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                        ~ 1848 East 38th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 5/2/09 ~                     

                                                   We all remember Dave's Popcorn, right?                                                   
As grade school aficionados we bought popcorn at Dave's original location at the north end of Lake Nokomis, the northwest corner of
Cedar Avenue and Minnehaha Parkway. 

Dave's was in a white wooden pavilion that also rented bikes and other items.  Next to it, to the north, was a miniature golf course. 
I spent a lot of time there.  It was a fun place and I was really disappointed when it closed and was demolished. 
There was another mini-golf place located about 43rd and Hiawatha Avenue. 
Does anyone remember either of these?

Dave's relocated in the '60s to its current location, the intersection of East 38th Street and Longfellow Avenue. 
This is one block east of Cedar Avenue and 15 blocks west of the Hiawatha Light Rail line.

They are open seasonally from May through October.  Dave's has been a local favorite for over fifty years. 
Their menu has been expanded since the '50s and '60s.  There is a lot of variety. 

I happened to stop by on opening day, took some photos, and
bought a large bag of this wonderful popcorn.


5/2/09

 


Flat Top Drive-Inn

 

4604 East Lake Street, 1958
 ~ Photo Source:  Jerry Simonson, SHS ~


Raymond Truelson partnered with Warren Nelson* in a drive-in restaurant called the Flat Top in the late 1940s. 
Truelson also founded the Flat Top on 58th and Lyndale Avenue South some years later.  It then became Porky's, although I don't remember that. 
The Flat Top Drive-Inn was located at the northeast corner of East Lake Street & 46th Avenue South, just inside Minneapolis from the Lake Street bridge. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find among my email messages this photo of the Flat Top Drive-Inn from the year, 1958. 
In response to my comment that "it would be fun to have a photo of the Flat Top to include here on the web site", Jerry Simonson responded with this great picture.  Jerry, a South High graduate, has family and friends who attended Roosevelt.  If you look closely at this photo, you'll see him, standing by his "1950 Oldsmobile 88 Rocket.  Note the 1956 spinner hubcaps.  It was a very fast Lake Street car in it's day". 
How generous, Jerry, thanks much.

I recall driving down Lake Street many times and passing by this drive-in, but don't recall stopping in.  I do remember my cousin taking me there in my grade school days.  She worked as a car-hop at Bill's A & W nearby, closer to the Lake Street bridge, on the northwest corner of West River Road.

"My mom and dad, Éclair and Agnes Erhardt, owned the Flat Top Drive-Inn from 1958 - 1964. 
It was located on the corner of 46th Avenue South and Lake Street.  My folks sold the drive-in and bought a restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. 
My dad offered Hamburgers for 10¢, French Fries for 15¢ and his slogan was, "All This and Carhops Too"!  
He was trying to compete with the brand new fast food restaurant that had just opened - McDonalds!

     
 ~ Clarees (Erhardt) Vesey, SHS '66 ~

"The Flat Top was located on the N.E. corner of 46th Avenue South and East Lake Street.  We lived next door at 2947 46th Ave. S.  My mom, who is almost 90, can't remember the names of the many carhops, cashiers, fountaineers, cooks, etc. who worked for her and for my Dad."
~ Clarees (Erhardt) Vesey, SHS '66 ~ 4/2/11

"Always went to the Flat-Top and enjoyed the Hamburgers and Fries and Malts.  This was the place to hang out with friends."
~ Janice (Gustafson) Brady, SHS '56 ~

"The Flat Top had the best and first shoestring-style French Fries and Malts waaayyy before McDonald's,
just inside Minneapolis from the old Lake Street Bridge."
~ Andy Driscoll, Saint Paul ~

 

*I am saddened to read that Warren W. "Bill" Nelson passed away on December 24, 2009. 

"Nelson graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1946 and left his studies at the University of Minnesota to start his own restaurant,
The Flat Top -- one of the first drive-ins in Minneapolis. 

After this first success, he started what became the place to go to in Northeast Minneapolis, The Sun Drive Inn,
where the Sun Burger was popular with the crowds.  Few will remember the early days when Warren would hire country western singers to sit on the back
fence and play on sunny Sunday afternoons.  Many, though, will remember the Sun in the 1960s with the lines of cars snaking through the lot and the drone of the many V8s on Saturday nights.  People also came to see the billboard featuring original art work by local artists that reflected the turbulent times. 

Warren went on to create his own successful business real estate company, Warren Nelson Business Brokers.  He was a proud graduate of the University of Minnesota and returned to the U of M in his 70s where he graduated in 2002 - 60 years after starting his studies at the U."


Warren W. Nelson
 



Here is a picture recently submitted to me, taken in March, 1958
  ~ Photo Source:  James D. Goudy, RfldHS '58 ~ 4/1/11

"The carhop in the picture is Judy, my first girlfriend.  Judy was in the 10th grade at Roosevelt at that time. 
She moved to Bloomington during the next year.  I attended Richfield High and graduated in '58. 
The picture was taken by a friend of mine from inside his new 1958 Chevrolet."
 

Ford Bridge Drive-In
 

The Ford Bridge Drive-In was located at 4556 46th Avenue South.
 (northwest corner of 46th & 46th)
 June 14, 1956
Painting of Drive-In
I am not promoting the site content in this link above, just offering a colored painting of the Ford Bridge Drive-In for comparison.

 

The drive-in may have been our parents' haunt and not in operation during our high school days.
Does anyone know?

As I drove by the location recently, I noticed that the lot is vacant.  Times are changing!

"The Ford Bridge Drive-In was owned by some friends of my folks.  Their names were Dee and Garney Richardson.  Dee 'invented' the broasting method of deep frying chicken (deep frying in a pressure cooker).  After that took off, they closed the drive-in and only sold their machines out of the building.  They lived along 46th Street just a couple of blocks west."
~ Mike Rick RHS, '62 ~
"Broaster and Broasted are registered trademarks of the Broaster Company of Beloit, Wisconsin that has been broasting chickens since 1954.
Broasting is a process that builds pressure in the pot which seals in the natural juices while sealing out almost 100% of the cooking oil. 
It is not only the process of frying chickens under pressure, but includes a special marinating process. 
The Broasting process makes chicken that has the taste of fried chicken, but is moister and less greasy. 
This process is not available to home cooks.  The Broasters and the seasonings are sold only to restaurants and the food trade, so
Broasted chicken is available to you only when you dine out. 
Not only does it taste better, but it has fewer calories, less fat, lower carbs, and more moisture."
~ online sources ~

The Ford Bridge Drive-In was also popular for the Rich-O root beer it sold.  The Richardson's son, Craig is a Roosevelt grad., class of '67.
~ Dale Gordon, RHS '67 ~
 

Joe & Eddie's Drive-In


~ Does anyone have a photo from the '50s or '60s? ~

"Joe & Eddie's Drive-In was located on 45th & Minnehaha Avenue, right on the northwest corner,
directly across Minnehaha Avenue from Minnehaha Falls Garden and Nursery.  There is an apartment building located there now. 
They were known for their tasty burgers and fries, and they even toasted the hamburger buns! 
It was great!  They had car hops and counter service too."

Cindy recalls, "I remember lots of windows and I believe there was a counter, perhaps horseshoe in shape with booths around the perimeter. 
I do believe it was a man and a woman who ran it, and I think they used to live on 46th Street, just a block from the drive-in."

~ Cindy Knutson, RHS '72 ~
Joseph and Adeline Belmore owned the establishment.  They lived directly behind the drive-in on its west side,
at 3808 East 45th Street.  Their son, Eddie, was a Minneapolis policeman at the 3rd precinct. 
Therefore, the drive-in was probably named for the father and the son.

~ Darryl Bonin, RHS '64 ~

Courtesy the Class of '64
This is the apartment that was built on the land that formerly was occupied by Joe & Eddie's. 
Across Minnehaha Avenue, on the northeast corner, the Falls Nursery is still in business.

4444 Minnehaha Avenue
Minneapolis Minnesota  55406

    
Minnehaha Falls Nursery
Photos taken 4/3/11
When Joe & Eddie's closed, the building was moved near the southwest corner of 50th Street East and 34th Avenue South. 
The building exists today, as a Mexican restaurant called Dominguez Family Restaurant at 3313 E. 50th Street.  It is the third property
from the southwest corner.  "The back side of former Joe & Eddie's now faces the rear" (top row, second photo from left, below), towards the south. 

Asian food was served here for quite some time prior to this Mexican cuisine according to Steve Peasley '73.

One day, I stopped by to check it out and to photograph the restaurant's exterior. 
After doing so, I went inside and spoke with the manager who confirmed that I, indeed, had taken photos of the former drive-in. 
He indicated that the building was really in disrepair when the family purchased it three years ago.  Next, he asked if I wanted to photograph the interior. 
I hadn't really planned on it, but he was very enthusiastic about all the renovation they had done, so I politely accepted, then got the grand tour! 
They have several tables in the back where their many windows face south.  Next, he pointed out the kitchen where his mother, the owner,
was busy deep-frying tons of corn chips.  We went downstairs where they have a small party room and restroom facilities. 
He wanted me to check out the party room and especially the restroom to see how nicely decorated it was. 
We then returned upstairs where he showed me the family photo at the entrance.
 
~ Cindy Knutson, RHS '72 & Jan Anderson RHS '62 ~
Here is a Grand Tour for You Too!
             

     
 

 The Dominguez family
grandmother, mother, Sabino-manager and brothers in back row

5/1/09
 
La Pizzeria

~ 33 West Lake Street ~
I remember a popular pizza place that was always packed on Saturday nights. 
We used to cruise down Lake Street on occasion with a car load of hungry teens to savor this pizza and check out who all was there.
 
La Pizzeria was located on the south side of West Lake Street between Nicollet and Blaisdell Avenues, a few doors east of Blaisdell. 
It did not extend to the corner, and the address was 33 West Lake Street.  "Next to the La Pizzeria was Champion Auto Parts, that went to the corner of Lake & Blaisdell", explains Wayne. 
I notice that the Vogue Theater was located on the other side of La Pizzeria, just east of it, at 31 W. Lake Street. 
I never saw a movie at the Vogue.  It was too far from the regular theater favorites.  It was renamed and eventually demolished.
Tom McNamee owned La Pizzeria, and it was opened in 1957 at 33 West Lake Street. 
At some point, he purchased the President Cafe on Nicollet Avenue, because he knew the strip on Lake Street was going to be torn down. 
In about 1963, when the strip was demolished, Tom moved his La Pizzeria business to the basement of the President Cafe. 
It wasn't there too long, only about two years until 1964 or 1965. 

Horsch's Meat Market was located on the southwest corner of Blaisdell and West Lake Street. 
The La Pizzeria business moved into that spot when Horsch's went out of business in '64 or '65. 
Later, in the 1990s the building was under different ownership and was renamed,
Champions Sports Bar & Grill; but La Pizzeria pizza was still in business there.

Today, you'll find a bar and eating place at that location, probably under still a different name. 
In the last four years, the La Pizzeria pizza business was sold. * 
The La Pizzeria location that we frequented in 1962 and years prior,
was the original location at 33 West Lake Street.
 ~ Sources:  Dave Lindquist, RHS '62, Wayne Rixmann CHS '62, and Harald Huglen CHS '62 ~

 * A conflicting comment with that provided above, in the paragraph above:
"The present location still has the same menu. 
The only thing that changed is the name, Champions Sports Bar & Grill, corner of Lake and Blaisdell. 
My brother, Tom is still the owner."
 ~ Bill McNamee, CHS '57 ~

Link
 ~ McNamee owner of former La Pizzeria, Page 4 ~

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On December 23, 2009, I received an email from Carl W. Horsch that offers some different information.  It appears that there are some inaccuracies above. 
Carl says, "Some of your dates regarding La Pizzeria and Horsch's Meat Market are way off.  My father owned Horsch's from 1936 until December, 1979.  He originally had the NW corner of Blaisdell and Lake and moved to the SW corner in 1963.  The meat market went out of business sometime in the late 1980s (your site says '64 or '65), and La Pizzeria took over the entire building and changed its name to Champions Bar and Grill. 

The Nicollet Lake area was torn down and Nicollet was closed off in the 1970s not 1963." 
Carl has some old photos of the Meat Market and the general area.  I hope to hear from him again to get some additional photos for the site for all to enjoy.

~ If anyone can clarify further, it would be greatly appreciated. ~
 ~ webmaster ~
"The La Pizzeria was just west of the Vogue Theatre between Nicollet and Blaisdell as I remember it, and I took lots of dates there! "
~ John Edstrom, CHS '59 ~
 
     Any further information would be appreciated.  Photos anyone?
 
 
Lake Hiawatha Park

A lot of changes are happening at Lake Hiawatha Park.  Take a look at these pictures.
To view in more detail, click the icon in the lower right corner.

                
               
Photos taken 4/3/11
 
 
Latham's Drive-In
Richfield, 1958

"This photo of Latham's Drive-In is from my Richfield yearbook from 1958. 
Latham's was located at Lyndale Avenue South near the corner of 77th Street.  It was on what would be the SE corner, but as I remember, back then 77th Street didn't cross Lyndale to the East. 
Highway 100 (now 494) divided Richfield and Bloomington between 77th and 78th Streets." 

Although this was not necessarily one of our hang-outs in '62, I thought it was an interesting contribution.


 
~ Jim Goudy, RfldHS '58  12/10/11 ~
"At the NE corner of 78th and Lyndale was the A & W Comanche Drive-In built in the mid-fifties."

 

Marty's Broiler



~ Geoffrey Moore, RHS '66 ~
"Do I remember Marty's!  Spent many hours hanging out there.  I was part of a picture taken in Marty's that was used as an ad for Watkins vitamins.  It ran in Good Housekeeping magazine." (photo above)
"The only thing missing on the picture above was the cloud of cigarette smoke that hung in the air. 
Of course Watkins vitamins didn't want that to show in their ad."
  
I asked Geoff if he could identify any of the students in the picture . . . 
He replied, "I am the red-headed boy sitting directly across from the guy in the white shirt with the black numbers on it. 
His name was Keith Ross (deceased '71).  I'm seated in the booth in the back right corner behind the girl in the orange dress. 
I know who most of the people were, and most of them were out of the class of '65. 
The guy at the front table with his back to the camera was my brother, Mark Moore (deceased '74). 
The girl at the front table is Carol Fredrickson and the guy she's feeding pizza to is Dave Quinlan. 
Linda Bertrand is the girl sitting next to Keith Ross."
 

Menu Favorites
5 Hamburgers for a $1.00
Homemade Ice Cream
Pizza & Malts

"Marty's was actually called Marty's Broiler.  They served food and sold grandma Marty's homemade ice cream. 
It was the hangout for Nokomis students after school."
~ Geoff Moore, RHS '66 ~

"Marty's malt shop was on 34th Avenue at 50th street and I knew one of his kids our age Faith Marty."
~ F. David Shrewsbury RHS '61 ~

"It was the malt shop across from Skylane Bowling.  They had booths in the basement where kids sat to sneak a cigarette."
~Janice Dejoy, RHS '56 ~
 
 "Marty's 5 hamburgers for a $1.00"
~Barbara (Battershell) Anderson, RHS '68 ~

"We used to go there after school (Nokomis) and play pinball.  I think they had the 'Buck-a-roo'. 
Now it's either a Pizza Hut or a Domino's.  It's delivery or take out only."
~ Gregory Koberstein, RHS '70 ~
"I remember the old Marty's and did go in the basement once or twice, but mostly I remember Marty's after it was remodeled and
there was no access to the basement."
~ Geoff Moore, RHS '66 ~
"Marty's was across from the bowling alley and next to a gas station on one side and a laundromat on the other.  It was at the opposite end of the strip center from the liquor store, on the north end of the complex. 
The gas station was to the north of Marty's.  I live out of state, but as far as I know the building is still there."
~ Geoff Moore, RHS '66 ~
"In Marty's location now is a PIZZA HUT.  At one time, there was a jeweler there and a CPA/tax service office."
~ Dale Gordon, RHS '67 ~
 

Mel-O-Glaze Bakery

~ Submitted by:  Paulette, February 14, 2011 ~

"Someone told me about your website, what fun!  I own Mel-O-Glaze Bakery... 
I remember watching the kids walk past our place on the way home from school...  You could set your clock by when they would appear and many
would stop for a donut.  Does anyone perhaps have a story or a photo of my place?  We too are celebrating out 50th year this spring!"
~ Mel-O-Glaze Bakery ~

4800 28th Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417
612-729-9316

Here is a thumbnail picture if you need a closer view of the sign.  (use icon on lower right corner to enlarge, then scroll down)

 "Thought you'd enjoy seeing a photo of the donut shop on the Parkway.  Make the photo full screen so you can read the sign in front. 
Drove by on my way to dinner."
~ Submitted by:  Barbara (Carlson) Kapela '62, September 18, 2010 ~
~ Classmate Comment ~
"Love the web site...what great memories.  The Mel-O-Glaze particularly brings me back.  My family would go to church every Sunday at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church and our treat would be to stop, run in, and order a dozen glazed doughnuts to take home.  To this day, I don't think I have ever had a better glazed doughnut!"
Jeri (Johnson) Leiendecker RHS '62
 
 

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