Still Reading The Meadowlark, Part 5

This post will finish up the ads in that old student newspaper from Meadowbrook Junior High School, The Meadowlark. Let’s see what other businesses were around in 1951.

Meadowbrook Drug, 3636 Meadowbrook Drive, LA-1605. Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Wilborn, Miss Toni Edwards, Miss Jamie Trainer. Located in that same multi-tenant building at the southwest corner of Ayers and Meadowbrook as Meadowbrook Cleaners and Meadowbrook Dance Studio. There’s no way to know for sure, but it’s not an unreasonable assumption that the Wilborns were the owners with Mr. Wilborn being the pharmacist. The two single ladies would have been employees who handled the non-pharmacological aspects of the business.

J.E. Kuykendall Lumber Co., Lumbering Along, 3200 E. Lancaster, LO-1921. This business’s location is particularly interesting because it apparently occupied the future site of Meadowbrook Bowling Lanes, which gave way in turn to the current TWU soccer field. It must’ve moved shortly thereafter because Meadowbrook lanes had been there for some time when I returned to Ft. Worth in 1961.

Everybody ought to know to go to Tandy Lake Garage, 3505 E. Lancaster. Free Pick-Up And Delivery. Almost directly across the street from our late, lamented Flashpoint Boogie Burger, it was owned by Mr. Thomas. He and his wife lived behind the garage in a house that fronted on Sanderson (I believe). His wife raised Chow-Chows.

Tandy Lake Service Station, 3501 E. Lancaster, LA-9489. Texaco Products, Washing, Lubrication, Road Service. Immediately west of Tandy Lake Garage at the corner of E. Lancaster and Sanderson. By the early 1960s, it was owned and operated by a man who’s first name was Ted, but the last name escapes me. Still a Texaco station, though. I did quite a lot of business at both the service station and garage.

State Bank of East Fort Worth, 1100 Nashville, LO-2811. We would welcome a visit from you – Convenient Banking Service. Member of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

This was probably the largest building on Nashville Street between E. Vickery and E. Rosedale. It remained there until at least the late 1960s or 1970s when it relocated into that multi-story building at the corner of Beach and Scott on the south side of I-30. Today Chase Bank occupies the space.

Washing and Lubrication. Tire Service. Harry Lawing’s Service Station. “Sinclair Products”. 3950 E. Lancaster, Ph LA-9126. It’s been said that the more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s certainly true where service stations are concerned because 3950 E. Lancaster is basically where Valero is currently located, on E. Lancaster between C lairemont and Boston.

Beavers Food Store, 3301 E. Lancaster. Quality Meats and Groceries – Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. This store was on the northeast corner of Collard and E. Lancaster. By the early 1960s it was still a food store but operating under a different name.

Bill Kuykendall Appliances, 323 Collard. LA-8927, LA-2127. This business was south of E. Lancaster, undoubtedly between E. Lancaster and Panola.

Hart’s Dress Shop, 3708 E. Lancaster. Styles For Teen-Agers. LA-0964. That things were beginning to change is apparent by the rise of stores catering to very specific groups. Teen-age girls in this case.

Only two ads remain, one for a church and the other for a new pharmacy. Let’s look at the church ad first.

We Invite All Meadowbrook Students To Spend Their Sunday With Us. This Is A Young Peoples Church. Sagamore Hill Baptist Church. W. Fred Swank, Pastor.

It’s obvious from the ad that the East Side had a large population of young people, as well as parents who were mostly in their 20s and early 30s. No wonder Sagamore Hill promoted themselves as they did. The church was located on Panola at a point where Rand Street empties into Panola. Today that property belongs to the Charity Church and Sagamore Hill is building a new campus on Eastchase Parkway, just south of Meadowbrook.

As for the drugstore? Let’s take a look at their ad.

Hello! Meadowbrook Students! Have You Seen The New Jack Collier Drug Store? A Wonderful Place To Meet Your Friends and Enjoy Refreshing Fountain Drinks. You Are Always Welcome At Jack Collier Professional Drug Stores. We Give S&H Green Stamps. 3700 E. Lancaster.

The strip center between Ayers and Forby on the south side of E. Lancaster was the location for Jack Collier Drug. Today it’s a run down flea market, but in 1951, Jack Collier Drug Store anchored the center on the Ayers end. Next to it was a shoe repair, then Ben Franklin 5 & 10 and at the opposite end, Worth Food Mart. All of those businesses were there until well into the 1960s and some stayed longer than that. Jack Collier Drug remained until the early 1970s, I believe, when it moved to the corner of Meadowbrook and Yeager, becoming Eastern Hills Pharmacy in the process.

As the ad said, Jack Collier Drug had a full service soda fountain, complete with stools at the counter as well as booths. Believe me, you haven’t lived if you haven’t had a real, thick milkshake served in a heavy, tall glass.

Well, that’s it for all the ads. Next post we’ll look at some of the written information in The Meadowlark and I’ll see what I can do about scanning parts of it.