Let's Take A Mental Journey Through The 80's and 90's

As I sit here and look at the kids out the window, I can't help but to say that our youth is cheated out of some of the coolest memories.  I go back to the 80's and early 90's on a mental journey.  Back then things weren't nearly as crazy as it is now.  From the fashion to the music, those two eras had to be the best of my childhood and young adolescent life.

I remember when the store, Charlies was on the corner of Hollywood street.  You could get freshly popped popcorn out of the machine for a quarter.  You would hold the bag with a clown on it under the dispenser and insert your money.  Now you can't buy a bag of chips for a quarter.  Before Rita's water ice you had the old lady on Page street that sold frozen kool aid in Alvin n the Chipmunk Dixie cups for a dime.


To all my crab lovers.  I know you remember when you could go to Kunick's house and purchase 0.50, 0.75, or 1.00 crabs.  My grandmother didn't like crabs and I was forbidden to eat them in the house.  She would give me a ton of old newspaper and Yolanda Norton and I would sit on the abandon house at the corner steps while we ate them.  You would have all the dirty kids begging for the claws or legs.

Let's not go their about the fashion.  How many of you remember Jelly Bean sandals and Dr. Scholl wedges with the buckle going across the front with the wooden soul.  I hurt myself many times as a result of wearing Dr. Scholls.  But, I never understood why parents brought their kids Jelly Beans.  They were only good in the water plug.  The water plug had to be the most ghetto form of a public pool.  Guaranteed there was always a neighbor with a wrench to turn on the water plug.


We also had our hood superstars, Gregory Tutt.  He was a local boxer that was violently killed. Tutt brought Bobby Brown to Mr. Brown's barbershop to get his haircut.  Everyone and their mother was on 32nd Street that day to get a peek.  Tutt gave us our first Betamax.  I watched Wildstyle so much that I probably still can remember Busy Bee's part verbatim.

The music was the best.  Who don't remember listening to the Street Beat Show hosted by Philly's own, Lady B?  "How You Doing?"  was her signature quote.  I know that you guys remember her rap. You know you want to plant two turntables at your feet.  Put a loud speaker on your head.  Because you wanna rock the living and dead.  Ha Ha.  If you over 35 then you probably visited the club "After Midnight"  Hopefully, your folks were cool and you got the inside scoop.  Everybody who was somebody frequented The After Midnight.  Below is a photo taken behind the scenes at The After Midnight.

Do you remember when John Wanamakers use to have the Fendi and Mark Cross department where Starbucks is now located?  Yes, dolls I took you all the way back.  How many of you remember in the year 1988 you could purchase a pair of Gucci sneakers for $100.00.  All white canvas with the red/green stripe up the back.  If you had figure 8's, jumbo triangles, jumbo shrimps, or disc earrings you were considered fly.  A Gucci tote bag was a must for us ladies.  Please don't get me started with the 951 Cazals or EKs.  Leave it to our people to sport snakeskin on our shades.

Wow, I could go on and on about the 80's but I want to hear your memories. Thank you all for taking this journey with me.  But, I can't let you leave without Philly's own Lady B.