Hap Morse Bowling Alley

"Bowling for Health". Bowling was big in the thirties, forties, and fifties. Many businesses in cities throughout the U.S. sponsored bowling teams. "Southwest's Finest", 1407 Ross Avenue. Hap Morse was a famous bowler; that's all I know about him. In 1938 there were two Hap Morse Bowling Alleys in Dallas, this one and another at 1507 Young Street. In 1957 only the one on Young Street remained under this name.

Olla Podrida

Located at 12215 Coit Road just off LBJ Freeway, Olla Podrida billed itself as "The Working Artists Place." It was more or less a craft mall, although during the mid 1970s it occasionally featured exhibits by well known photographers or folk artists. It closed about 1996 and was demolished some ten years later.

See Best Repurposing of a Crap Mall from 2006.

Many thanks to reader Josh, for the scan of the above brochure, circa 1994. You should be able to click on the images to see them full size.

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I found an ad from 1976 listing a number of shops and some of the things you could see, do, or buy at Olla Podrida back then:

1912 Stained Glass Studio - leaded glass lampshade $65
A-B Interior Gallery - a batik painting for $10
Adobe House - a party kit sampler of Mexican snacks $5
A Lot of Racquet - 3 hrs of tennis lessons $19
Antojitos - Mexican hot dogs 75¢ each
The Apple Tree - fresh strawberry parfait 85¢
The Artist - oil portrait $75
The Assayers - a Buffalo nickel 1919-D $6
The Artist’s Eye - eight 2-hour drawing lessons $45
Bebus - gauze blouse withe eyelet lace insets from India $15.95
The Blue Anvil - sterling heart pendant on chain $11
Boogie Bear’s Toy & Friend Factory - stuffed Teddy Bear with your message embroidered on a heart-shaped collar $7.50
Buckle & Abetta Jewelers - 14 kt. gond pendant with cloisonné heart $60
The Busy Needle - custom designed needlepoint canvas from $8
Candy Art, Inc. - big red lollipop for 89 cents
China Belle - handpainted personalized mug $10
The Clock Shop - 100-year-old one-of-a-kind French marble clock, $50
The Copper Kiln - heart-shaped enamel on copper pendant, $4.50
The Copy Shop - old photos copied & restored, from $17
Debacle’s Wine Cellar - wine making kit $12.95
Dos Escultores - handmade jewelry
Eureka / Paper Tiger - baby dragon kite, 25 feet long $5
Final Touch - chambered nautilus shell $7.50
The Front Porch - sand cast candle $6
Geppetto’s - Snoopy hand puppet $6
Gourmet Junction - one lb. mocha java coffee $3.95
Gypsies, Beggars & Thieves - antique type tray $15
Handcrafted Crystal - crystal Cupid’s heart $20
Handmade and Co. - handmade quilt $50
The Hobbit House - handprinted rock with your message $7
Karat Top - one-of-a-kind ruby and diamond ring $600
Kathy Burks Marionettes - puppet show 75¢ on special occasions
Las Manos - four macrame lessons $18
Leather Loft - woman’s all-leather clutch wallet with checkfold $4
The Muffin Tin - fresh baked heart shaped cake $3.95
Olla Pod Gallery - Paolo Soleri bronze bell $5
Originalla - hand embroidered one of a kind cotton dress starting at $49
Patchworks - appliqued work shirts from $35
Pins and Bobbins - white linen handkerchief trimmed in handmade Belgian lace $7.50
The Poet’s Niche - a book of poems $4.75
Portraits by Mary Ann - pastel portraits starting at $15
The Poster Place - framed silkscreen of Robert Indiana’s “Love” graphic $16
Pottery Workshop - eight weeks potter lessons $75
Practical Drawing - a Valentine’s card for 35¢
Put It Together - clam shell music box $16
Rare Things - melon shell heart pendant $17
Reflection Gallery - mirror necklace $10
Shades of Green - a bromeliad (aechmea fasciata purpurea) $12.95
Sounds and Strums - one half hour guitar lesson $6.50
The Silver Mine - sterling silver graduated heist necklace with obsidian, shell, turquoise & ivory $118
Through the Keyhole - handmade doll house $25
Upper Crust - homemade strawberry shortcake 75¢ for big serving
The Woodshed - paintings on wood $150

Hawaiian Century Room

Located at the Adolphus Hotel, 1321 Commerce St. One of the many incarnations of the Century Room

Howdy from "Big D"

Circa 1964, looking ENE toward downtown from Interstate 30. This is the skyline of my childhood. The spire of the Republic National Bank Building may have been the tallest object there, but it was the Southland Life Building that enabled us kids to get a bird's eye view of Dallas County. I think "Big D" was the most common slogan for Dallas at that time (besides "the place where Kennedy was shot"). It was probably during the seventies that the phrase "Metroplex" was coined.

Howdy from Dallas

Circa 1960, this card features the Statler Hilton and the new Stemmons Freeway, as well as the Cotton Bowl, the Republic National Bank Building, SMU, and the Majestic Theater.

Greetings from Dallas

Sometimes the postcards say "Howdy"; sometimes they're mere "Greetings". Dallas just can't decide how to present itself. Card is probably from 1943-1954, since it includes the Mercantile Building, but not the Republic National Bank Building. Images include a cowboy on a bucking bronco, the Cotton Bowl, a downtown canyon, Union Station, the Old Red courthouse, a lake scene (probably White Rock Lake), and one other skyscraper I haven't yet identified.

Bon Air Courts

  The DeLuxe Tourist Village, convenient to Downtown and Centennial Grounds (ie Fair Park). Modern, individual cottages of stone construction with private garage.

3811-15 Ross Ave. -- On U.S. Highway No. 75 

The room photo shows a single bed in a space that's not big enough to swing a cat in, and no tv, but it sure looks homey.

3811-3815 Ross Avenue is between Haskell and Washington on the north side of the street. The reference to the Centennial Grounds dates it after 1936.  Now a strip mall  with Classic Cleaners and Tailors occupying the 3811 spot and not many trees in sight.

Beck's Fried Chicken

Phone 58-3854  -  We Deliver

This matchbook is from Beck's second restaurant, 5820 Lovers Lane at Lomo Alto. This location was open from 1939 to about 1955. Beck's offered "The finest pan-fried chicken, with no batter. Cooked to individual taste - served with all the hot biscuits, cream gravy and jelly you desire.

Aaron D. Beck and his wife opened their first diner on Oakland Avenue in 1919 when he was about 25 years old. They opened their second diner in August 1939, and closed the Oakland diner sometime after that. In 1956 the diner opened in a new location, at Hillside Village, Abrams and Mockingbird. Beck died in 1963.