More Blast from the Past - 5

 

I kept hoping someone would post a picture of McCluskey's restaurant. But they just posted this ad.  McCluskey's has a very special place in my memories.  It was just 1/2 half a block up from Penny Wise Drug store.  The owner and chef was Mr. Harry McCluskey.  He was my dad's patient and he was the father of one my dad and mom's good friends- Eleanor Montgomery.  He was a friendly, gregarious guy.  If I remember correctly, he had served as mayor of Caldwell.   We went there often in my childhood and teenage years as my mother suffered from migraines and wasn't always able to cook dinner.  My standard order was a hot turkey sandwich.  Harry roasted a turkey every day.  The highlight at Mc Cluskey's was the French vanilla soft serve ice cream for dessert.  Man, that was such good ice cream.  Harry always came out, sat at our table with us and chatted with us- mostly my dad- while we ate.  I have so many happy memories of McCluskey's.

A popular eating spot for the junior high school students was Dairy Queen.  It was very close to Jefferson Junior High School.  My friend, Sue and I went there occasionally for lunch.

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We had an account with the Shell service station.  When I got my license, and later, my car, I just had to drive over to the Shell station and say, "Fill it with Ethyl."  That's not a term you hear every day now!  They would fill the car, wash my windshield and check my oil.  The owner was a friendly guy who knew me and knew to put it on my dad's bill.

The Idaho Department store or ID as everyone called it also holds many memories.  They had a wonderful fabric department.  As a teenager, I loved to look through the pattern books and then choose fabric, etc. to sew a dress.  I remember one time going there when they opened on Saturday morning and picking out fabric and pattern, taking it home and making that pink and white dress, then wearing it to the stake dance that evening! I don't think I could do that now!

Another time a friend and I walked to ID, picked out a pattern and material (it was very '70's material with colorful peace signs, and the words love and peace on it) and went home and sewed matching shirts.

My mom's dear friend, Phyllis worked at ID in the jewelry department.  I always visited her there when I went to that store. I loved Phyllis. She would often give us jewelry she purchased for us there.  I still have some earrings and a bracelet she gave me.

In this picture, you can also see George's Gyp Joint on this side of the front.  I talked about that in a previous post.

Yep, there will be more of these blasts from the past in coming weeks!  I'm sure I am enjoying them way more than you are.