That 70's Blacksburg

Blouses and Beer

2012-02-23T10:25:00.000-05:00

215 North Main proved to be a busy location as businesses came and went, both upstairs and down. Before there was Flipper McCoy there was a women's clothing boutique named Joli's which later became Jamie's ..... both run by Jim (aka "Jimbo") and Ann Cannon.

The upstairs of the same building eventually became yet another drinking establishment (there's never enough of them in a college town, huh?) starting with the Campus Club. It was a good thing not to be drunk before climbing the metal stairs at the back of the building. I don't remember how long Campus Club lasted but most of you old timers know it later became the Ton 80 club, best known for it's dart boards and the (then) largest selection of beers anywhere in town.

Ironman's

2012-02-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Here's another place that was a staple in the 70's, but once again I need help from the readers out there. For some reason this was not a place I frequented much. In fact I may have been in Ironman's maybe once or twice that I can recall.

I seem to remember they had live music occasionally, in the evenings. In terms of location I thought it was to the left of Cook's Clean Center, in the space now occupied by Mike's Grill. However, the ad above gives the address as 409 Main and the current address of Mike's is 418 North Main ..... but it could be just some kind of renumbering that occurred some time ago.

I still get a kick out of these old newspaper ads though. PBR and Schlitz were big sellers back then .... and if I'm reading this one right a whole six-pack was only 99 cents!

Ok, so please fill up the Comments on this one with personal memories. Oh by the way, this ad came out in 1971 and it appears that Ironman's had just gotten new managers.

Upscale Dining

2012-01-25T09:23:00.000-05:00

If you're familiar with the address on this ad you might recognize that it's in the same building that became a very popular restaurant called Bogens. Bogens has since vacated the premises and the new joint is just called 622 North Main, I believe.

The Possibility was a pretty posh place serving French cuisine at upscale prices too. This is where I had my first taste (and last) of snails.

That 70's Look

2012-01-20T14:36:00.000-05:00

Tech students living off campus in 1975

The 70's had a look of it's own in terms of fashion and grooming. It was much less flamboyant than the hippie scene, not quite farmer or trucker, with somewhat of a "livin' off the land" or "don't need no fancy threads" attitude.

The bar scene inside Mr. Fooz - demin, flannel, and hair

Shopping was pretty easy since the wardrobes seem to consist of various ages and colors of jeans. Completing the ensemble meant flannel or cotton shirts, and either sneakers or boots. That was about it. I think everyone owned a jeans jacket too, probably a Levis or Wrangler.

The guys still mostly sported long hair and if you were walking behind a group of young folks you might be hard pressed to tell male from female from the rear. Even though when you think of the term "grunge" you immediately think of the 1980's and punk bands, etc, but the 1970's had a grunge of it's own.

A warm house and a couple of extra refrigerators

Living conditions weren't all that different from the style of dress. No offense to the younger generation of today but it seemed like our standards were a hell of a lot lower back then, and we didn't even care. In fact I liked my crappy basement apartment on Roanoke Street. It was so dark down there we even hung a sign outside our door that read "The Edge of Night".

Some of our friends lived at Terrace View one year and it seemed like pretty fancy living to me. They had green shag carpet and kitchen appliances to match. Yee-ha.

Gettin' Outta Town

2012-01-12T08:55:00.000-05:00

A solitary students awaits the Trailways bus to head home

Transportation needs were a lot different in the 1970's. Today it seems like everyone over 16 must have their own car (although I hope that's an exaggeration). So, your choices were to take your clunker home for the holidays OR catch a ride with a friend OR take your chances with your feet and thumb out on the highway OR possibly take the bus.

You know, this made me think .... it really is rare to see hitchhikers anymore. I can't tell you how many times I hitched rides (either alone or with a buddy) to the DC area, and once to southern Florida.

Anyway, at least a long time ago you could go up to the Continental Trailways Bus Terminal located at 400 North Main, opposite the Hokie House at the top of the hill. Now you have to go to Christiansburg to catch a bus.

The Roads To Blacksburg

2012-01-08T11:00:00.000-05:00

An early shot of the Tech bookstore that shows College Avenue (left in photo) still connecting to the drillfield

If you were here in 1970 you might remember, at some point in that decade, that :

* Prices Fork Road was just a simple two lane country road, and heading east (toward town) it didn't even connect to Main Street. You had to angle up Turner Street past the Tech electric plant to hit North Main. Likewise, going west, there was a single street light at the top of the hill just before the Marriott and when you got to the 460 Bypass it was level with that road and only had a stop sign (the same with Toms Creek Road and 460 intersection).

* When leaving town via South Main you'd pass Hokie Honda then curve down a hill toward Merrimac, then find the ramp to the right which brought you up onto 460.

* Patrick Henry Drive which connects North Main Street to Toms Creek Road didn't exist.

* College Avenue passed in front of Squires Student Center and hooked up with the drillfield (see photo above).

* In 1970 if you were heading to Blacksburg using Interstate 81 you had to get off at the Dixie Caverns exit. The interstate highway wasn't finished then .... you had no choice! I believe it was completed sometime in late 1971.

Lots of other minor subdivision type roads weren't in place then either, naturally. But if you think of any other "major" differences, please chime in.

Books Strings and Things

2011-12-30T14:09:00.000-05:00

Customers browse the record bin at Books Strings & Things, 214 Draper Road

[ I know I did a previous posting on this but it felt like I really didn't do it justice, plus now I have some more photos to share ]

This was not only one of my personal favorite places in town, but one of the most classic businesses ever to grace Blacksburg. When I ask people around my age what they miss about the Blacksburg of old, Books Strings & Things is almost always at the top of the list.

The unabridged dictionary

Part book store, part record store, part reading room, part social gathering place ..... and an eclectic decor of natural woods and little nooks that made it almost cozy and homey.

It started out a little smaller at first, and in 1974 and 75 they expanded into the empty space adjacent to the original store thanks to the help of local artist and craftsman Peter Montgomery. The owner, Richard Walters, started the establishment just around the corner in the alley in the latter part of the 1960's but it's "hayday" was in the 1970's for sure (or so it seemed).

There was something very inviting about the place. It even felt friendly the moment you walked in, and you wanted to stay there for hours. Old buildings with exposed bricks and lots of wood have a way of feeling comfortable.

Dick Walters at the antique register

No one seemed to mind if you got lost in one of the book nooks and just sat there reading. After all, there were chairs awaiting your tush if you were so inclined.

I think I bought most of my vinyl records there. The music of that era was so great, so exciting, people were constantly clamoring to see what new albums were available from their favorite musicians. Another cool thing about LPs was the artwork.

I remember at times Dick Walters would put out a large quantity of paperback books in a trash bin, as if throwing them away (the covers were torn off), and left it out on the sidewalk for anyone to grab .... a great way to get a freebie.

Hokies Win Big in 1973

2011-12-28T10:24:00.000-05:00

The 1972-73 "Virginia Tech Gobblers" basketball team had a good year ..... a VERY good year. To cap it off, they went to the NIT tournament in New York and came away with their first ever national championship, winning their final four games by a total of only 5 points. The Hokies shocked the college basketball world by pulling off an upset of Notre Dame in overtime.

The Blacksburg Sun reported it this way:

Hokie Bird of the early 70's

"When Bobby Stevens missed what should have been the last shot of the game with the Hokies down by one at 91-90 in overtime the Irish from Notre Dame were all but home with the (NIT) trophy.

Stevens wasn't convinced.

The ball rolled crazily off the right side of the hoop, bounced off some frantic hands and Stevens, at 5'10" the smallest man on the court, found himself with the ball and time running out.

He fired up a shot Tech fans will be a long time forgetting. The net hadn't even stopped swaying when the horn went off and a team that most people had never picked to get past the first game of the tourney had won it all."

When the team bus pulled into Blacksburg they got a huge welcome from students and fans from all over the area.

What's Your Number?

2011-12-21T09:46:00.000-05:00

As the population continued to climb and the Baby Boomers kept getting older, the demand for services also grew. In late June 1973, for the first time, the entire state did not have just one telephone Area Code. For us here in southwest Virginia, and also stretching up the Shennandoah Valley into Northern VA we got to keep our familiar "703". However, to call friends and family in Tidewater, or Charlottesville, or many other points central and east we had to learn a new three digit number ... "804".

This was the decision of the good ol' C & P Telephone Company of Virginia (Chesapeake and Potomac). According to them, there were some 600 different central office codes (that's the first three digits of your phone number after the Area Code) that could be used within one Area Code designation. They needed more to keep up, therefore it made sense to split the state.

It wasn't a big deal really, but if you had this old black dial phone like I did it just meant three more spins of the dial and hearing more of the tick-tick-tick-tick after releasing your finger. Oh yeah, and don't forget the "1".

Also in the 1970's, Blacksburg had two exchanges ... "552" and "951" and Virginia Tech added "961" to distinguish them from the town.

University Billiards

2011-12-14T16:17:00.000-05:00

Although there were pool tables in the Squires Student Center, there was another place in town that got a lot of action from the "townies" (high school and older) and students alike. Located on the second floor at the corner of College Avenue and Draper Road was University Billiards owned and run by Bob Hill. Take the stairs a couple doors down from Little Docs and you were immediately greeted by an array of regulation size 9' pool tables. Just around the partition to the left was a long line of classic mechanical pinball machines.

One of the great things about University Billiards was the long row of windows facing both streets. On a summer day you could gaze down below while waiting your turn to shoot some 9-ball and see friends passing by. The owner, Bob, generally took the day shift and the evening hours were shared between me, my buddy David, and a red haired fellow named Bruce.

There were some darned good pool shooters in Blacksburg then, guys by the names of Cody, Steve, Rick, and several more. When the Tech basketball team won the NIT in 1973, Mr. Hill had a private party for the team members and we got to shoot pool and drink beer with them all evening.

Eight Track Tapes

2011-12-12T12:41:00.000-05:00

Here is an ad from our downtown Roses in 1973 advertising a big sale on 8-track tapes. Although very popular for use in cars, the little plastic buggers were quite expensive compared to vinyl albums.

The Lear Jet Stereo 8 track cartridge was designed by Richard Kraus while working under Bill Lear and for his Lear Jet Corporation in 1963. In the late 60's the bulky machines were more and more prevalent in automobiles, usually bolted onto the metal below the ash tray in the middle of the front seats. Keeping a dozen or more tapes in your car meant cramming your glove compartment full or carrying around one of those pseudo-alligator leather black boxes with fuzzy red lining inside.

In case you can't read the music titles, Roses is advertising tapes by Merle Haggard, Grand Funk Railroad, Canned Heat, Sugarloaf, and The Ventures.

And those of you who know me already know this ..... I play my 8-tracks in my Beetle whenever I cruise around town today, keeping a fresh selection of a half dozen or so in that same black carrying case I just mentioned. Believe it or not, they sound great!

The Bug Shop

2011-12-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it seemed like half the cars on the roads were VW's of some sort, especially in the early 70's. Next time you see a picture or a film from that time period pay attention to the street scenes .... you'll be amazed at the number you count.

In 1968, Max Sentelle and son Tommy had a place on Harding Avenue they dubbed The Bug Shop that worked on not only Beetles, vans, and buses, but other makes and models of cars too.

If you go by there today you'll still see the same friendly white block building with (perhaps) the same original sign. In 1985 it was purchased by Juel Albert and continued, to this day, to be the best place in town to service VW's old and new, as well as just about any other vehicle you own.

When you walk in the service counter area you'll feel like you're in a time warp.

Dave's Hot Dogs

2011-11-30T09:08:00.000-05:00

Dave's Hot Dogs 216 North Main Street

In the mid 1970's there seem to be a surge of new student hangouts, none of which were hurting for patronage. Directly across the street from the infamous Mr. Fooz came Dave's Hot Dogs that had the right trifecta of student bait - food, beer, and entertainment.

One of the big deals about Dave's was the truly BIG 24 foot square television screen. As you can imagine it was pretty popular for Monday night football, but during the daytime you were likely to catch the then-current sitcom "Happy Days", movies, or even a soap opera. They had cable tv (yeah, that was a big deal then) and would post the daily show listings in the front window.

Dave's served hot dogs, of course, but also sandwiches, french fries, sodas, and beer (like Stroh's, Miller, and Schlitz) While you munched and slurped you could shoot a game of pool, or try your luck on the pinball machines.

The owner and namesake of this fun place was David Mondy Jr. who was an avid golfer, and who went on to own and operate the New River Junction at the McCoy Falls, a fantastic tubing place on the New River. Sadly, Dave passed away last fall at the much-too-young age of 56.

The Alamo

2011-11-20T17:28:00.000-05:00

I honestly don't even remember this place, although as the ad says it opened in February 1973. Can anyone help me out with this one?

Cheap cars, cheap gas

2011-11-10T08:09:00.000-05:00

Doc Robert's Shell

Another reason to miss the 1970's was transportation. Before the big imposing building known as Kent Square arrived, you had downtown gas stations selling petrol for 29 cents a gallon (look close beneath the hanging Shell sign). This was Doc Roberts place on the corner of Lee and South Main.

Just up the block was Heavener Chevrolet where I bought my black VW Beetle, seen in an earlier post, for a pittance. It cost less than $4.00 to fill up the tank from dead empty. This building is now part of the town municipal buildings between Clay and Miller Streets.

Heavener Chevrolet

Rec Center

2011-11-09T08:54:00.000-05:00

I didn't frequent this place so I can't tell you much about it, other than that they hosted a yearly crafts fair which was pretty cool. I think it's the same crafts fair that was in the ballroom at Squires, and that now shows up at the University Mall.

The Rec Center was on Draper Road.

Parade

2011-11-04T16:05:00.000-04:00

Not sure what parade this might have been, but the picture is from 1970 or 1971. This Mustang full of beauties is passing by Globe Records and Roses. Anyone know who the girls are?

Hippie Food

2011-11-02T16:33:00.000-04:00

Hippies smoked grass and ate nuts and berries, right? Or was it the other way around? Whichever it was, their needs for the latter were filled primarily by two groovy stores in town, one called Eats and the other was Frog Hollow.

Eats started out on College Avenue, accessed through Fringe Benefit and located above Neilys Bookstore, and was about the size of someone's bedroom. In 1974 it was purchased by Stan Davis and is still owned and run by him today (they are now on Main Street across from Prices Fork Road). When they left their College Ave location they moved to two different spots on North Main Street, then a short time on South Main, and now at their current spot.

Frog Hollow began on Progress Street in the big building across from the fire station. Later, they moved to the Barrel Mall behind Appalachian Outfitters.

Both places were quite popular among the natural foods crowd, and featured foods like natural peanut butter, honey, raw nuts, cheeses, granola, dried fruits, freshly ground flour .... much of which was sold in bulk. They also carried vitamins, herbs, teas, and soaps.

Joe's Jail

2011-10-26T09:36:00.000-04:00

A balding and bearded older fellow named Joe Calloway had a little shop near Progress Street in which he created jewelry and leather goods, as well as other creations that he learned to make as a young boy growing up in India.

I don't know exactly how long Joe had this particular shop. He eventually opened his studio in a room at the rear of his house.

Joe was a resident of Blacksburg for many years, and in 1976 he packed his bags and went to Colorado. I heard a rumor recently that Joe may have perished in a swimming accident. I hope it's not true.

My wife still has a leather hair piece that Joe made in the early 1970's, and she cherishes it.

Fall 1972

2011-10-20T11:49:00.000-04:00

Humble Pie

2011-10-13T14:19:00.001-04:00

If there ever was a cool head shop in town it was Humble Pie. The newspaper ads, lifted straight from the pages of our favorite underground comix, were a clue in itself

Humble Pie was located at 102 Roanoke Street across from the National Bank in what they called the "ugly green building", and was above Burt's Photo shop. The building today is red, in case you were wondering.

Personally I was hooked on R. Crumb, the artist, and his twisted tales that appeared in Zap Comix, the Furry Freak Brothers (and Fat Freddy's Cat), Yellow Dog, and many more. Whenever I needed a comic fix I trucked on down to Humble Pie.

They also advertised contemporary gifts, posters, blacklites, headgear, incense, inflatable furniture, wall things, candy, empathy cards "and a smile".

I really truly miss shops like this. Please come back, Humble Pie!

Saturday Night Fever

2011-10-02T12:37:00.001-04:00

Remember Disco?

It came boogeying into the American culture sometime in the mid Seventies and didn't let go until MTV finally saved us with the Eighties genre of music.

But as long as it was here, then "After Sundown" was the place to be .... with swinging skirts and open shirts and a glitter ball hanging above the dance floor. "After Sundown" was in the back of the building adjacent to the National Bank, the place that in 1970 was the Kroger building that later became a sort of mini-mall. Today you know it as the Tech Bookstore, across the street from Cabo Fish Taco.

For those of you who never heard of Bill Deal and the Rondells (in the ad above) they were a pretty big deal (pun intended) in the Seventies .... except I sort of remember them being more associated with beach music.

Before McDonalds

2011-09-21T08:30:00.000-04:00

Rays Restaurant - next to Radford Brothers on North Main Street

Before Ronald McDonald rolled into town there was Ray's. In fact, there were two of them..... one on North Main and one on South Main. Ray's served yummy charbroiled burgers and plump roast beef sandwiches, french fries, and other delicious fast food treats.

I need help from my readers out there who remember Ray's. The one on South Main was up in the vicinity of what was then the Blacksburg High School. It seems that particular restaurant either BECAME a Hardees, or WAS a Hardees and changed to Ray's. Or were they two separate places? See what 40 years does to your memory!!!!

I just remember, being a teenager, how much I liked the food. By the way, they also went by the name of Ray's Kingburgers.

Bluegrass Music

2011-09-13T07:35:00.001-04:00

(click to enlarge)

Despite the fact that in the late 1960's and into the 1970's many saw the youth of the day as "hippies" or just generally long-haired, disheveled, acid rock lovin' kids there was one type of music that brought this scruffy bunch together with the regular mountain folk, both young and old, and that was good old fashion Bluegrass.

Whether it was down the road at Galax Fiddler's Convention or, as the picture above shows, at a local farm this grass-roots music was enjoyed by all ages. The gathering in this photo looks like "Woodstock Lite" and it may have been at Hawthorne's farm ...... it looks like the stage and the rolling land that I remember seeing.

Other festivals happened all over the New River Valley. There was at least one or two weekends at Yellow Sulphur Springs in the early 70's and who knows how many others that were more private affairs.

The point is that this music has a wonderful way of bonding otherwise dissimilar souls. Bluegrass is still a big draw at outdoor concerts.

Anyone out there have a good memory or two to share?

That Steak Place

2011-09-05T15:55:00.001-04:00

"A new kind of dining" is what the local newspaper called "That Steak Place". We all thought it was a pretty elegant restaurant with a couple of marketing ploys that kept us coming back.

As the name suggests, beef was their specialty but you could also order crab, shrimp, or lobster too. When you entered, you knew by the gold and red decor and candle lighting that you were in an upscale eatery. The tables were surrounded by captain's chairs and you might immediately notice there was a salad bar where you could create your own first course (a fairly new concept then). If you came in to have a steak (and why wouldn't you?) then that's when the fun began. A waiter would wheel a cart beside your table with the house specialty, Choice Rib-Eye steaks, and you could select the size of your entree by telling him to move the knife over just a little more ! You were then charged by the weight, and when they first opened that was only 50 cents per ounce .... just think, a half-pound steak for 4 bucks. Filet Mignon and New York Strips were priced at $5.50.

That Steak Place was located in the front of the University Motel, the place that now hosts a laundromat just beyond the hospital and Dairy Queen on Rt. 460 South.

The co-owners were George Nettleton, a Tech graduate, and Vernon Roberts, both from Richmond. Vernon was director of operations and manager of That Steak Place in Richmond as well.

The best part of this great dining experience was that you could get a free steak on your birthday. Do you think many starving VT students showed up there?

Happy Birthday Blacksburg

2011-08-29T14:15:00.000-04:00

The following editorial piece appeared in the Blacksburg Sun in 1971. I thought it was interesting what the author had to say, and it reflects the feeling of a lot of people today so it is worth reprinting here -

"As of last April, Blacksburg has been incorporated for 100 years.
This fact has been overlooked by most, if not all, residents of the town. Tragic as this is, it is not nearly so as the fact that town officials and merchants have let this event pass by, a moment when citizens of the town might have been brought together and given the feeling of existence as a town and not as an extension of Virginia Tech.
The town and college must work together but for the college because of it's own centennial to be able to suppress any idea of a town centennial leads one to assume that a mentality of existence, and not being, is prevalent in both officials and people in the town.
Blacksburg has grown over the past 100 years and will continue to grow at an even greater pace than before. The question which remains is whether Blacksburg will only be known as the place where VPI is or will it have it's own life, in cooperation with, but not overshadowed by, the college?
Blacksburg needs a recognition by it's citizens of it's 100th year. To lose the feeling of community is to pave the way for a future of disaster."

Remember, this was written 40 years ago. So, how are we doing as a Town and not just the place where that big university is located?

Spudnuts / Carol Lee Donuts

2011-08-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

In 1970 you could walk down College Avenue in the early morning hours and the main thing permeating the air was the smell of wonderful fresh doughnuts coming from a shop known as Sputnuts. It was so alluring that you might have pictured yourself as one of those cartoon characters floating on air as the smell waves wafted into your nostrils, and your body involuntarily sought out the source of that aroma.

Carol Lee Donuts 133 College Avenue

You can thank the Kidd family that started the business just one year before that, especially Mr. Kidd who drove from Roanoke and often stayed overnight because he would be open until midnight and reopen at 6 a.m. The name would appear in local ads as "The Spudnut Shop" but everyone just knew it as Spudnuts, and loved the flavor of those potato flour delicacies.

Within a couple of years or so the shop was renamed Carol Lee Donuts and continued their reign on College Avenue for about 3 decades. Today the sight is a Chinese food restaurant called the Happy Wok, but you can still find Carol Lee's way up at 1414 North Main Street.

Town Hall

2011-08-19T17:04:00.000-04:00

In the mid 1970's some guys from North Carolina scoped out our little town and decided that it was a good place to open a higher class joint with a higher class of live entertainment.

They picked a familiar spot, under the parking lot at Draper and Jackson Streets (the eventual home of Mish Mish and a bunch of others). The main nightclub area was full of exotic woods, glass, chrome ... well, you get the picture ... oh and big ol' fish tanks too.

Jeremy, one of the NC guys, hired me to help open up a deli in the front part of the club. It was a lot of work, but a lot of fun coming up with a menu. One of our specialties was a hot mushroom sub, and I also insisted we sell Dannon yogurt which was unavailable anywhere else in the Blacksburg area.

The musical acts were great. I remember John Prine (Dear Abby, Dear Abby), Robert Palmer, and a host of other stellar performers.

If I remember correctly, the next thing to come in right after Town Hall folded was Cowboy's .... complete with mechanical bull.

Going In Style

2011-08-12T16:00:00.000-04:00

Argabrite's 228 N. Main Street

If you weren't among the unwashed masses who trudged around town in bell bottoms and tie dye shirts, then it's possible you may have stepped into one of several finer clothing shops in town. On the corner of Main and Old Main (College Ave extended) sat Argabrite's (now the home of Sharky's) with a big display window that was sure to have the latest in collegiate attire for the young men in town.

John Norman's 109 College Avenue

Further down College Avenue, on the left, was John Norman's clothing store, and a couple of blocks up Main Street you would find Davidson's Charwood Shop (started in 1959). These three fine establishments mostly catered to the guys in town who actually dressed up to go out to football games, dances, concerts, or just a plain old date. The gals in town tended to head out to Gables to shop at either Leggett or Sidney's.

I almost hate to admit it, but I did own a tan corduroy suit back then. Davidson's was at 117 N. Main for the longest time, and now that spot is the home of Fringe Benefit.

I also want to add one note. Jim Dymock, who ran Davidson's for seemingly forever, was and is one of the finest people you could ever hope to meet in Blacksburg ... always smiling, so gentle and so kind.

When Doggies Roamed

2011-08-08T10:14:00.001-04:00

It was not at all unusual to see dogs roaming around town in the 70's. When I was in the freshman dorm there was a cool dog named Woodstock that hung around a lot.... never knew if he had a real owner.

I ran into a guy yesterday who remembered my beagle dog named Ajax (pictured above), mainly because when I left my house on Roanoke Street the dog would often tag along. Sometimes he would go all the way to campus but most times he would stop in town and find a cool concrete floor somewhere (and maybe some coeds who would talk to him). He always came home though. Guess dogs always remember from whence their gravy train comes. Ajax lived to the ripe old age of 17.

Deadwood Days Revisited

2011-08-04T10:56:00.000-04:00

Because the 31st annual Steppin' Out fair starts tomorrow it seemed like a good time to reflect on the beginning of it all. You already know about the history of Deadwood Days from your own memories, or my earlier post, so I just wanted to share a few more photos from those old festival days. Let me know if you see anyone you recognize here. Enjoy. (Remember you can click on the photo to enlarge it).

Corner Drug

2011-08-03T10:25:00.001-04:00

For some reason Corner Drug seemed like a friendly "anchor" for the businesses downtown.

It was literally on the corner ..... of Main Street and College Avenue .... and had an entrance on both streets, just like the current occupant Moe's does. At the back of the store was the pharmacy and nearer the front (College Ave. side) was the lunch counter. The food was pretty decent and the store itself had most everything you'd expect to find in a drug store.

But, it wasn't the only game in town by any means. It had competition in the form of Center Drug (across the street) and Tech Drug (on the same block), and Gables Pharmacy on the south end of town. Still, the Corner Drug store seems to be the one us old timers remember best.

Why can't we have a drugstore downtown again?

Carver's

2011-07-25T15:17:00.000-04:00

CARVERS 153 College Avenue

Gillies restaurant, currently at the corner of College and Draper, was once two different shops. On the very corner was Dickerson's Jewelry and just to the left of that was Carver's Inc. This was the space where Gillies first got started and sold their delicious ice cream. They were both addressed as 153 College Avenue.

Carver's was the kind of place that college students browsed through quickly, or peered through the window at the displays of high end stereo equipment. They sold Marantz amps and receivers, which was pretty snazzy stuff back then, as well as Fisher, Panasonic and other equivalent systems. They sold anything related to component stereos but most of it was out of reach of a college student's pocket book.

Still it was cool having such a nice store right in downtown. Globe records also sold stereo hi-fi equipment, and after Gillies moved in to Carver's space other places opened in town. Personally, I'm sad that the small hi-fi shop seems to be a thing of the past.

Hop In

2011-07-20T14:40:00.000-04:00

Like breeding bunnies, the Hop In stores started popping up all over the New River Valley in the 1970's. There were two in Blacksburg - one at the far south end of town past Gables (1704 South Main to be exact) and another at 409 Draper Road (across from what was then Blacksburg Lumber, but now is the town Library).

I probably bought more beer and cigarettes (Camel filters in the brown & white pack) from Hop In than anywhere else in town.

It's funny how little 7-11 wannabes like this come and go as the decades pass. This was a great little store, it makes you wonder why they folded.

University Mall

2011-07-14T16:46:00.002-04:00

I guess Blacksburgers felt like they were "movin' on up" when the University Mall opened up in the Summer of 1974. Before that the primary shopping area was on the south end of town at Gables.

The site had been a bucolic farmer's field with contented cows who did nothing but graze all day long. An apartment complex then known as Greenfield Plantation on Broce Drive was at the far end of the field near Rt. 460. About the time that the new mall appeared, this changed to Sturbridge Square.

On the Sturbridge end was the new Kroger grocery store, and a short time later Macados first restaurant was attached to the right of Kroger. On the opposite end, facing Prices Fork Road, was the Rustler Steak House.

The University Mall itself was anchored on the far left by a giant Woolco department store, and in the first year the following stores became a part of this shopping mecca -

Brown's Hall of Cards Printer's Ink
Mousetrap Ritz Camera
John Norman's H & M Shoes
Back Street Collector's Corner

People's Drug Heironimus
People's Federal Savings First Virginia Bank of the SW
Jack and Jill Grassroots
Sidney's Country Legend
Jewelry Store Terrarium
Pappy's

The Gas Crisis

2011-07-08T15:17:00.000-04:00

In 1974 the lines at the gas pumps just kept getting longer and longer thanks to good old OPEC. Gasoline was rationed and service stations often ran out entirely. In many cases you couldn't buy gasoline if your gas gauge read more than half full.

Eventually Virginia adopted an odd-even system based on the day of the week and your license plate number. People whose last plate number was even could buy gas on even numbered days. I'd almost welcome that back if the prices could be the same today ..... under a dollar per gallon.

This newspaper ad (above) appear in the Blacksburg Sun around that same time period, sponsored by Appalachian Power and espousing the use of coal as "the answer" to foreign oil dependency. Imagine that.

The Band Box

2011-07-06T10:27:00.001-04:00

The Band Box - 131 College Avenue

In the early 70's the Band Box was one of several record stores downtown with the typical open bin style of LP sorting where you just stood there flipping one after another until you got to the one you wanted. Of course they were catagorized !

Located next to Little Doc's on College Avenue, the Band Box had the advantage of being the closest one to campus if only by a few yards .... and, like a bunch of other places in those early days, also sold "head" gear such as pipes and roach clips. They may have even sold underground comics too, I just can't recall for sure.

Don't remember exactly when they went out of business, but I do remember buying plenty of vinyl there .... especially when they were in the midst of pricing wars with Books Strings & Things and Globe Records.

Note that the Grand Funk Railroad poster is advertising their appearance at the Salem Civic Center on December 4, 1970.

Roses

2011-07-01T12:49:00.000-04:00

It was so nice having a small department store downtown in the 1970's. Roses filled the bill when it came to replenishing the stock in your apartment, house, or dorm room .... from shampoo to frying pans, lamps to welcome mats, all the basic necessities were there. Malls were all the rage as the decade moved forward, but it was a shame that these types of stores had to suffer as a result. I'd still shop there today if it were back again.

Today the building is known as the Town Centre, directly across from the downtown Post Office, and houses a variety of smaller stores. The photo shows another example of cars being able to park right on Main Street. I miss that too !!!!

Neily's Book Store

2011-06-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

Neily's Book Store, 217 College Avenue

As long as we're on College Avenue, let's visit Neily's Book Store .... one of the last buildings on the street before you hit campus. Neily's was a private enterprise that directly competed with the college itself in providing books and supplies to students. Currently the site of Jimmy John's, this was a great store that had a little bit of everything and also dealt in new and used books (back when it was much easier to buy used books because the text books used didn't change nearly as often as they do now).

When Neily's was up and running in the late 60's and into the 1970's there was no mammoth Tech Bookstore either across from the Tech library or on South Main Street. If I remember correctly, book sales on campus took place in the back of Owens Dining Hall.

College Avenue

2011-06-20T07:17:00.001-04:00

Click on photo to enlarge

Nothing much to talk about. Just wanted to show two nice shots of College Avenue looking East. Note Little Doc's on the corner of College & Draper, now the home of Souvlaki's. To the right of Little Doc's is a cool store called The Water Closet, and behind all the windows upstairs is University Billiards, a favorite hangout with pool and pinball machines. If you look real close you might see that Freaky Friday is playing at the Lyric, and that the car on the left is being issued a ticket by a police officer.

Concerts

2011-06-10T15:34:00.001-04:00

I keep telling folks that weren't around 30 or 40 years ago what amazing concerts showed up on the VA Tech campus back then. So yesterday I decided to spend a few hours looking through the Tech Yearbooks from 1970 through 1979 and here is a list of the "big name" acts that made it to little ol' Blacksburg in that decade alone -

America John Mayall

Ann Wilson (Heart) Johnny Rivers

Atlanta Rhythm Section Kris Kristofferson

Billy Preston Leon Russell

Black Oak Arkansas Lighthouse

Blue Oyster Cult Linda Ronstadt

Bob Welsh Little Anthony

Canned Heat Little Feat

Chairman of the Board Livingston Taylor

Chicago Neil Diamond

Chuck Mangione Nils Lofgren

Dave Mason Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Dennis Yost and the Classics Four Pablo Cruise

Doc Severinson Poco

Don McLean Pure Prairie League

Doobie Brothers Rita Coolidge

Elvin Bishop Roberta Flack

George Benson Robin Trower

Goose Creek Symphony Seals & Crofts

Grateful Dead Sha Na Na

Iron Butterfly Stephen Stills

Isaac Hayes The Association

Jethro Tull The Buckinghams

Jimmy Buffet The James Gang

So, which of these did YOU see?

College Inn

2011-06-08T10:55:00.001-04:00

College Inn - 221 North Main Street

Long before the 1970's rolled around the College Inn was providing meals for hungry students and town folk. But by the 70's it was one of the oldest surviving restaurants in town, along with The Greeks. If you wanted good southern home cooking this was the place.

The College Inn was one of the first businesses to have it's lights on and doors open in the wee hours of morning. Breakfast was served on heavy ceramic plates and likewise a good strong cup o' joe came in a sturdy tan colored mug. You might have one of the proprietors, Arno, greet you as you entered and he was sure to have a "Good mornin' " directed at you, along with a broad smile.

Belly up to the counter or plop down in a booth, it didn't matter. Mrs. Smith or any of the hard working waitresses would tend to you pretty quickly, and if you were a "regular" then chances are they already knew what you wanted.

Likewise, lunch time was a real treat too. Every day there was a different Special on the menu..... from homemade meat loaf to southern fried chicken, real mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans cooked just like a farmer's wife would make them, and so much other good down home stuff that it would (as a friend of mine used to say) "make your tongue slap your brains out !!"

The Blacksburg Moon

2011-06-02T14:36:00.001-04:00

Ok boys and girls, I had never heard of The Blacksburg Moon (an alternative newspaper) until recently when Jim Bovard emailed me and asked if I knew where to find a copy. As it turns out, Jim used to write for the Moon and we were both able to find a couple of copies at the Tech library in Special Collections. So today I'm going to let Jim be the Guest Blogger -

" In late '75 and early '76, I wrote a few pieces for an alternative paper, The Blacksburg Moon. The Moon was big on bean sprouts and astrology, with drawings of naked hippies thrown in for no extra charge. The paper was printed on faded blue paper that looked like a remnant of a bad trip. I was fairly hidebound compared to their other contributors, which is why the editors put a subhead - "As Others See It" - atop my articles.

I am still trying to track down the issue that had my first article - printed next to a piece that contained a step-by-step guide to making free long distance calls (which, if memory serves, provoked a legal threat from Ma Bell). "

BIO: Jim Bovard moved to Blacksburg before the start of his senior year in high school in 1973. Jim said he has fond memories of hanging out at 117, and at Greeks II across from Books Strings & Things. He left Blacksburg in 1979 and now lives in "colder climates", as he put it. He eventually became a serious writer with numerous books to his credit.

Thanks, Jim, for enlightening us on a lost bit of Blacksburg history.

Radford Brothers Grocery

2011-05-27T08:48:00.002-04:00

1000 North Main Street

In the early 1970's, and with less than half the population there is now, you might be surprised to know there were at least 4 major grocery stores in town. Two were located at Gables Shopping Center (see an earlier Post about Gables), another store was Kroger located on South Main Street where the Tech Bookstore now operates, and then there was Radford Brothers which was at the site of the now YMCA Thrift Store.

A banker friend of mine once quipped that it should have been called the National Bank of Radford Brothers because they were so customer-friendly they would let you go in and write a personal check for cash. Heck, I remember doing that myself when I was a poor college student and there was no such thing as an ATM.

Radford Brothers had the real feel of a "mom and pop" store and their prices were some of the most competitive in town. I have fond memories of shopping there, even returning soda bottles for a few pennies apiece. My roommate and I existed on Kraft Mac & Cheese (yeah, in the blue box) and it cost something like 29 cents a box.

Radford Brothers later became Wades Supermarket before being sold to the YMCA.

Anyone else have memories of shopping here?

Our cars

2011-05-23T16:14:00.000-04:00

Compared to today, many of my friends didn't even own cars while they were students at Tech. My home in eastern Virginia was about 6 hours away so I had to have some cheap transportation ..... and here it is in the picture above, a 1970 VW Beetle. She was a little rough around the edges, black exterior and red inside with self-installed shag carpet and a Craig AM/FM cassette player. I loved this car and I might still have it if it hadn't died of exhaustion on I-95 in southern Florida.

I remember other autos that cruised the town on a regular basis. Lots of VW's of course, but it seemed like there were a lot more British cars back then like MGs and MGBs, Triumphs (thought the TR-6 was a beaut), and also a variety of vans, 4-door smoke bombs of many makes and models, and motorcycles galore.

By the way, the photo here was taken at the side parking lot of the old Marriott Hotel on Prices Fork Road, now the Holiday Inn.

So, what were your early car memories? And if you have a photo I'll gladly post it.

Flipper McCoy

2011-05-21T08:38:00.010-04:00

215 North Main Street

Even though the storefront in the photo above looks entirely different, it is the same spot in which D.P. Dough now operates, across the alley from Hokie Hair and adjacent to the Campus Emporium.

In 1977 Flipper McCoy existed solely to entertain the masses via pinball and pool tables. Long before there were home computers this was the diversion of choice among a lot of high school and college kids. A friend of mine recently admitted she was addicted to Ms. Pac Man back then and would sneak down to Flipper McCoy during lunch to feed her habit.

Some of the video games that came on the scene in the 70's were ones like Pac Man, Q-bert, Frogger, Asteroids, Centipede, Tron, Space Invaders, and others. I was more of a pinball guy, myself, and leaned toward ones made by Gottlieb .... personal favorites were Big Indian, Scuba, Fireball, Jack-In-The-Box and ones that had lots of targets to shoot at. A proficient pinball player could stop a ball dead in it's tracks and balance it on the flipper in order to line up a direct hit on a drop target, push target, or bonus button.

Previously, this building had been Jamie's Boutique and following Flipper it became the Downtowner Deli for a short period.

Deadwood Days

2011-05-13T16:10:00.004-04:00

In 1976 a couple of local merchants got together and came up with a plan to perk up the slow business days of summer. One of them noted in a book of famous events that Wild Bill Hickok had been shot in Deadwood, South Dakota, while holding pairs of Aces and Eights in his poker hand, one hundred years earlier. The idea for a giant weekend party started to formulate, along with the name Deadwood Days.

Other downtown business owners and members of the Town came to terms on what would be the first of many summer celebrations every August. The very first Deadwood Days weekend had folks dressed in Old West regalia, and many of the downtown shops temporarily changed their names. Books Strings & Things became the Thundergrit Hotel, while Mr. Fooz Sub Shop was dubbed the Aces & Eights Saloon. The popular bar at 117 South Main was renamed the Silver Dollar Saloon, and there you would have found cowpokes and saloon girls quenching their thirst. There was even a kissing booth in town where a tired, dusty cowboy could get a smooch from a pretty gal for one silver dollar.

Deadwood Days was a huge success, and continued for three more consecutive years. In 1981 it was renamed Steppin' Out.

Gables Shopping Center

2011-05-05T11:20:00.007-04:00

In the early 70's the Gables Shopping Center was the primary spot for a multitude of stores in one place.

Note in the second photo above there wasn't anything across the street yet (right side of picture).

On the Gables side, you see a Texaco gas station, and to the left of that was a great eatery called Lendy's Family Restaurant. They had a "Big Boy" statue out front, and in the rear take-out area you could get Kentucky Fried Chicken. A personal favorite in the dining area for me was the hot fudge sundae.

The other stores that made up the row within Gables Shopping Center were two grocery stores (Mick-Or-Mack and the A & P), two department stores (Sidneys and Leggetts), a Sears Catalog store, the ABC store, a High's Ice Cream, Marguerites Beauty Rama, and a Firestone Tire store. In the top picture, if you click to enlarge it, you can see Sears, A & P, and Leggets most prominently.

Am I forgetting anything?

(July 2011 Update on this posting .... discovered more stores at Gables, namely, TG&Y , Crigler's Shoes, Ridingers Hardware, and Holdren's)

Mish Mish

2011-04-24T08:24:00.006-04:00

In February 1970 a group of Tech Architecture students joined forces, borrowed $300, and opened a store in a 2nd story spot on Roanoke street called Mish Mish.

The name evolved in an interesting way. In keeping with "fruity" names of the day, like Apple Records and perhaps even thinking of Strawberry Alarm Clock, Moby Grape, etc., one of the partners suggested they form Apricot Enterprises. Well, as it turns out, a professor of theirs must have known some Arabic because he pointed out to them that the word "apricot" translated to "mish mish" in that language. Thus a unique store name was born.

Now after more than 40 years and four different store locations Mish Mish is still a thriving, vital part of downtown Blacksburg, providing supplies for architects, designers, artists, engineers, and the like ..... and not just for students.

The photo used here is their third site under the parking lot at the corner of Draper and Jackson. Just before that they were tucked back in the adjacent alley near the rear door of the Lyric Theater.

Studio One Theater

2011-04-19T11:21:00.007-04:00

In the early 1970's the Lyric Theater got some competition in the form of the new Studio One Theater up on the hill. Perhaps it was in response to the growing population of the college as well as the many cutting edge movies being released.

This cinema was located in the building that now houses Ceritano's restaurant. You can still see where the ticket booth was located on the front left, angled slightly ahead of the entrance doors. Just inside was a lobby and concession stand, along with auditorium entrances on the left and right ... a typical design. The new seats were quite cushy and the showings were mostly first run movies, along with the occasional late night X-rated flick.
Do you remember when "streaking" was popular in the 70's? Yep, there was at least one streaking incident that I know of inside the theater, and possibly more.

In the street photo above you can just make out the marquee on the right. I wish I had a better shot. Can anyone tell what is playing?

A Simpler Time

2011-04-16T07:57:00.003-04:00

With all the construction currently taking place downtown, this seemed like a good time to remember what passing through town used to look like.

Forty years ago there were less than half the number of students at VPI .... the same goes for the town population. This photo might have been the extent of the heavy traffic on any given day. What is amusing to me is that anytime I see an old movie or photo from the late 60's into the early 70's you always see a VW Beetle in the scene.

Who knows where the folks in these cars were headed? Radford Brothers grocery? (which became Wades, which became the YMCA Thrift store) .... much beyond that there was little commercialism, and you felt like you were starting to get WAY away from town.

Old Man Of The Sea

2011-04-05T09:27:00.002-04:00

In 1976 a handful of downtown business friends got together and decided to bring fresh seafood to the mountains. The white step-van they purchased made regular trips to the peninsula down in Tidewater, VA, and brought back whatever catch was available along with rock shrimp and other assorted delicacies from the ocean.

The van parked (as seen here in the photo) at the University Mall in front of Peoples Drug (now CVS) and sold out of the back. Business was good.

Eventually the enterprise got a real store front on Progress Street and continued being successful. From this location it moved once again when it was purchased by Keith, who now owns and operates Vintage Cellar, to a spot across from Gables Shopping Center.

Mr. Fooz Sub Shop

2011-03-28T08:25:00.002-04:00

Mr. Fooz opened in the mid-70's about the same time that Gillies did. People that remember the place still talk about the sub sandwiches. The only two beers on tap were Heineken and Pabst Blue Ribbon, although more were in cans and bottles. There weren't nearly as many beer choices then as there are now. Mr. Fooz got it's name due to the popularity of the game foozball (or foosball) at the time. There were tables in back and they would often have tournaments. Plenty of pinball machines also lined the walls.

People that frequented Mr. Fooz in the 1970's and into the early 80's always remember Wednesday night happy hour. The place could get quite crowded and rockin' hard. It was great to be an employee because you could escape behind the bar !!

Mr. Fooz was located just to the left of what is now Moe's. The classic logo is still endearing and enduring .... the drunken (or stoned) turkey bird smoking a cigarette and clutching a Heineken.

The Cost of Music

2011-03-21T11:54:00.002-04:00

Just a quick follow up to the post below about Books, Strings & Things.

The actual price label pasted onto a vinyl album here shows the typical cost in the early 70's.

You can still buy them for that price, or less, at flea markets and thrift stores.

Gillies

2011-02-08T15:23:00.003-05:00

Another Collegiate Times ad here, this time for Gillies when it was only half the place it is now (literally). Gillies opened in 1974 and I personally supported them by buying an ice cream cone every day, usually Mocha. That Louis Sherry was good stuff.

Gillies is now a Blacksburg institution and one of the longest lived restaurants around.

Inside Books Strings and Things

2011-02-08T14:58:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite places in town, located on Draper Road where the Rivermill now operates. Bought most of my albums there, and spent many hours reading there too. On hot summer days my little beagle dog named Ajax was known to hang out on the cool concrete floor.

This photo was actually an ad in the Collegiate Times. An old friend of mine, Alma Henry, is facing on the right.

A Favorite Place

2009-05-27T16:39:00.003-04:00

The New River Trading Company was located at 117 South Main Street, and eventually became a very popular bar. We'll talk about that one later. This great little store sold Levis and other clothing in 1970. I bought a lot of jeans and corduroys there, for about 5 bucks apiece.

A Unique Time

2009-05-04T09:21:00.002-04:00

My wife and I have talked about it many many times.
What was it about the late 60's and early 70's? Was it because we were impressionable teenagers? Does every adolescent think they grew up in a unique time in America, or the world?
Or does this time period truly stand out in history, and we were just fortunate enough to be a part of it? We tend to believe the latter.
There was nothing unusual about Blacksburg then, not to us anyway. Need shoes? Go to the shoe store. Need aspirin? Go to one of the several drugstores. Need a hammer? Which hardware store downtown is closest to your house?
The only thing unusual in Blacksburg might have been from the perspective of the long time residents. The college students were changing. Their hair was long, their clothes were strange, they talked funny. They were protesting against a war that had taken many of their friends or young relatives. They were questioning everthing about the status quo. It didn't take long for the look of downtown Blacksburg to reflect those new ideals. Record stores started selling "head shop" gear - like bongs, rolling papers, pipes, and roach clips. Soon it was easy to find blacklight posters and day-glo paint, leather goods made into sandals or headbands, waterbeds, homemade jewelry, books and magazines about being self-sufficient on the land or about other cultures and religions to consider. And music .... oh my God the MUSIC .... it was as if true musical artistry and expression was exploding and showing up week after week on black vinyl with often surreal outer jackets. The world started changing after 1965 and the ball was still rolling steadily forward into the 70's.
I hope some of you might enjoy the upcoming trips down memory lane (aka College Avenue, Main Street, and others) as we continue to talk about the times, and the shops, that made up our little town in the beautiful mountains of southwest Virginia.

Another View North

2009-05-04T07:19:00.002-04:00

The photographer was standing in front of the National Bank of Blacksburg at the corner of Main and Roanoke Streets. This shot is from the mid-70s I believe. In the foreground left is Tech Calculator and to the right is Credit Way (got a couple of loans there when things were tight!!)

Looking North

2009-05-03T13:54:00.003-04:00

This shot is from the center of Main Street near the Post Office, looking north. In a lot of ways it looks the same today.

Another Downtown View

2009-05-01T14:00:00.004-04:00

Someone stood in the median up the hill, perhaps near Cooks Clean Center, to get this south facing shot. The whitish portion of the building to the right is, of course, Corner Drug. This was one of at least three drugstores that existed downtown around 1970. I wish I had a nice closeup of Corner Drug ...... anyone reading this that may have such a shot please email it to me so I can include it on this Blog. Thanks.
In the front of Corner Drug, facing College Avenue, was a lunch counter that had pretty decent food. I remember going in there during summer days and getting a chocolate milkshake now and then. You could get a "Thicka" shake or a "Bigga" shake if I am remembering correctly.
Also, they had the usual sundries that a drugstore would carry and a true pharmacy in back.

A View of Downtown

2009-05-01T06:06:00.004-04:00

This is a view of downtown Blacksburg way back when cars could park on Main Street. To orient yourself, see the post office in the distance just left of center with the flag in front. The bank, which is now Wachovia, was the First National Exchange Bank. This picture seems to be taken near the front door of Corner Drug (currently "Moe's") looking south.

If you continued walking in the direction of the photo, the next place of business would have been Ridinger's Hardware (currently "More Than Coffee"), followed by the College Inn. I personally loved College Inn and ate breakfast and lunch there quite often. Friendly folks and good down home cooking. Arno would often greet you as you walked in the door, while leaning on the back counter smoking a cigarette. The two others I remember are Mrs. Smith and a sweet lady who waited on me often, by the name of Ruth.

Blacksburg VA - The Hippie Era & Beyond

2009-04-30T13:52:00.000-04:00

Yes, I loved my parents but I couldn't wait to get away and become an independent college student. It was September 1970.

If you've lived in Blacksburg in more recent times, say, the last 10 or 20 years, all I can say is it ain't exactly the same ..... it was more of a "real" town then. And by real I mean it didn't seem to matter that there happened to be a rather large college attached to it. It was quite self sufficient .... complete with drug stores, clothing stores, books and records, appliances, hardware stores, stereo hi-fi stores, barbershops and salons, a downtown grocery store .... and a whole lot more. Not exactly Mayberry, but not exactly Roanoke either. It was quaint, it was much slower moving, and you could find pretty much anything you wanted right inside the town limits.

Today the population is over 40,000 (counting students) but in 1970 it was half that. It was a helluva lot easier to get around !!! Most students walked or rode bicycles. No such thing as a rush hour or a traffic jam of any kind.

Anyway, the point of all this is to say Welcome. If you knew Blacksburg 30 or 40 years ago, or even longer than that, I hope you'll share some memories with us here.

For me personally, it was a time of long hair (on guys), bell bottoms, tie-dyes, sandals and bare feet, headbands, an ever-changing music scene, blacklight posters, shag carpeting, incense, bean bag chairs, and funny smells in the air at concerts.

It was a great time to be a wide-eyed teen on his own for the first time.