It was a time when dinner and a movie cost $5 for two; Oertle’s was the place to shop, and Renberg’s offered service with style.
Those places are gone. Replaced with T.G.I Friday’s, television stations and empty buildings.
For those that want to reminisce about an earlier time, or peek into Tulsa’s history, here are some Vintage Ads from Tulsa’s Past.
(Click the ads to enlarge.)
10. Sirloin Stockade’s $1.49 Meal
In 1976, Sirloin Stockade wanted to make us happy with a $1.49 meal. That price would make many of us happy today. Although they are no longer in Tulsa, there is one location near us in Okmulgee. I don’t think they’ll honor the price.
9. Dinner and a Movie at the Annex 3
After dinner at Sirloin Stockade, you could stop at the Annex 3 to catch a movie. The Annex 3 is gone. It was demolished in the 1990s during the Southroads Shopping Center remodel. T.G.I Friday’s, Vintage Stock and other retail chains are in the locations now. Click here for a photo of Annex 3, after they expanded and became the Annex 7.
8. T.G.& Y.
Before Wal-Mart became the number one retailer, T.G. & Y. was number one in Oklahoma. Based in Oklahoma City, the company grew to 930 stores by the 1980s. They filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and closed shortly thereafter. This ad is from the 1950s.
7. OTASCO
Appliance, tires and toys. I’ll always remember it as the place to spend my birthday money.
6. Safeway Needs a Baker
Safeway needs a Baker. Actually, they need to come back. The Oklahoma Safeway stores were spun into Homeland grocery stores. In 1989, Homeland and Safeway were considered the regional grocery powerhouse. There’s one Homeland left in Tulsa with four employees for everyone one customer.
5. Sears $17.45 Tires
Today, $17.45 may cover the sales tax for a new tire. In 1954, $17.45 covered the cost of a new tire.
4. Renberg’s
The place to go for service, selection and style. While other retailers abandoned Downtown Tulsa, Renberg’s stuck it out through the 1980s. The Downtown location is also the building where the infamous encounter in an elevator happened that led to the Tulsa Race Riot.
3. Oertle’s
Only a native Tulsan would know Oertle’s. This was the first true Tulsa retail discount store, long before Target and Wal-Mart moved to town. The building is now home to FOX 23 news.
2. Casa Bonita’s Exciting Career Options
Never considered Casa Bonita as a career option. I’m still not.
1. Bell’s Amusement Park
One of the most missed Tulsa traditions.
October 14, 2008 at 6:51 pm |
I loved OTASCO stores. They were so funny.
October 15, 2008 at 6:49 am |
I bought a Snoopy Snowcone Machine there.
October 15, 2008 at 10:48 pm |
I bought my first lawnmower at Otasco.
That’s funny. I busted out an old Monopoly game I had stuffed in a closet and found a TG&Y pencil in there. Bet I could sell it on Ebay for millions!
October 16, 2008 at 9:19 pm |
These are great! I remember a few of these stores growing up in OKC. I still have the giant boombox that I bought at Otasco sometime in the early 80’s. TG&Y was very close and we were in there all the time I remember. We had Casa Bonita also. Thanks for sharing.
October 16, 2008 at 10:29 pm |
You’re welcome Jason. I’m glad you enjoyed them.
October 20, 2008 at 3:57 pm |
I miss the old stores. I hate Walmart. Do you remember Streets in Southroads Mall? My grandmother worked there – very classy clothing. How about Looboyles. I remember their soda fountain. Nothing memorible about Walmart. I can’t believe that Western Auto is still going, it was from that era, too. There is still a Western Auto in Mannford.
October 20, 2008 at 4:11 pm |
I don’t Liz, but I do remember when Southroads Mall (now The Promenade) was an open mall with sidewalks. Wasn’t it in the 1990s they remodeled Southroads into a closed mall?
October 21, 2008 at 11:50 am |
I don’t remember the dates as I moved away from Tulsa and then came back to a different town. I remember seeing Cat Ballou at the Boman Twin. Also, my mother shopped at Frougs. http://www.TulsaTVMemories.com is a neat website for Tulsan’s, too.
October 21, 2008 at 11:58 am |
I remember Froug’s. I would get in trouble for climbing in the clothes racks and swinging. Then, when I turned 18 …
April 3, 2009 at 4:03 pm |
What is now the Promenade was called Southland. It was not a covered mall. Southroads mall was where Barnes and Noble now is. Southroads was a covered mall when I moved to Tulsa in 1977.