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19 Responses to Mpls: The Gateway
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That isn’t 1930! Those cars are a lot newer than 1930. Doesn’t the billboard above them advertise a 1960 Chevy? Interesting that Old Dutch hasn’t changed its typeface in all these years.
Shucks, I was hoping it was a clarivoyant billboard.
Seeing the mindless demolition conducted in the earliest phase of the Cultural Revolution makes the cultural abyss of the seventies a bit less mystifying.
“Hello I’d like a room at the Hotel Oslo…thank you.”
“Yes I will pay the upcharge for the room next to the neon sign”
Old Dutch Onion & Garlic potato chips – For those who really, REALLY want to eat alone.
There’s an ad for the 1959 movie “Jack the Ripper” on the wall. Click on my name for the trailer on Youtube. It has good reviews on IMDB.
Link doesn’t go to the index page.
Go here: http://lileks.com/mpls/gateway/washingtonav/
“Tables for Ladies”
I take this two ways.
1.) Ladies were denied table seating at other nearby establishments.
2.) Tables for Ladies……… for dancing on after getting good and sloshy. (caters to the fellas – dontcha think?!).
hey, lottery numbers for tonight, please
James, James. I think you need to hire a fact-checker and an editor.
As blighted as the 1960′s pictures are, at least they show places downtown to go to. Now, it’s all cleaned up, but unless you work in those buildings, there’s no reason to go there. I think I’ll stay in the ‘burbs.
…I saw ‘Old Dutch’ and the first thing I thought of was the gawdawful beer my uncle used to drink by the case. It was a local Ohio brand that somehow managed to survive until just a few years ago:
http://www.geocities.com/olddutchbeer/tap.html
But you can still get the chips, though in apparent regard to modern sensibilities and sheer decency, the onion and garlic chips don’t seem to be on the menu any more:
http://www.olddutchfoods.com/our_products/
Mike
I remember that box for OD O&G chips. They were much more flavorful back then – much more garlicky, with a strong powder on them. The chips they have now are nothing like that.
In case you’re wondering, that car is a 1954 Ford Customline. It has a V-8 engine as can be discerned by the small badge on front fender. I think it is already on its way to becoming a rust-bucket, a common happening on cars of that vintage in the Upper Midwest.
They look pretty when they are spiffed up, though.
http://www.tvhistory.tv/1954%20Ford.JPG
1954 was the first year of the modern OHV V-8 engine in Fords/Mercurys/Lincolns, by the way, replacing the venerable flathead V-8 that had been around for more than 20 years by that time.
Actually the billbord is for I think a 1960 Mercury Comet, very much like the car I learned to drive in (and then dang near totaled in front of the local sanitarium- got distracted by a great set of gams)
Darn it I looked again, it IS a 60 Chevy. Nevermind.
Nope, it’s for the 1960 Chevy, it says “Elegance with Economy! ’60 Chevy.” The Comet was a Mercury, and made its debut in 1960, along with the Ford Falcon, on which it was based (but the Comet had cool “cat eye” tail lights where the Falcon had conservative round ones).
The Comet was actually planned to be the second car in the Edsel lineup, but by ’60 the Edsel was all but dead and Mercury got it instead.
Comets look like this:
http://clinksfinsandwings.com/1960_comet_800x511.jpg
Falcons look like this (actually a ’63, but very similar):
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/2/4685/3181/24211590007_large.jpg
The Falcon was a humble design that spawned many more cars for Ford. My neighbor still drives a ’65 Falcon 2-door “post” sedan in Wimbledon White. It’s a great little car.
Forgive my indulgence, but said neighbor’s car looks EXACTLY like this:
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9d736b3127ccef8778206d63700000040O01BcsmrFm5Yg9vPgI/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
but with a blue interior instead of this red (of course it is a 3-on-the-tree):
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b9d736b3127ccef876a08077dc00000040O01BcsmrFm5Yg9vPgI/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D720/ry%3D480/
Ford was proud of its little car:
“Pictured here, big and beautiful, is perhaps the most remarkable new Falcon of all. It is one of America’s lowest-priced cars. Yet, together with its Falcon 4-Door running mate, it represents the highest standards in the compact world.
Total performance meets total economy. Here are the quickness and thrift of the new 170-cu. in. Falcon Six . . . the plush Falcon ride . . . quick, easy Falcon handling. Here, too are Twice-a-Year Maintenance . . . new longer-lived battery . . . new alternator and all the famous Falcon service savings.
Add to these Falcon’s impressive standard equipment roster . . . Falcon’s uncompromising quality . . . and happy Falcon owners by millions. You’re beginning to see how truly remarkable a compact can be!”
The 1965 Falcon is considered by many to be the best year to own. The incredible success of the Mustang (which is based on the Falcon) left the Falcon with nowhere to go but down, which it did.
@juanito – John Davey
Or maybe they meant that they didn’t just have bar seating, and tables were more lady-like ?
I’m oldish lady, but not old enough to remember that special feature.
And I still prefer to sit at the bar