You know you're from Grand Rapids....

[noonwitch]

Since I grew up there, yet still had roots in Detroit.

1. Detroit coney dogs are just not as good as Yesterdogs.
2. You rode the kiddie train at Herpolshimer's?
3. You remember when there were three department stores-Herpolshimer's, Steketee's and Wurzburg's?
4. Do you remember our black republican mayor (Lyman Parks)?
5. You ate at Savory Street and thought that New Orleans really looked that way.
6. You know what olive loaf is.
7. A day in East GR meant shopping at Jacobsen's, lunch at Rose's and ice cream at Jersey Junction.
8. You remember when Kentwood was "farm country".
9. You know Bonket is something very different from a banquet, although it might be served at one.
10. You remember when Festival was confined to Calder Plaza.
11. You remember the really cool bathrooms at Finger's restaurant, where the fountain flowed when the toilets were flushed.
12. You had to go rescue a friend from The Limelight on Division, when her car broke down there.
13. Your school field trips included the Gypsum Mines, the Gerald Ford Museum or the Indian Mounds.
14. You knew someone who worked at Alpine Manor during the "Lesbian Nursing Home Killer Spree".
15. You know where "Whino Park" once stood.
16. You can tell who is dutch and who isn't by throwing a penny on the ground. If someone stops to pick it up, you know he's dutch.
17. You or your parents bought or sold used underwear at a garage sale.
18. You know what Raider high is and where it is located.
19. You remember the head shop being in a mall. (Purple East used to be at Eastbrook Mall).
20. You know the best library in town for research is at Calvin College, but are loathe to admit it because you are a liberal.

[MichiganVote]

1. Don't forget "the circuit" from the 50's, Football at Houseman field,

the race riots of 68', racial integration at Union High School, Perogi's on the lower west side, Polish weddings, the Old Pantlind b/f the DeVos Clan, The Backroom Saloon, Intersection/Yacht Club in Eastown, Burger Chef or Chef's as it was called, free Public Pools for all city kids with on site recreation progams, the sewing department in the basement of downtown Steketees, the first Christmas windows at Wurzburgs with figures that moved, Rexall, Lovelands in Burton Heights, The 4 Star, the Majestic, The Burton Capri (almost gave the five surrounding churches and their pastors a heart attack)

and my personal favorite....ice skaing on the pond at Garfield Park at night in the winter with the in house five foot stone fireplace blazing for the kids to stay warm.....magical

[noonwitch]

2. My dad's company had a yearly booth in convention at the Pantlind

in the 70s. It was not in good shape at the time. Probably one of the few good things done by DeVos and Van Andel is restoring that hotel to it's original beauty (DeVos Hall is also a very nice auditorium). When the hotel first reopened, my friends and I used to go downtown and ride the elevators up and down in the new part of the building.

I forgot a few things, too-I also remember the cross-carrying protestor who would be at Festival and around downtown, decrying the corruption of all churches, a teaching that doesn't go over very well in the "city of churches". A couple of his followers worked at IHOP when I did, the one that used to be in Woodland's parking lot.

I grew up in Kentwood in the 70s, so I didn't go to the city swimming pools. I did go to an art fair in Garfield park a couple of years ago with my mom-that area looks really nice, still. I remember the Burton Capri, because Christian Music Center (where I got my violin and all supplies) was on Division just down the street, as was Maleki Music (sheet music) before they built their store out on Broadmoor and 44th. The wafer cookie factory was in that same stretch, too, I think.

I worked at Steketee's at Eastbrook from 81-82, and the summer of 83. We had a sewing department, too, that did alterations. They were located behind the fitting rooms in the women's department. That building is gone, now-it was bulldozed and rebuilt as a Nordstrom Rack.

I remember when we didn't have a McDonald's in Kentwood, just a Burger Chef and a Pizza Hut. I also remember Stop N Go, or as we called it, Stop N Rob. I lived briefly down the street from the Intersection, in 1985 right before I moved to Detroit in the spring of 1986.

I remember Farrells-there were also two in the Detroit area.

I miss Mr. Fables, though. It's sad that the chain no longer exists.

It's good that Florentine Pizza is still at Town and Country Shopping Center, though.

Is Village Inn Pizza still there on 28th street in Wyoming? I don't get over that way very much now that my mom pretty much lives in Bitely with her boyfriend and my sister moved from Holland to St. Joe. We used to have birthday parties there and sing along with the piano. I know Roaring 20s is long gone, with the big pipe organ.

I remember the serial killer from the 70s, too. He killed a couple of women, then one fought back and he was caught. One of the women, he killed out by the gypsum mines.

I remember when Meijer's logo was of a dutch boy.

The best thing about GR that is still there (bigger and better than ever) is Schuler Books, though. It is better than Borders. Well, that and Russ', where you can still get a complete fried chicken dinner with salad and potato for $5.

[MichiganVote]

3. Mr. Fabulous? Yummy, they were good. As to the Village Inn,

I don't know. I haven't been over to that area in a very long time. Good pizza tho'. Kentwood is sorta run down now. I recall when Princeton Estates was being built, it was big deal at the time. Now the area has sort of an up or down kind of feel. Good school system and good sports program at the HS level.

I recall the period of the serial killer, scared the heck out we womenfolk.

And I remember The Pantlind b/f its restoration and yeah it was a dump. Very nice now. DeVos and Co. are building a Marriot across the street now.

I grew up in the Garfield Park area. The houses were so much fun as they all had something interesting in them. And I used to go to Malecki Music too.