Some of the answers to "Can You Help"

How the mind jogging stories got started

Everyone I need your help in jogging our memories. This is what happens as we get older our memories start to fade. I think I know some of the answers but not all. Your help is needed:

1 What was the name of the all night café that was on the U.S. 67 bypass, midway between the road to Little Rock and the Kensett exit?

2 What was the name of the drive-in restaurant that was on that same bypass but right at the Kensett exit?

3 What was the name of the pool hall downtown?

4 When did White County go “dry”?

5 Remember that the pool hall was verboten and a sort of rite of passage was walking in there and finding that you weren’t going to get thrown out.

6 I remember the Black Cat Café, but there was another diner closer to the school…what was that name?

7 What was the name of the “other” theatre (not the Rialto?

I have also asked the 1962, 63, and 64 Searcy High Classes for stories of life during high school, things that happened to us, and remember when’s. Your help and any short story event will be appreciated.

Possible Answers:

#2 I think the name was “Guy’s Drive-In”

#6 I don’t remember the name but weren’t the hamburgers .15 cents, and it was located across the street from a Gulf Oil Gas station, and Fire Dept.?

Hope this gives you an opportunity to stay in touch with your classmates, and renew favorable stories of growing up in Searcy, AR. I would like to remember our fun times rather than send out political view points.

I have posted only some of the answers I received in this post.

Gene Barnett 8/27/09 says:

Hi Irvin and gang, I don't remember #1, I think #2 was Guy's drive inn, #3 was pastime billiard parlor, #4 was 1956 or close, #5 if they liked you, you did not get thrown out even if you were not of age, #6 I don't remember the name of the diner but it was on the corner of Race St and 1st Street at the time, #7 Plaza, I think,

Carolyn Daniels 8/27/09 says:

1. Not sure I remember an all night café between the Kensett exit and the Main St. exit. Except Guy’s Drive-In ? I do remember the skating rink located between the two “Y’s”.

2. Guy’s Drive-In. Golly, it was fun circling Guy’s and then back up Race St. to the A&W, looking for your friends.

3. You’re right about the pool hall being verboten! NEVER sat foot in there! However, I do remember the stench that wafted out thru the doors when you passed by. I don’t remember the name of it but it was on the west side of the square.

4. I don’t remember when White County went dry. In addition to a dry county, I grew up in a dry home.

5. I already answered # 5.

6. I remember the R.C. Café, located on the north side of the square, east of The Rialtor Theatre. I also remember Stitts Café located on Market St. Jimmy Stitt’s dad owned and operated it. Jimmy graduated in ’65 or ’66 I think. There was also a little white board siding store located on the west side of the school playground. A lady ran it and she sold “health foods”……Hostess cupcakes, R.C. Colas and candy. Once in a while I had an extra nickel to spend over there.

7. I don’t remember another theatre in Searcy but I do remember a theatre at Kensett. It got the movies that had been out a little longer and I think they cost fifty cents. You could also get a free shoeshine because of the rats and mice that would run across your feet! *smile*

Larry Nokes 8/27/09 answers were:

1 What was the name of the all night café that was on the U.S. 67 bypass, midway between the road to Little Rock and the Kensett exit? 67 Truck Stop

2 What was the name of the drive-in restaurant that was on that same bypass but right at the Kensett exit? Guy’s

3 What was the name of the pool hall downtown? Past Time Billiards

4 When did White County go “dry”?  1956 I think

5 Remember that the pool hall was verboten and a sort of rite of passage was walking in there and finding that you weren’t going to get thrown out. But you could always run out the back door into the alley.

6 I remember the Black Cat Café, but there was another diner closer to the school…what was that name? City Café on the west side of the square

7 What was the name of the “other” theatre (not the Rialto?  Plaza

Suanne Riddle’s Answers 8/27/09

1 What was the name of the all night café that was on the U.S. 67 bypass, midway between the road to Little Rock and the Kensett exit? It was a truck stop, Robert Person's father owned it, I think it was B&L Truckstop or something that started with a B

2 What was the name of the drive-in restaurant that was on that same bypass but right at the Kensett exit? Don’t remember

3 What was the name of the pool hall downtown? There were 3 pool halls in Searcy, one was Past Time Parlor, one was owned by Mr. Lane, the other two by the Kelloughs as in Larry Kellough's father (I may be misspelling that but you get the drift) We would walk through the alley from the old high school to eat at the Royal Cafe (owned by Noel Hipp) and the smell could ruin the appetite. That was before they came up with that rule that you couldn't go out for lunch.

4 When did White County go “dry”?  '60 or '61 I am thinking '60 would have been an election year so it probably went dry January of 61
5 Remember that the pool hall was verboten and a sort of rite of passage was walking in there and finding that you weren’t going to get thrown out.

6 I remember the Black Cat Café, but there was another diner closer to the school…what was that name? Jimmy thinks it was Sllver Spoon or Silver Diner or something like that. The man that owned it lived by the old river bridge.

7 What was the name of the “other” theatre (not the Rialto? Wasn't it the Plaza, it was on the corner where Mrs Kroh's was, at one ttime there was a "teen town" right along there also. I remember being along there, too young to go to teen town but Butch Lovell came out and jumped over the door and into his black convertible and I thought that was really cool, my parents didn't share my awe ha. The Plaza was closed for a while and when it reopened the first movie shown was "Greatest Show on Earth", not to be confused that it was a new release. K. K. King owned it also.

Gerald Saunders 8/08/09 Remembers:

I remember walking downtown to Headlee Drug store for floats, hot rolls at lunch. Also, to Market Street cafe ran by Mr. Stitts for the best chili and plate lunches around. Mrs. Stitts let us eat in the kitchen where a table was set up. The Kroger store was originally located where Person Furniture was located until it moved to the location that Sav-A-Lot is now. The Safeway store downtown moved to where Regions Bank is now and had a covered parking area in the back. It formally was a Farm and Tractor supply and repair facility. (Van Patten Tractor Co) Searcy Wholesale was on the northeast corner of the square where 1st Security is now, It was located where the radio station is and before that on the SW corner of the square across from Sowells. CR Anthony was across the street east of Sowells and I think Snowdens 5 & 10 was next door. Then the record shop located next to it. Then Stotts Drug store. We still had a train depot across from the park and a telegraph office next to it.

Smith Vaughn was where the Van Atkins store was and had hitching posts behind it for horses. Ben Franklin was on the east side of the square also. There was a cotton gin on Pleasure street just east of Main street. Remember the first teen hut, located next to the Plaze theater on Spring Street, spent a many of nights there dancing to the latest hits by Fats Domino, Little Richard and others.

Everyone, these replies were copied from some of the emails received, when you reply directly to the Blog Email posting is easier.