You're a Vernonite if you can remember . . .

[Fritzthecat]

Building behind Kal Hotel was a printing place (?) in the late 70's and had a funky vertical wood slat roof around it's permineter later relocated to the corner of 28th and 28th across from St. James School.
In the mid-80's (or there abouts) they moved out, the building was renovated into Jerry O's. Later on, in the late 80-s/early 90's the addition was put on tot he south end and it became a laundry mat. In the late 90's (or there abouts) Jerry O's took over the whole building. Years before any of this, it was, I am told a gas station. Capital Taxi was across the street in the building that too was once a gas station. You used to be able to see the foot pritn of the gas pump islands years ago.


What was the name of the arcade/indoor golf/pool hall right beside Jerry O's in the early 90's? It was in the old Dabbers Bingo Hall lasted about 3-4 years.

[CR250R40]

Building behind Kal Hotel was a printing place (?) in the late 70's and had a funky vertical wood slat roof around it's permineter later relocated to the corner of 28th and 28th across from St. James School.
In the mid-80's (or there abouts) they moved out, the building was renovated into Jerry O's. Later on, in the late 80-s/early 90's the addition was put on tot he south end and it became a laundry mat. In the late 90's (or there abouts) Jerry O's took over the whole building. Years before any of this, it was, I am told a gas station. Capital Taxi was across the street in the building that too was once a gas station. You used to be able to see the foot pritn of the gas pump islands years ago.


What was the name of the arcade/indoor golf/pool hall right beside Jerry O's in the early 90's? It was in the old Dabbers Bingo Hall lasted about 3-4 years.

Throughout the 1970s to mid-80s Capital Taxi was in the Gerry O's building. Valley Taxi was in 30th Street Liquor Store location.

[zookeeper]

How about Silver Star? First time I ever went skiing was the grade 5 school outing (still do that?) and all I remember up there is a basic ski chalet. Took my kid in the 90's and there was hotels, restaurants, stores and lots of private (holiday?) homes.

[Fritzthecat]

Throughout the 1970s to mid-80s Capital Taxi was in the Gerry O's building. Valley Taxi was in 30th Street Liquor Store location.

Sorry I always get those two mixed up.

[Tphord]

QUOTES
by superbee » Apr 16th, 2012
Tphord, I remember a fruit shipping place just down over the bank from the Catholic School, right along the tracks. …
….. We had a wooden apple box here that had a Big Chief label. I assumed it came from the same apple processing place behind the Tastee Freez, where Horton's is now, since I remember that Big Chief sign up on its roof.

by CR250R40 » Apr 16th, 2012
( Big Chief apple box label BC Fruit Shippers )

by zookeeper » Apr 16th, 2012
I remember when the Big Chief Mobile home park opened out on the Landing.

superbee » Apr 16th, 2012
Thanks, CR, that's the Big Chief I remember!

*********************************************************************************************
I agree with you‘all--that’s my favourite image too!! I was told the sign at the Big Chief Park is the original roof sign that we remember from the BC Fruit Shippers building behind Horton’s. That’s the building BCFS eventually occupied-just as the OK Spring Brewery has followed in their footsteps-BCFS started out in the building where the beer is made at 2808 27 Ave. At that location, in the day, when they got a new apple box label, they would slap one on the wall. Before the OKSB reno, the Museum rescued the wall!

http://memorybc.ca/b-c-fruit-shippers-ltd-fonds;ead?sf_format=xml
In 1926, Mr. J.E. Montague started his own fruit and vegetable shipping company under the name of J.E. Montague Ltd. In 1928, the firm was considerably enlarged and became known as the independent non-grower packing house, B.C. Fruit Shippers Ltd.

The Ogopogo label I posted is NOT the usual idyllic Paradisical image is it! What were they thinking? "Eat your apple johnny-boy , or we'll feed you both to the Ogopogo!" @@

[Tphord]

Thank you very much, CR250R40 for the great photos of the Capitol! Happy times in there!

[Verminator]

Those pics of the old Capitol Theater are wonderful, thank you so much for posting them CR. Is that a jukebox I see against the far wall in that last interior shot?

My in-laws lived at the Big Chief trailer park for a few years in the late '80s. I thought the sign was pretty unique and I remember asking the guy in the office about it. He said the Big Chief sign originally came from the old BC Fruit Shippers building where it had been for many years. I have no idea when the sign was transplanted to the trailer park or if that's actually what happened.

[superbee]

Thank you, CR, for posting those wonderful photos of the Capitol Theatre, I couldn't remember for sure if it was 'al' or 'ol'. We sure enjoyed the Winkie Shows there on Saturday afternoons (the poor employees--what noise!), and lots of other shows too as we got older. It was great going down memory lane and seeing 'the show' as I remembered it. Thank you.

Is the Towne a regular theatre now?

[superbee]

Verminator, it looks like a jukebox, doesn't it? If I remember right, I think the photo taker had their back to the concession and the doors going towards the seats. Over to the left were the doors going into the W and M washrooms, and I think the men's door is the one by the 'jukebox'. I don't remember music playing there in the lobby, but I know in some really long shows, like Gone with the Wind, there was a long intermission, so maybe you could play music in the lobby then?

I am pretty darn sure the Big Chief sign at the trailer park is the same one from the packing house behind where Horton's is now. In the old days one could drive south along 27th Street, past the Catholic Church, and UP around the corner of 25th Ave. (where the wire fencing is now) and up those 2 steep little hills, and on home. In fact, those 2 steep little hills are where the driving examiner, Mr. Jakeman, tested those taking their driving test in a standard car.

Years ago they changed it, so now you can drive down 25th Ave, heading towards 27th Street, but you cannot drive up from along the Catholic Church anymore.

Back then, as we drove along 27th Street, as a passenger I could look right down towards the park, and over the packing house along the tracks. And up there on the roof was the Big Chief. He was there for a long time. Then he was gone, I heard about Big Chief Trailer Park, and I saw the Big Chief at his new home. I am sure he is the same Chief.

[Tphord]

I think this may be a cousin to what's beside the "Mens" door in the Capitol Theatre lobby. "1926 - William Rowe, an American inventor, invents the first commercial cigarette vending machine" 1930's Rowe Cigarette Machine http://www.rememwhen.com/rowe.htm

[CR250R40]

Capitol Taxi and Valley Taxi yellow pages ad in 1981 Vernon phone book.

[CR250R40]

Thank you, CR, for posting those wonderful photos of the Capitol Theatre, I couldn't remember for sure if it was 'al' or 'ol'. We sure enjoyed the Winkie Shows there on Saturday afternoons (the poor employees--what noise!), and lots of other shows too as we got older. It was great going down memory lane and seeing 'the show' as I remembered it. Thank you.

Is the Towne a regular theatre now?

I've been mistakenly writing "al" for Capitoi Theatre and Capitol Taxi service.

Not sure what you mean by "a regular threatre?" However, the threatre shows new movies but new movies that have been out for a few months. Kinda like a "last chance" opportunity. Hope this makes sense.

The last movie I saw there was "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" in 2008. The whole threatre looked grand, as it had when it was a Famous Players threate throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

[superbee]

Typhord, I think your theory is correct, it was probably a cigarette machine. I don't remember hearing juke box music out in the lobby. With a cigarette machine, smokes could be bought on the way out of the show, when the candy counter was closed.

[superbee]

CR, by regular theatre, I meant does the Towne Theatre show new releases the same as over at Polson Mall, or are the films a little older? I heard their prices are much cheaper, and a film club brings shows in there too. I wasn't sure what was being shown. I should attend too, for old times sake. On a hot summer Saturday afternoon, it was a wonderfully cool place to be.

[CR250R40]

No Superbee, I didn't know any of the people in the 'hood, I was just born there. I grew up in the Harwood area, I remember the old janitor Mr Shipmaker used to build an ice rink by the parking lot of the school and took care of it in his own time so the kids around Harwood had a place to skate in the winter.

Thanks for the wonderful memory. I still picture Mr. Bill Shipmaker in his green Stanfield work clothes sprinkling eraser chunks on the floor then pushing a wide broom from one end of the school hallway to the other. A dangling "wipe" rag was forever present from his pants pocket. Mr. Shipmacker was the nicest person. He gave so much time back to the school -- the ice rink being one of many things.