Retro Rewind - .02

 It's time for another edition of Retro Rewind and a look back on memories from my childhood, growing up in the 60's and 70's.

FAVORITE FOODS

Growing up I was literally addicted to Dr. Pepper! And while these days I prefer Coke, in junior high and high school I drank Dr. Pepper like water. while it's still a popular choice today, a lot has changed over the years, and it's fun to see how it has evolved. 

Did you know that Dr. Pepper is the oldest major soft drink made in America? The recipe was created in Waco, Texas by pharmacist Charles Alderton in 1885 and was first nationally marketed at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. Today there is an entire museum dedicated to its history. 

The branding has changed a bit over the years, and they've had some unique marketing campaigns as well, like this commercial from 1979, do you remember Be A Pepper? I even had an I'm A Pepper t-shirt. I think I could probably sing the entire song from memory, as well as Hilltop, which was a popular song written for a Coca Cola marketing campaign.Do you remember that one? What was your favorite soft drink from back in the day?

FAVORITE STORES

TG&Y

In my previous Retro Rewind, I shared about going to my favorite store, Kresge, but another favorite we often frequented was TG&Y. The store we shopped at was located in the Haltom Plaza shopping center, which still exists today, though TG&Yclosed many years ago. The shopping center opened in 1959, and the original neon sign is still operational. TG&Y was a 5-10 cent store, and I spent a hefty chunk of my allowance there every week. I also recall my mom often shopped there for Christmas presents. They had a wonderful toy department. We spent a lot of time at other stores in Haltom Plaza, too, shopping for food at Wyatt's Supermarket, eating lunch every Sunday after church at Wyatt's cafeteria, and then going for ice cream at Ashburn's. So many great memories! I also remember getting the absolute best brownies from the bakery at Buddie's Supermarket, which was at another location. We also had a Safeway and Piggy Wiggly nearby, though I don't recall shopping at them as much. In one of the stores, maybe Safeway, there was an area where children could sit and watch cartoons while their mother's shopped. I don't recall my mom every letting me do that, but I always thought it looked like fun. What grocery stores can you recall from your childhood? 

FAVORITE TV SHOWS -  TV GUIDE AND THE BEST FRIDAY NIGHT LINE UP

There as a period of time in the 1970's when the line up of sitcoms on Friday night kept me entertained for hours. The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family (I had a HUGE crush on David Cassiday), Room 222, The Odd Couple and Love American Style, which, looking back, I can't believe my mother let me watch. It was my favorite night of the week to watch television, and even more fun if I was having a friend over to spend the night, which I often did. Later in the evening we would watch The Midnight Special and listen to our favorite bands. The 50's, 60's and 70's were the golden age of hollywood and television. Even today I rarely find anything that compares with the quality and wholesome goodness of that era. Most of these old sitcoms are still available to stream today, and I enjoy watching an episode or two from time to time.

- The Brady Bunch  - you can watch the first three seasons for free on Pluto, and Paramount has all five seasons, but requires a subscription.

- The Partridge Family - you can watch all four seasons on Tubi.

- Room 222 - I haven't been able to find a streaming service that carries this show, but you can find a few episode on You Tube.

- The Odd Couple - you can watch all five seasons on Pluto for free.

- Love American Style - not available from a streaming service, that I can find anyway, but you can find some episodes on You Tube.

- The Midnight Special - and it's the same for The Midnight Special. This link will take you to an episode, hosted by Helen Reddy, which I don't recall, I always thought it was hosted by Wolfman Jack? 

Back then I kept up with all my favorite shows by checking the schedule in TV Guide. Although our guide came in the Sunday paper, my maternal grandmother subscribed to the actual guide for years and she saved all her old copies for me to peruse. I loved reading the articles and learning about my favorite shows and stars. I wish I'd held on to more than a few of them now, as many of them have become collectors items, and here's a guy who has them all! There is also apparently a book, TV Guide: The First 25 Years that chronicles the history of the publication and highlights some of the bigger issues and articles. I'm not sure I'd want to read it cover to cover, but it might be fun to peruse.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little trip down memory lane, and that it's evoked a few of your own nostalgic memories. Did you have a favorite tv show, or Hollywood crush growing up? Let's chat in the comments!

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