Ads From The Real Meadowlark, Part 3

Moving on to page four of the Meadowbrook Junior High’s student newspaper, we’re beginning to see what a vibrant place the East Side of Ft. Worth was in 1951. Let’s check out some more businesses:

Geo. Gunter’s Texaco Service Station, 1901 E. Lancaster, phone ED-9421. Complete Lubrication – Road Service. This address placed it near the corner of E. Lancaster and Grafton, where the Salvation Army building sits today.

Harry Smith’s Meadowbrook Dance Studio, 3628 Meadowbrook Drive, phone LA-8501. Private – Semi-Private or Class Lessons In Ballroom Dancing. Professional Teacher – Proven Method. Call between 6 and 10 p.m. Monday and Wednesday For Appointment.

The location of the was near the intersection of N. Ayers and Meadowbrook Drive, on the south side of the street. As close as I can figure, it was due north of the old Stripling/Cox (and future police crime lab) building.

J. Fred Smith, Office 3114-A East Rosedale, phones: LA-5532 and LA-8496 – Res. LA-5466. Real Estate And Insurance Of All Kinds. Location was across the street from Texas Wesleyan University.

Charlie Isham Service Station, Corner of Meadowbrook and E. Lancaster, Telephone LA-9124. Our Fast Service Keeps Us Busy. This business sat was located on that triangular piece of land where Buck’s Auto Upholstery did business for so many years. Considering the configuration of the building in relation to the land, I’m still trying to figure out where the gas pumps were located.

Snapshots, Inc., 2455 E. Lancaster, phone LO-2823. Quality Photo Finishing. Just a couple of blocks west of Beach Street on the north side of E. Lancaster, I believe the building is still there. In fact, it was still a photo finishing operation in the 1960s and possibly into the 1970s. I did quite a bit of business with them during that time period, though the name was different.

Long Beauty Shop, Phone LA-4194. For Freedom. For Fun. For Femininity. Short Hair Fills The Bill For You. It’s Practical. It’s Gay. It’s Pretty.

No address is given for this business, but the ad is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, short hair on women was in fashion again. Second, the phrase ‘It’s Gay’ had a totally different meaning. The term meant that you were happy, excited and/or merry. Things change and so do the meanings and useage of words.

Jack Blair Floor Company, 305 Collard, LO-1971. A full service flooring company, it’s location was about a half block south of Collard & E. Lancaster on the east side of the street, directly across from the present-day soccer field for TWU. Jack Blair is now doing business from the 5500 block of W. Vickery.

Meadowbrook Cleaners, 3632 Meadowbrook, phone LA-8469. “Where Better Cleaning Is Done.” Save With Cash And Carry. Pick-Up and Delivery Service. W.S. Samply, owner.

Location was in the same brick building on the south side of Meadowbrook at the intersection of Meadowbrook and N. Ayers. They had the space immediately west of the Meadowbrook Dance Studio.

The last ad on page 3 was from Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Fort Worth. The plant itself was located, I believe, on South Main, about halfway between E. Lancaster and Magnolia Street. But it’s what’s in the ad that tells you a lot about what things were like in those days. It featured a huge number 5, Drink Coca-Cola in white on a dark circle background and a phrase above it that said Two Things That Go Together – Coke And 5c. That’s right, folks. Cokes, in the familiar wasp waist glass bottles and beer bottle style caps that required bottle openers, were only a nickle and available from vending machines and coolers virtually everywhere.

We’ll tackle page 5 in the next post. Hang in there, people, there’s a lot more to tell.