's boat yard, Chili Bordello, Cactus BBQ, Crawdaddy's (remembering when the river walk was THE place to be on a Friday or Saturday night).
^ The Diamond Head Restaurant
The Lobster House Restaurant at the foot of the Acosta Bridge where the most famous movie ever filmed in Jacksonville was made. We lived near the river and it scared me silly.
Quote from: Dog Walker on September 03, 2012, 04:34:46 PM
The Lobster House Restaurant at the foot of the Acosta Bridge where the most famous movie ever filmed in Jacksonville was made. We lived near the river and it scared me silly.
What was that Movie, Dogwalker?
Quote from: ronchamblin on September 03, 2012, 10:19:52 AM
During my Junior and Senior year of H.S. I worked for W.D. as a bag boy / stock boy. It was located at the Cedar Hills mall, but on the south side of Wilson Blvd. At that time, the right side of the road was woods. When I returned in 1964 from four years of military, they had moved to the north side of the road, and there was a restaurant there.... sort of like a Morrisons.
There was a Mr. Davis as an assistant manager, who perhaps was a relative of the W.D. owners at the time. However, I heard that the manager fired Mr. Davis when he found Mr. Davis doing something concerning "SEX" with one of the cashier girls, with her approval it was rumored, in the little office at the north end of the front area. Imagine that.... someone doing a "SEX" thing at the workplace.
Us bag boys used to do about $20.00 in tips on a Friday night, and perhaps $28.00 or so on Saturdays. I spent it all on beer, gas, bowling, and the drive in movies.
;D Laughing!
There is truly nothing new under the sun. At the W-D I worked at, the location manager was terminated for the same thing.
There were dozens of rumors of which cashier Mr. Thompson was banging (also in the front office in front of the store). I dont know why they'd mess around up there; everyone could hear them ::)
If it was the cashier I think it was, I dont blame him for banging her there - or anywhere ;)
Quote from: Pontiffication on September 03, 2012, 03:59:39 PM
Thanks for the trip down memories lane.
My contributions: Daly's boat yard, Chili Bordello, Cactus BBQ, Crawdaddy's (remembering when the river walk was THE place to be on a Friday or Saturday night).
Dont forget River Rally, the outdoor bar next to Crawdaddy's.
Quote from: Timkin on September 03, 2012, 11:42:06 PM
Quote from: Dog Walker on September 03, 2012, 04:34:46 PM
The Lobster House Restaurant at the foot of the Acosta Bridge where the most famous movie ever filmed in Jacksonville was made. We lived near the river and it scared me silly.
What was that Movie, Dogwalker?
Revenge of the Creature. It was a sequel to The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Parts of it were filmed at Marine Studios*, too.
*Later renamed Marineland.
The Creature From the Black Lagoon, the original, was partially filmed in Wakulla Sprinigs and Rice Creek, near Palatka. The Lobster House was featured prominently in the sequel with the Acosta Bridge in the background
Interesting similar discussion on the Jacksonville subreddit:
http://www.reddit.com/r/jacksonville/comments/16bgd8/best_things_about_jacksonvillewhich_are_no_longer/
Quote from: Debbie Thompson on August 26, 2012, 04:10:48 PM
Oops. Wrong Setzter's. Sorry. The one on Philips, I believe, is the Setzer family owned Pic 'n Save. But I could be wrong about that too.
They sell appliances.
The Auchter Company.........started in 1929 they survived the depression, WWII, and subsequent turn downs. They built most of downtown and several hospitals. They got into trouble....... "putting too many eggs into one basket." In the early 2000s they got heavily into the condo market. They closed in the mid 2004 to 2008. I was away when it happened. Some of their buildings included,
The Jacksonville Landing
The Civic Auditorium(in the 60s)
The Independent Life Building
The Jacksonville Center(Aetna)
The Gulf Life Tower (Riverplace)
Prudential building (old one)
St Lukes Hospital
The old Barnett Tower
Maxwell House Coffee (portions)
The old First Union bank building
Penusular Tower
Times Union parking garage.
University Medical Center (Shands) East Addition, North Parking Garage, East tower vertical expansion
LIA Alexander MOB
The old court house
I believe them going up in smoke also resulted in the current new county courthouse being built as designed. When Auchter was in line to construct it, it was supposed to be a mid rise building, similar to the federal courthouse.
A few more for the list...
Jax 76 Truck Stop (northside institution for years in the 40's-80's)
Bubba's BBQ (also a northside institution for years)
Insta-Burger King (now Burger King and moved to Miami - imagine if we had been able to keep them here)
The Talleyrand Hotel (A "men only" hotel built in 1927 for the Ford factory)
Robert Meyer Hotel
Dixieland Amusement Park
Quote from: Overstreet on January 14, 2013, 11:53:15 AM
The Auchter Company.........started in 1929 they survived the depression, WWII, and subsequent turn downs. They built most of downtown and several hospitals. They got into trouble....... "putting too many eggs into one basket." In the early 2000s they got heavily into the condo market. They closed in the mid 2004 to 2008. I was away when it happened. Some of their buildings included,
The Jacksonville Landing
The Civic Auditorium(in the 60s)
The Independent Life Building
The Jacksonville Center(Aetna)
The Gulf Life Tower (Riverplace)
Prudential building (old one)
St Lukes Hospital
The old Barnett Tower
Maxwell House Coffee (portions)
The old First Union bank building
Penusular Tower
Times Union parking garage.
University Medical Center (Shands) East Addition, North Parking Garage, East tower vertical expansion
LIA Alexander MOB
The old court house
Auchter kicked @$$ !
Quote from: Riverrat on January 14, 2013, 02:03:34 PM
A few more for the list...
Jax 76 Truck Stop (northside institution for years in the 40's-80's)
Bubba's BBQ (also a northside institution for years)
Insta-Burger King (now Burger King and moved to Miami - imagine if we had been able to keep them here)
The Talleyrand Hotel (A "men only" hotel built in 1927 for the Ford factory)
Robert Meyer Hotel
Dixieland Amusement Park
I still mourn the senseless demolition of the Robert Meyer Hotel building. It would have made a great business travelers hotel, or even better - downtown condos.
Quote from: BackinJax05 on January 14, 2013, 02:37:32 PM
I still mourn the senseless demolition of the Robert Meyer Hotel building. It would have made a great business travelers hotel, or even better - downtown condos.
Agreed. Wish I had seen the inside of it when it was still operating.
When the Jags had longtime defensive tackle Rob Meier, every time he would make I play I'd observe "They ought to name a hotel after that guy" to the vast confusion of my Virginia friends. I have a Meier jersey that I bought for that reason. I'm also thankful to have tolerant friends.
The Beaches midway and amusement park.
Kiddieland
Oriental Gardens
Dizzyland
Par - 3
Monciref Park (horses)
Quote from: Wacca Pilatka on January 14, 2013, 03:19:45 PM
Quote from: BackinJax05 on January 14, 2013, 02:37:32 PM
I still mourn the senseless demolition of the Robert Meyer Hotel building. It would have made a great business travelers hotel, or even better - downtown condos.
Agreed. Wish I had seen the inside of it when it was still operating.
When the Jags had longtime defensive tackle Rob Meier, every time he would make I play I'd observe "They ought to name a hotel after that guy" to the vast confusion of my Virginia friends. I have a Meier jersey that I bought for that reason. I'm also thankful to have tolerant friends.
I went inside a few times when I was a kid. The Robert Meyer was beautiful. It was also very nice as the Holiday Inn CityCentre. Sadly, the Holiday Inn closed in 1982 and the building never reopened.
Ed Ball lived in a suite at the top of the Robert Myers for many years. He could walk to his offices in the Florida National Bank.
Another fallen Jacksonville Company.
^^ Remember Tillie the all time Teller? She was Florida National Bank's smokin hot "mascot" for their newfangled Automated Teller Machines back in the 70s.
I had a friend who worked at Independent Life (another fallen Jacksonville company), when it was located on Duval Street (before the move to Independent Drive). He talked about the fun in summer, looking down at the young ladies in and around the Robert Meyer swimming pool, that was on the roof of the 4th (?) floor.
& with the tinted windows in the old Independent Life building, he could get away with it, too :D
National Airlines
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Milligans Restaurants
House of Bargains Stores
Van's Brown Derby
Quote from: Ocklawaha on January 15, 2013, 10:08:52 PM
National Airlines
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Milligans Restaurants
House of Bargains Stores
I didnt know National Airlines had been headquartered here. Cool. Then they got absorbed by Pan Am.
National moved its HQ to Miami before its absorption by Pan Am, but it was at one time headquartered at the old Imeson Airport. There's a great article on the old airport's history on here.
Quote from: BackinJax05 on January 15, 2013, 04:12:47 PM
^^ Remember Tillie the all time Teller? She was Florida National Bank's smokin hot "mascot" for their newfangled Automated Teller Machines back in the 70s.
Tillie the all time teller and Atlantic Bank a rounds.. Remember them??
Wow how times have changed.
^^ Every bank & credit union had a catchy name for their ATMs. Barnett Bank (also a fallen Jackonville company) had Sam the SuperTeller.
Did anyone mention Worman's?
Federal Bakery?
Paris Hat Shop?
Kress?
i could go on and on...La Rose Shoes: loved to window shop. There was an articl in the paper a while back about La Rose. The new owner of the building found tons of new shoes inside. Thre is a still a big value on-line for La Rose shoes.
I never knew Kress was headquartered in Jacksonville. Cool.
My mistake, Back in Jax. I got so carried away I forgot the word "headquartered."
mea culpa