Off the Wall – Orlando in the early 1980’s that’s when the owner added the air plane. Prior to that it was a 1950’s rock and roll bar called the “golden rock” I believe the big bolder is still around the side entrance @ one time (in the 70’s) it was painted with gold paint and glitter to look like a giant gold nugget. In the early 1970’s it was a night club called the Read More...
Downtown Orlando 1950’s . I-4 has yet to be built through most of downtown
Colonial Plaza is a shopping mall in Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened in 1956, it was the largest retail development in the state of Florida at the time of its construction. The original complex included two supermarkets and two variety stores, plus a Belk department store. It underwent multiple expansions in its history, the first of which added a Jordan Marsh department store and an enclosed mall concourse. Further expansion in 1973 added a second enclosed wing and a relocation of Belk, while Ivey’s was added in Read More...
A history of Orlando’s Centennial Fountain, created on it’s 50th anniversary. Hear the inspiration for the Lake Eola fountain and the story of the building of this famous Orlando landmark.
On April 1, 1988, the call letters were changed to WJHM, and the station adopted a CHR/Urban format targeting a multicultural audience as 102 Jamz under the direction of Program Director Duff Lindsey and consultant Jerry Clifton.[7] The station was an immediate success with listeners and within two years, ascended to the top of the 12+ Arbitron Ratings. Some of the DJs included Joe Nasty doing mornings, Magic Scott (now Cadillac Jack in Philadelphia) doing afternoons, and Cedric Hollywood as Read More...
The imposing front entrance of Mannequins Dance Palace on a cloudy August afternoon, about one month before the place was shuttered. When things were slow you could walk right in the downstairs entrance but on most nights an elevator ride was required. During the glory years of Pleasure Island the elevator would take you all the way up to the 3rd floor attic from where you had to work your way down. In the latter years the elevator would just Read More...
Who Remembers these ? conveniently located in your local shopping center parking lot. Most have turned into Ice Making Machines
Zeta 7 was a rock station. In the early 80s, they changed the format to something else and there were some unhappy campers.
Who remembers when they blew up City Hall and used it as the opening in Lethal Weapon 3. And Mayor Bill Fredrick had a role as a police officer.
Eminent Domain flattened both Circus Circus and Club Juana. Cabaret International long gone as well. I think Rachel’s is still there. Casselberry now safe for decent folk again.
Publix Supermarkets Inc. has entered into an agreement with Idaho based Albertsons to buy the only three Safeway stores in Florida. Financial terms of the agreement were undisclosed. SAFEWAY IN FLORIDA The three locations will continue operating under the Safeway banner until early September and are expected to have grand opening dates with the Publix banners within the fourth quarter of this year. Safeway pharmacies will close before the main store closings; however, Publix posters Read More...
Effective Saturday, January 8th, 2022 at 7pm, Lil500 Go Karts in Maitland will close permanently. We thank you Central Florida for supporting our family business since Feb 1st 1968, just shy of 54 years. We hope to see you come out for 1 more ride.
Lorenzo’s Italian Restaurant was near the corner of Orange Ave and Kaley Ave where Pulse Nightclub is located
The Orlando Magic’s brain trust has fulfilled the request fans have been clamoring for. After two seasons barely qualifying for the playoffs and 40-plus games of below-average play in 2021, president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman made the decision to trade away Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier, and Aaron Gordon for young players and draft assets. The Orlando Magic chose to hit reset on the franchise at this year’s trade deadline, sending out the three pillars Read More...
Steak and Ale was an American chain of casual dining restaurants, that went bankrupt in 2008. However the brand, recipes and other intellectual property associated with the former chain is currently owned by Legendary Restaurant Brands, LLC, the parent company for Bennigan’s. Steak and Ale was founded as an independent restaurant chain in Dallas, Texas, on February 26, 1966, by Norman E. Brinker. On July 29, 2008, the chain’s remaining 58 locations closed as part Read More...
Downtown bars are changing names more times than Prince. You likely know about the changes coming to Barbarella. The back half will become part of the cluster of bars run by Ashley McCammon and Hurst Marshall — Social, Bar-BQ-Bar, Sky60. Owner John Gardner was looking to get off Orange Avenue but decided to keep the front half of Barbs, the indoor section at 68 N. Orange Ave. He’s changing the name to Independent Bar, “which Read More...
The Orlando Miracle were a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team based in Orlando, Florida. They began play in the 1999 WNBA season. The Miracle relocated, in 2003, to Uncasville, Connecticut where the team became the Connecticut Sun. The Miracle was a sister team to the NBA’s Orlando Magic. The city of Orlando was granted an expansion franchise in 1998, and the Orlando Miracle took the floor for the 1999 WNBA season. The Miracle posted Read More...
SCATZ IS ORLANDO NIGHTSPOT HOT SPOT FOR UNDER-21 CROWD Gone are the days when teen-agers in ponytails and crew cuts sat bashfully around dance floors — boys on one side, girls on the other. In these times of individualistically pouffed, gelled and spiked hair, the young adults who frequent Scatz mingle excitedly and dance feverishly to such thumping grooves as Cameo’s “Back and Forth” and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam’s “Head to Toe.” The under-age-21 Read More...
In 1986 British monarch King Henry VIII, or at least a reasonable facsimile, opened his castle at 8984 International Drive in Orlando for a royal feast (two shows a night). In celebration of the King’s birthday there was much merriment (sword fighting, singing, a court jester, etc.) accompanied by wench-served chicken and ribs with unlimited beer, wine, and soft drinks — pretty much the same formula as Medieval Times and similar dinner shows. In 1998, Read More...
Midget City was a Central Florida attraction, with miniature buildings & trains. From 1950 to 1954 it was about a mile north of Dog Track Road. it was sold in 1954, and the new owner moved it to Fern Park – just south of Jai Alai. I think it closed in the early 60s.
The first preserved piece of Orlando’s distinctive round building, which was demolished in 2015, is on the verge of going on display. Plans call for one of the 20-foot tall concrete “brise soleil” panels — which, translated from French, means sun blocker — to be resurrected outside of the Orange County Regional History Center as a hallmark to the buildings mid-century modern architecture. Once the Orlando City Council signs off on an agreement with Read More...
The huge grapefruit, tangerine, lemon and pair of oranges were built in the early 1970s on the property of what was then the Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge The oversized fruit were made to celebrate the legacy of Orange County’s original economic engine. Made with steel beams, concrete and plaster, the colorful fruit became a landmark. But the items were hauled away and taken apart because it was time to improve the looks of the aging Read More...
You never know when and where the next sinkhole will open up in Central Florida. On Monday, a new one appeared in Windermere. I remember in 1981 covering the famous Winter Park sinkhole that grabbed international attention largely because of its size and its urban location. When it stopped growing, the crater measured 350 feet wide, 75 feet deep and had caused $4 million in damage. Today, the famous Winter Park sinkhole resembles a small Read More...
