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Program to Wax Nostalgic About Historic Businesses

by Katie Pyzyk | March 15, 2012 at 10:45 am | 1,417 views | 30 Comments

In Arlington, where it seems like something new is always being built, sometimes it’s difficult to remember which businesses used to exist. A history program taking place tonight is hoping to jog your memory.

“Do You Remember?” is being billed as an interactive journey through Arlington’s commercial history. Charlie Clark, a longtime contributor to the Arlington Historical Magazine, will lead the program.

The program will look at now defunct businesses such as Herbert’s Youth Fashions and McCrory’s Five and Dime. Attendees can also share their memories of beloved businesses from decades past.

“Do You Remember?” is free and takes place tonight from 7:30-9:00 p.m. at the Central Library.

Sam

“Do you remember me?”

“The County Board forgot about us and made sure we couldn’t survive because they liked big chains and big developers more than us…”
- (another) Greg
  
  +1
- SayitaintSo!
  
  Sam’s Corner Deli has closed?!
  - drax
    
    Was it ever open?
DreamO’s

Remember me? I used to be a great bar but now Im an empty field!
- drax
  
  I have no recollection of “DreamO’s,” but I remember Dr. Dremo’s.
- Sears Parking Lot
  
  Remember me? Now I am just a Common B&N
- Taco Bell
  
  …an empty field of 4th meal memories
  - Sears Parking Lot
    
    Your discarded wrappers kept me warm on cool Spring evenings.
DarkHeart

Is this going to be taped and available on AVN YouTube? I have some basketball games to watch tonight.
ShoeFly

Is it too late to add us to the program?
- Clarendon
  
  Technically, it’s too early. But, in any case you are asking the wrong people. I’m a guy but still loved having Shoefly there. With Zappos the shoe store business is tough. I would have thought shoes would be one of those things that people wouldn’t buy online but the return policy is pretty easy. Also I’m sure people will try on shoes at a store and then buy them online. No more if the practice drives all the brick and mortars out.
  - Josh S
    
    I have purchased shoes online but after getting shoes that didn’t fit, I have vowed never to do it again. Not worth the hassle.
DSS10

I asked this in another thread but how can small business survive in old town Alexandria and not in Arlington? I think that the retail rents are about (or should be) the same?
- Josh S
  
  I would guess Old Town gets more foot traffic. It’s a regional destination plus it gets lots of out of town tourists plus all the lawyer types and generally wealthy people that live/work in the immediate neighborhood.
  - Arlington, Northside
    
    Which is why the county and chamber of commerce has not been shy about trying to attract more hotels to the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
    - Frank
      
      Um, they go to Alexandria for the history and walk around the town for the history. Not because there is a hotel there and a CVS and a couple of burrito shops.
      
      Oh, I forgot! We have the nationally known Artisphere for the tourists to come see…they’ll just forget about going to the Smithsonian or the Corcoran….
  - DSS10
    
    I lived there and from what I’ve seen the people who live in North Arlington near Clarendon and Balston must make a lot more than people in Old town given that the price for houses are about double.
Blue-n-Gold

Remember me? I proved that putting a $20 lunch place / high-end brewery and Scotchateria in a government office building doesn’t work.
- drax
  
  Wow, not only do I remember you, I had completely forgotten about you.
nom de guerre

At the risk of showing my age-Do you remember me?

Kirby’s Dodge, Al’s Motors, Dick Blanken Ford
Falls Camera
Arlington Truck Rental
Grand Union
G.C. Murphy
Little Tavern
Virginia Hardware
McQuinn’ Sporting Goods, Sampson Sporting Goods
McCrory’s Five and Dime
Bratwursthouse
Lum’s Restaurant
Super Garden Market
Wally’s Aquarium
Allcraft Cycle Shop

That’s enough for now-only represents businesses from Clarendon to Parkington-I mean Ballston.
- PaulB
  
  Arlington Hobby Crafters
  Eskimo Nell’s
  Flipper McGee’s
  Pla-Mor Lanes
  The Hub
  
  And a special mention to Charlie’s Pizza in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, still the best pizza and steak&cheese subs ever served in Arlington.
  - Bluemontsince1961
    
    Arlington Hobby Crafters…..way back in the day that was the only place where I bought my model airplane kits. They had some great folks that worked there.
- Bluemontsince1961
  
  Yep, I remember.
Elmer

Anyone remember the original Arlington Armature in the ’50s and ’60s? North 5th Rd. down from American Servcie Center.
Got lots of momentos (calenders, keyfobs, pens,etc.) from that business.
- nom de guerre
  
  Yep-think it was still around in the mid-70′s. They are now located in Springfield. Does anyone remember Flying Dutchman Transmission? Inscoe’s Auto Body? Arlington Radiator?
  - Bluemontsince1961
    
    I remember the Flying Dutchman well, they did a great job in fixing my transmission on my ’79 Cutlass in 1983.
U ROY

Sad
YTK

The program was interstging but he got ALOT of feedback from the attendees, and didn’t know as much as they did — I can o ly hope he wrote everything down and redid his notes — otherwise, this is the way history is LOST.

And his teenage daughter did not always have the right slides up when he was talking about certain businesses or places.
- YTK
  
  And he didn’t even know about the Arcadian gardens!gimme a break!!! Did he do ANY research at all, at the Central Library??

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