What are the iconic places of your youth?

[Rain Man]

The mall thread got me thinking about the places that are pivotal to our memories of self. What are the iconic places of your childhood or youth?

For the purposes of this thread, let's NOT count our homes or schools since we pretty much had to be there. But anything else is open game, whether it's a restaurant or a vacant field or a parking lot or a street corner or maybe even a friend's house.

Only count iconic places that impacted you at age 18 or younger. No college stuff or army stuff or anything unless you were Doogie Howser.

For me, the iconic places were:

1. The steakhouse where I worked from age 17 to 23, though we'll only count the first couple of years. I spent a whole lot of time there, and made a lot of friends across different social cliques. Good times were had after our closing shift.

Today, it's still the same restaurant, though they've changed color schemes and business model.

2. The strip-mall pizza place where my friends and I would go for dinner during epic gaming sessions. I played my first video game there - Space Invaders.

Today, it appears to be some kind of clothing store.

3. The vacant lot where my friends and I played football. I have no idea who owned the lot, but it was well maintained. No one ever chased us off while we were playing.

Today, there are two houses on the lot.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by LiveSteam

We still target shooting off that old iron bridge just behind Memphis lake. Just west of the lake by 1/4mile

I think I remember that. It's been years since I've been up there. I seem to remember that old dirt road on the back side of the lake, where that bridge is, was a rough primitive sonofabitch.

EDIT: My grandpa's farm was west of Memphis, about 3 miles west and a 1/2 mile north from the main road going into Memphis

[Predarat]

Joyland
FantaSea
SkateEast
LeMans Arcade
Towne East Mall
Sportsworld
Pink Palace 1$ Movie Theater
Rocks Dugout (Baseball Card Store)
Though my favorite place was our neighborhood. We had a few vacant yards for Football, Baseball, Soccer, driveways for Basketball hoops, streets for skateboarding, biking. Hills for sledding, awesome neighborhood friends and most of the parents. Those were some great times.

[gblowfish]

Nobody mentioned the NKC Bowl and the Gold Buffet??

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

I think I remember that. It's been years since I've been up there. I seem to remember that old dirt road on the back side of the lake, where that bridge is, was a rough primitive sonofabitch.

EDIT: My grandpa's farm was west of Memphis, about 3 miles west and a 1/2 mile north from the main road going into Memphis

Yup that's the road.
You remember that old abandoned lil red brick school that sat on the HYW? Someone bought it ,then attached a new house to it.

[scho63]

Growing up at the Jersey Shore

1. Swimming in the Barnegat Bay at the Jersey shore and walking the boardwalk. Also playing arcade games at Barnacle Bills

2. Donuts from Obco's

3. The Drive-In movie theater and Go Carts on Rt 37 in Gilford Park

4. The Berkeley Theater and sneaking in beers in our coats

5. Playing baseball in a sand lot at the base of a wooded area.

6. Playing touch football on the street

7. Playing basketball in my best friends driveway including shoveling snow to play in the dead of winter

8. Golf at Bey Lea golf course

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by LiveSteam

Yup that's the road.
You remember that old abandoned lil red brick school that sat on the HYW? Someone bought it ,then attached a new house to it.

Was that the one right out of Ashland? To the north?

BTW, you know all the sand pits that are everywhere around the Platte? My grandpa (mom's side) used to run a crane digging some of those out.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by scho63

Growing up at the Jersey Shore

Had no idea your avatar was complexion appropriate.

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Nobody mentioned the NKC Bowl and the Gold Buffet??

I was pretty young, but remember going there with parents/grandparents.

My slim memory of it though....wasnt there a dining room, but also a dinner theater room as well for entertainment?

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by loochy

I didn't know it moved there. I remember it being in the shopping center on the northwest side of Noland and 40 kind of by where Toys R Us is, but on the far west side next to a Service Merchandise (or was it a BEST)

Yeah it was there too...then it moved to the old Children's Palace building

[EPodolak]

I was only eight when we left Kansas City. Places I have fond memories of - Roeland Park swimming pool, Fairway Pharmacy for penny candy, Smaks for fast food. My parents used to take me to the airport to watch the planes take off and land. Games at Kauffmann.

[BlackHelicopters]

Iconic places of my youth? Any willing vagina. At least in my teens anyway.

[bobbymitch]

Allen's Drive In, on Shawnee Mission Parkway (?). There used to be route that we kids would drive between the Allen's and Winsteads on the Plaza. I want to think that there was a third drive in on the route, but that was just too long ago.

Our backyard in Shawnee. We had a lake that spanned the backyard of 3 houses. Being in HS and having a lake, resulted in many a happy summer.

Then there was the Scout. Actually is wasn't so much about the Scout, but the parking lot where we used to watch the submarine races in the river. Got to third base there.

Lake of the Ozarks. Parents bought the cabin and lot back in 1962 and spent many a loooong weekend there. Spent the honeymoon at the old cabin. Renovated the newer cabin and now live here full time.

[stevieray]

great thread!

..grew up over the hill from Arrowhead, so 40 highway was awesome.

DQ, Shakey's, Cool Crest and slot car shop where you could upgrade ...Slicks etc.

Big Splash pool in Raytown

Fairyland, opening day at WOF.

Municipal Auditorium for wrestling

Memorial Hall, Kemper and Royals stadium for concerts.

[loochy]

Does anyone remeber the Hen House grocery store that had a big cow out front?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by loochy

Does anyone remeber the Hen House grocery store that had a big cow out front?

Yeah, that was like on State Line Road or something, right?

They had other locations pop up around the city in strip malls that didn't have the cow.