Tales from Ginter Park. This is a long one. Here is some more collected from various emails sent to me when I ran the old Bellevue site. about the former Bellevue Theater: There is a new Dementi book that has a neat picture of the old Bellevue theater from 1937 (and a picture as it looks today). Back then I believe the street was called Rapahannock. The book can be found at Barnes & Noble. This, of course was the theater frequented by, among others, Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty. Beatty saw his first movie there, Fantasia, which he said scared him to death. I was a little too young for this theater, but my siblings often went there. When I came along, it was a Country Western hall where I recall Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton played on occasion. Just a bit of local lore. --------------------------- My two older sisters and I used to go to the Bellevue Theatre (now Samis Grotto) back in the 50s. The other theatre, across from Nuttalls was closed, but I remember it had posters all over it for Meet Me in St. Louis. It did open as a skating rink for a while about 1962-63. We used to go ice skating there. There was a field beside the old theatre that was full of wild wheat. The big field between Nuttalls (then Nuttalls and the Highs Ice Cream Store) and the beauty shop (where the MacArthur Apts. are, was also full of wild growing wheat. There was Smithers Hardware across from the Apts. (field), and a grocery store, and Dr. Hales Drug Store. Ill have to get a layout of the whole works from my Mother. Bellevue was very similar - with Willies. Dr. Willie used to run us out of his store for being hooligans, etc. There was a Lukhards on the corner of Lamont and Bellevue. Grandisons Barber Shop predated the one that is there now. I was sitting in the shoe shine chair reading comic books with my best friend when we heard President Kennedy had been shot. The Beatty house is I think the 2nd or 3rd from the corner of Claremont and Fauquier, on the west side of the street (even numbers). Rappahannock Ave changed to MacArthur sometime during or after WW2. My grandmothers house was at 3911 Fauquier, and my mother vaguely remembers Shirley McLaine - who was somewhat younger. Enough now - back to genealogy. Ill grill my mother about the other businesses. --------------------------- Having lived in Northside all but about 1 - 1/2 years since 1955 (since 1977 actually in Bellevue) I thought you may be interested in some information that I can remember about business on Bellevue and MacArthur Avenues from the 50s when I hung out on Bellevue Avenue after school - Ginter Park Elementary and then Chandler Jr. High (on Brookland Park Boulevard) and then the NEW John Marshall High School. Where CVS is now was actually two businesses. Willey Drug Store to the right (looking at the building) and Woods Market (on the right side of the building). Where the new restaurant (not sure of the name) is being worked on was another two businesses. The left side was a five and dime (am I really telling my age -- many of you probably dont even remember such a store) and the right side was a hardware store. I cant remember the name of the family that owned both of these stores but they lived on the Northeast corner of Claremont Avenue and Brook Road. Where BelleArte is now was the wonderful Belle Bakery. Even Ukrops bakery items cannot compare to the wonderful cakes and pastries. How I wish Sammys would bring back some of the old goodies. Where the cello maker (sorry I dont know the official name) is now was Nancy Janes. Now what was Nancy Janes you may be thinking. It was the beauty parlor du jour - not a salon but a beauty parlor. I believe there was also a Safeway where the dry cleaners is now. On MacArthur Avenue was the Bellevue Post Office where 4025 Yoga and Wellness is located. Across the street was Tom Toms (the local bar) which has evolved into Dots Back Inn. There were many more business at this time but this is all my memory can conjure up.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:39:44 +0000
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