Woolworth Santa Claus

Roy Tittle played Santa for years at Park Road Shopping Center

Tittle was a beloved Santa Claus at Woolworth's and later Blackhawk Hardware. 

Did you sit on his lap when you were a kid? 

Did you take your own children? I still have a photo of my kids visiting him at Blackhawk.

(Address is in comments if you want to send Roy a card)

December 16, 1982/Charlotte News

'Erin Russell, 6 years old, with Santa (Roy Tittle) at Woolworth's, Park Road Shopping Center.'

'Felicia Freeman (l) and Shannon Freeman rush into Woolworth's.'

December, 1989. Tom Franklin/Staff

Woolworth Co., Park Road Shopping Center. 

January, 1992. Diedra Laird/Staff

1970s Holiday Ads

They're all from 1979, actually...

SouthPark Mall

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Reader Susan Walker points out that this was in Myers Park, not Providence Square 

as I originally thought. Thank you!

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Nice store! I went to Catholic High with the owners' kids.  

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 Brendle's!

And Service Merchandise!

Did both stores have the system where you wrote down what item you wanted and it was 

sent to the front of the store on a conveyor belt? Always thought that was cool.

 

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Apple in 1979? Really??

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 Gifts for dads.

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 Memorex blank cassette tapes, I remember you well.

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 Press Box after high school football games! 

Click here for 1940s Holiday Ads!

Click here for 1930s Holiday Ads!

1940s Holiday Ads

'Solve your gift problems with fruit cake!'

(Please no, LOL!)

1944

119 E. Fourth St is approximately at corner of Fourth and Tryon, 

where the side of Dean & DeLuca is now.

And 315 N. Tryon is where Discovery Place is now.

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1947

In the '40s Old Spice sold 'Early American Roses and Spice Toiletries' aimed at women.

This would have been south of the Observer building near intersection of 

S. Tryon and Hill Streets.

On S. Tryon near Third Street.

I didn't know there used to be a Sears there!

Click here for 1930s Holiday Ads!

Click here for 1970s Holiday Ads!

New Coca-Cola Bottling Plant Opens, 1931

The new Coca-Cola Bottling Plant opened on West Morehead Street on January 20, 1931, moving from its original home on S. Church.

The lovely Art Deco building still stands and is on the National Register of Historic Places - 

photo below.

(You may be able to enlarge the images by clicking on them once, twice or even three times. 

Unfortunately, scans from our very old microfilm are often hard to read. 

I hope you can at least enjoy the ads and layout as much as I did!)

Courtesy of Char-Meck Historic Landmarks Commission

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(The Observer did not cover the actual opening of the plant.)

Lucky Strike Bowling Alley

Entrepreneur catered to women bowlers who played 'Duckpin'

The photo of ladies bowling with small balls caught my eye while looking for something else on microfilm. It turns out Charlotte had a bowling alley on the second floor of 21 North Tryon Street.  'Lucky Strike Bowling Alleys' opened in 1928 and appears to have closed sometime after January, 1931.

Update: Reader John Blythe comes to the rescue again! 

He thinks the bowling alley was between the old Kress' and Ivey's on North Tryon.

Wikipedia says Duckpin is similar to bowling but the ball has no holes and the pins are squatter.

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January 1931

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November 25, 1928

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December 2, 1928

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December 6, 1928

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December 8, 1928

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March 13, 1929

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December 25, 1929

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January 24, 1930

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January 24, 1930