Woolworth's Downtown Department Store
Downtown Corpus Christi in 1960s was a experience. I was going to school at Corpus Christi Cathedral on the hill, and dad worked at the AMC Dealership on Water. One of my favorite hangouts was Woolworths downtown. You could park your bike next to parking meter & no one steal it. Inside was a timeless diner as you see here, cakes & pies in your face on counter. Behind counter there was a conveyor belt contraption things, the upper belt brought hot food out from kitcnen, the lower belt took dirty dishes back. The aroma when you walked into this place, especially corner from the diner was overwhelming, instantly hungry. I often wondered how many businessmen & women came down from the towers on the hill (Wilson, Driscoll & 600) to eat? The toy section had all the newest stuff cheap, Rat Finks & Finkys, Hot Wheels & Matchbox, Super Balls. I would buy the super Balls that look like pool balls for nickle, take them to school next day & sell them for 10 cents hee hee. Drove nuns and priests nuts, and any super ball that made it to roof of Cathedral gone forever in the drain system, so don't throw it way up there. And watch the stained glass windows. Rarely could I afford anything at the diner counter, we were rather poor, got free lunch card at school before it became the norm like nowadays, otherwise go hungry! Or get ten cent toast, two pieces for dime, load them with 20 butters and strawberry jelly!The other places in downtown Corpus in 1960s that had good cheap toys was Kresses up the road, then Grants, JC Penneys, and The Toy Shoppe. And all on my target list whether I rode my beat up bike or not down there.
Fedways didn't have much of toy section it seemed except near Christmas (I was under 10 years old & ran around downtown Corpus Christi like I owned it, I DID have 'perimeters' though) If I timed it right on school days, would run down hill like a madman, sometimes beating Steve Pena who was grade ahead of me, and fast...to the Toy Shoppe. He could always buy stuff. I could not, but maybe a Hot Wheel car or 2 a week. Aw man. But the ladies knew I liked AMC cars and put the 'Custom AMXs' aside for me, so when I DID have money could pick it up!
Penneys toys section not very good they were more into suits, dresses and what not. On several floors, didn't stop me from using elevator for free rides. But come Christmas usually opened 5th floor for nothing BUT TOYS...WOW!!! W. T. Grants had a nice diner section, knowing if they could get kids in there, parents follow, spend money. Litchenstiens didn't have squat, except Santa, but what was he going to give a kid? Perfume? Nail polish? Maybe clean the dirt out from under my fingernails so thick first grade nun Sister Alawishes said 'I could grow potatoes' never have forgotten that.
No, didn't get to Kresses 5 & 10 as was in the FORBIDDEN ZONE a few blocks away and near some XXX places sailors paid to get lucky with I guess Brenda with the green teeth. Momma forbade it so where later Zales was that street was our border wall. Woolsworth was a special place downtown Corpus Christi, and many, many fond memories of that place, the velvet paintings on the walls, the cacophony of smells permeating the senses going in front glass doors, the array of small toys for a poor kid like me whose family always in struggle mode, the small toys made difference in smiles.Photos: Photo #1. possibly my favorite store downtown in 1960s, as had popcorn, cheap toys, and for 10 cents just like Hasty Tasty near our house, could get two pieces of toast for a dime, and load them up with dozen butters and strawberry jelly. This store stretched whole block. Had velvet Jesus and Elvis portraits on south wall. Had all sorts of velvet paintings, deer, cars, but the Jesus ones looking down on a small Catholic boy one stuck in mind. Right behind front glass there popcorn & cotton candy, man, that would smack you in face, even waiting for Alboleda, Molina, or whatever bus on side, but when opened door....Note Wilson Tower up on hill. and in front of it was a restaurant, not sure name, Nixon Cafe or something.
Photo #2. Check out this menu! Milk shake for a quarter! Eh, was a kid, ain't got no monies, except 10 cent toast fill me up
Photo #3. Directly below Lichtensteins sign lit up was Woolworth the street split between them. How vibrant and electric downtown was in 1960s, many stores opened until 9pm too.
Photo #4. North wall of Woolworths looking south. Litchensteins huge glass windows on far right of photo. Just out of view on left is Fedways. A Corpus Christi Bus is loading up passengers to take somewhere. A lot of busses issues transfers whihc was a yellow, or pink piece of paper, and you get off that bus at Leopard & Staples, wander across street and wait for whatever other bus to take to destination. Must be Christmas wirh cool looking candles on poles too here.
Photo #5. This is a Woolworths diner, not the Chaparral location as it had windows to spy on bus riders on north side. But seats, long counter all the same and not shown to left there were a series of booths to sit in, but those many times occupied with suits from up the hill, sitting there drinking coffee reading sports or business pages!
Photo #6. a old photo from Jay Phagan shows I believe Carlos Truan and some other I guess politicians wandering down Chaparral. The red small car in back appears to be a Datsun. And the WIGS places sign, there was a antique shop there one time. Must have been early morning as Woolworths does not even appear to be open in this photo. Heck ain't no people watching parade either like rows when Buccaneer Days Parade come along
Photo #7. Not Woolworths downtown Corpus Christi but they had a uncanny knack to put theese stores in high volume foot traffic areas downtown. The bus is a about 1972 American Motors bus, the cars I have driven all my life (owned 395 so far, 9 currently) but they built busses too. Wife would kill me and no more stories if I dragged one of those home. Mangels & Lerners Shoes farther back, I do not know if Corpus Christi had those stores.
Photo #8. A smaller Woolworths grille, there is two of those fresh juice things on bar, and some of those glass covered pie and cake things they had sitting on counter too. So while you having a coffee, or soda, or fresh glass of milk, that is staring at you. Like Woolco that would come along later in Parkdale Plaza & their Red Grille, they had a "Fresh Milk" machine that was filled with ice cold Hygeia, Bordens or other milk.