Re: GET's on sloat

04/10/02 - posted by Josie

I loved the GET Shopping Mall! They had the best Toy Store in the Avenues. There used to be a nice toy store in West Portal too, but after the early l970's it was a thing of the past.

When GET first opened it was accessible to one only if they were a government employee, as was my Father. You had to show a card before each purchase. GET meant "Government Employees Together". I guess you could call it a sort of PX for those not in uniform but working for the government.

I remember that GET had a great houseware department that one would go downstairs to get to and the prices were very reasonable. They also had a wonderful clothing department for men, women and children there....very reasonably priced and of good quality.

The Lucky's there was a very friendly neighborhood supermarket back then. We're talking about the l960's and l970's here!

GET was a wonderful place to shop, especially at Christmastime!

Of course, GET has now given way to the Sloat Shopping Center with more upscale names like Noah's Bagel's and one of the sleekest looking post offices I've ever been in!
The parking, however, is a mess, indicating how people- infested the Avenues have become. Sad to say, the charm of GET has been nullified by big business.

I remember a lot about San Francisco before it became famous for it's highly-priced real estate and it's Dot Commers. It used to be just as "homey" a place as the ones people write of in novels when they open with "Walking down the town's main street made you realize how lucky you were to have grown up in a place that...." I think nearly every native San Franciscan can fill in the blanks of that sentence.

If you remember "Emperor Norton's Treasure Hunt"; Sunday morning readings with the Examiner's "Puck, the Comic Weekly"; "Fireman Frank" on TV; The May Day at the Park in the Parkside District every May 1st; Eating Its Its at the Beach; Kiddie Matinees at the Parkside, Empire, El Rey and other theatres;Admission to Kiddie Matinees with a 7-up Bottle Cap; King Kong's yearly appearance at the Golden Gate Theatre; Going to the Geneva Drive-in with your parents wearing p.j.'s; Stonestown "before" it was enclosed; St. Patrick's Day at China Beach; The parade all the Trick or Treaters in the Avenues walked in dressed in their Costumes on Halloween Night up Taraval Street; and on and on and on....then you are truly one of those fortunates who are a part of an era of San Francisco's History that will always claim you as one of its precious own.