Feeling nostalgic of late, thinking about how much life has changed over just the past 25 years or so. Even in that length of time, many things that were, are no longer. I call them part of the "Old" South.
Highway signage. I miss some of the old signs you’d see along the highways. There was something majestic about them. One of my favorites was the one with the giant sunflower, outside all the Sunflower grocery stores. Stores might be fancier these days, but I don’t know if the charm is as alive and well as it once was.
HEE HAW on Saturday afternoon. Yes, I know that reruns air each week on RFD-TV, but there was something about the original. From Buck’s red, white and blue guitar to Buford the Wonder Dog to Nurse Goodbody--there was something for everyone.
100 Oaks Mall. I’ll forever have an emotional connection to the big bustling building at the intersection of Thompson Lane and Powell Avenue. Opry Mills might be flashier, and Rivergate and Cool Springs might have outlasted it, but to me the brown-and-white floors of 100 Oaks will always have a special place in my memory. Saturday mornings usually meant a trip there with my mother and grandmother, to J.C. Penney, Woolworth, and my personal favorite, Woolco. Though people have tried to bring it back as a retail outlet several times since its heyday, maybe it’s best stuck in time. But what a time it was.
Those wacky weathermen. From the classic suits worn by WSM’s Charlie MacAlexander to the ultra-professional style of Bob Bell and the late Paul Eels, the sports coverage was first-rate. But who can forget the "Weather Wizard," Tom Siler, or George Goldtrap, who would close his Channel 4 weather report by tossing a piece of chalk airborne and catching it in his pocket? I wonder if Lisa Spencer can do that.
News anchors supreme. It all came down to this: You were either a Dan Miller guy or a Chris Clark guy. I always liked them both, and Nashville has never, and will never, see news anchors that good at what they did again.
Record shops. As a child who spent his allowance (and then some) on music, I recall such places as Port O’Call Records, Record Bar and Camelot Music with fondness. I also remember when Sears sold music. Tower Records on West End also holds a special place for me. Record stores aren’t as plentiful as they once were, but as long as Ernest Tubb Record Shop is open, all things are well--except my bank account!
Fountain Square. Sometimes you’re just wrong. I thought this outdoor shopping center would be one of the biggest things to come out of Nashville since Dolly, but it just never took off. I always thought the strip outlet, located near Metro Center, was a neat place. But few others did.
The Hungry Fisherman. Located on the Cumberland, just adjacent to Metro Center, this was one of my all-time favorite restaurants growing up. You could even feed the fish!
Sears on Lafayette. I came in on the tail end of this store’s run in Nashville, but I remember the smell of nuts being made in the snack shop.
Jack Favier. Cooks on TV are nothing new, but this chef, who honed his trade at Silver Wings, was a popular fixture on Channel 4 when I was growing up. While he didn’t look like Rachael Ray, he was always fun to watch. I never ate at Silver Wings, but can only imagine it was a great experience.
The Outhouse Race on Ralph Emery. This show at 5:30 a.m. was where you found out what was on sale at D.T. McCall & Sons, and whether schools were closed. The highlight of the program for me was the annual outhouse race featuring many of the show’s personalities.
TNN. Granted, it was the 1980s, but this cable network meant so much to me growing up. Whether it was interviews with the stars, or Bill Anderson standing in front of the talking jukebox named Edgar, this was a cool time for any fan of country music.
Shoney’s Big Boy. OK, I know it still exists, but I miss the Big Boy who stood outside each location proclaiming his burger the best. I still have one of the famous banks to this day. My parents met at the one that used to be on Thompson Lane, so if it weren’t for the Big Boy, I wouldn’t be a big boytoday!
Breakfast with Santa at Cain-Sloan. One of my fondest memories is the annual Christmas with Santa Breakfast at the Cain-Sloan department store. Equal time: I also miss the old Harvey’s store and the horse perched outside it.
Rose’s Department Stores. Department stores, believe it or not, once had a personality all their own. Such was the case with this chain.
Minnie Pearl. Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon was a country music icon and one of the area’s leading humanitarians (and a next-door neighbor to the governor).
Tammy the Teller. Long before Dolly or Barbara, I was fascinated with Tammy, the animated Queen of Banking in Nashville. A marketing ploy of Third National Bank when they started their ATM machines, the blonde bombshell made quite a few people change banks. The voice of Tammy? None other than future CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Janie Fricke.
Fortunately, there are still lots of things here that are traditions. The Loveless Cafe, Krispy Kreme, Snow Bird...Let me know if I’ve missed anything.
