How I spent my weekly allowance?
When I was young, we lived in a neighborhood that was quiet. It was one of those places that you could walk or ride your bike around and no one was going to worry that you'd be taken. There were many many kids in our neighborhood. At the edge of it was a small "mall". Back then the mall had a few stores and just meant there was an indoor corridor. The "anchor store" at this little tiny mall was Zayer's. Now for those of you who have never heard of Zayer's, it was the precursor to Walmart and Target...kind of the KMart calliber.
Every Saturday, I'd get a dollar from my Mom. We'd hop on our bikes and ride up to Zayer's. The front wall was lined with 45 records. Again, for those of you too young to remember, this did not mean that there were 45 (as in the count) records but records that played at 45 RPM's (rotations per minute) on a record player. They cost 49 cents. Every Saturday, my friends and I would buy a 45 and bring it home and play it again and again and again on a small (non-stereo) record player. I remember buying The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Locomotion, Everything I Own (by Bread), Little Willy, Seasons in the Sun, and Crocodile Rock.
After we had our records, my friends and I would practice singing and dancing to them and plan neighborhood variety shows. It was great fun. Those were certainly simpler times....that make me smile even now!
Have a GREAT week!!
8 comments:
Wow - that brought back memories of my childhood. Riding my bike where ever... walking to the creeks... going to the pool all day, every day without my mom. Walking to any store...even going to the bowling alley by myself.
Most of all about the summer I spent with my cousins...
Thank you for sharing...
I loved that post--oh for simpler times. We used to go all over the place by ourselves-we'd walk to town and back (2 miles one way) alone and my parents never thought a thing of it! I'm 38 but I remember 45's. I mostly listened to 8-tracks as a child! I am new to blogging and am making my way through the Christian Women's ring. I enjoyed your site!
Great memories. I still have a few of those that I just could not let go. I have one of them that is my favorite of Elvis and one that is called..."Sandy". I remember them really well because my family played them all of the time when I was growing up..stacks at a time. We listened mostly to the 40's music but then later on into the ones that you mentioned. Thanks for helping me remember today and thanks for stopping by my blog too.
What nice memories! I love reading stories like this. It's so heartwarming to remember all the fun we had a children, isn't it? I especially remember all the slumber parties we had when I was little. We thought we were so cool! ;)
Have a wonderful week!
We used to have a Zayer's!! We called it Zayahs... It was a great store!! Fun memory!!
LBC
I think that is probably how I came by some of my 45s...through a weekly allowance. My memory of spending my allowance, however, is at a small (maybe five and dime, and/or corner drug store) store in the town near our home in the country. I remember buying pixie stix, foot long gum and licorice, and those little wax bottles with the liquid in them (you probably remember better than I do what they were called;-). Great post Susan.
I don't remember getting a dollar every Saturday. I think I am owed some backpay. :-)
My sister was the president of the Elvis Presley fan club so most of our money went to buying his 45's. Great Memory.
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