Re: Richmond District Memories in new Streetwise

10/20/10 - posted by Tammy A.

Great minds'-eye tour, Frank, with your usual warm reminiscences. Places that I add to my own minds'-eye tour:

Rancho, the little diner on the south side of Geary btwn 15th & 16th. I have a vivid recollection of ice cream in cube wrappers. If they had kept up the place, they totally could have cashed in on the popularity of Toy Story, just as the revived Mel's rode on the back of American Graffiti.

Canterbury Corner @ SW corner of 17th & Geary for books, greeting cards and gifts, where I first lusted after a felt banner of a bleary-eyed Snoopy "I Think I'm Allergic to Morning" which I finally bought online a couple years ago! The Royal Exchange isn't bad, but any time you lose a bookstore it's a big loss.

City Super @ SE corner of 17th & Geary which burned down in the early 1960s, and Romey's (sp?) on the south side of Geary btwn 18th & 19th where I would buy rice crackers, they also had excellent produce and meats.

The Five and Dime!!! Also on the south side of Geary btwn 18th & 19th. Oh, Gunther, why did you close this store...when I see him on occasion, I can never bring myself to ask.

Adolph Gasser, where I bought my first "real" camera, and many other accessories there over the years. He blamed the store closure on the internet. Man, you've gotta adapt or die. Their remaining store on 2nd Street is really sad.

...and I see you are perpetuating the Lana Turner story! She is a graduate of Hollywood High...only attended GWHS for one semester before moving to LA. This is directly from the mouth of Annabelle and her friend Helen who just died a couple months ago. I keep taking her name off GW's Wikipedia listing and someone keeps putting it back on. *sigh*