Gone But NOT Forgotten

From 1840 to 1989 D. H. Holmes catered to generation after generation of New Orleans shoppers. By the time it closed, Holmes' popularity had spread to suburban locations all around the Crescent City. The wonderful main store on Canal Street is now occupied by the Chateau Sonesta Hotel.
Image & text source: http://nutrias.org/~nopl/monthly/dec2000/holmes.htm
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Bali Hai = Polynesian restaurant at Pontchartrain Beach. A story: I went to Bali Hai with a guy I dated from St. Aloysius. It was great! My date even bought me some sort of necklace from the gift showcase. (It looked like jade). Anyway, I still have my Tiki glass somewhere in my treasures in my attic. Were the drinks good?? I don't remember, but I DO remember eating Lobster Cantonese. I remember it tasting like rocks. Not a favorite. It was a great time in our lives and a great place to remember!

D.H. Holmes or Homes or Holemses = one of the oldest department stores in the country, until it was bought up by Dillard's.

Dionysus = a bar on Magazine Stree, down the road from the bus barn (that will soon be a Whole Foods Company).

Falstaff = beer made at a local brewery. Locals made plans around the "weather ball" atop the brewery.

Godchaux's or "God-chose" = High class local department store chain.

Huerstel's - a bar and restaurant on St. Claude avenue.

Jax = beer made at a local brewery. The brewery is now an upscale mall.

K & B a.k.a KBs a.k.a Katz & Bestoff = a local drugstore chain. Taken over by Rite-Aid--my mother refuses to shop there because they don't carry "Coke" a.k.a. "Coca-Cola"--the beverage of choice for may New Orleanians (as opposed to Pepsi).

K&B whiskey - The Katz & Besthoff brand.

Krauss = Department store. A quote "Even though my family lived in Metairie since 1946, and even after they opened the MB on Airline Highway, there were twice a year pilgrimages to Krauss to buy "material" for house dresses, and to buy "Enna Jetticks" shoes.

Leonard's = a store near Dauphine Stree, now a private home.

Mark Isaacs = a departement store on Canal Street

noomatic toobs = transported sales receipts and cash in department stores to Gawd only knows where.

Old Piety and Burgundy = Schwegmann brand whiskey

Schweggmans a.k.a.Schwaggaman's = a local grocery chain. A very nice quote, no surprise to many is "I actually learned to cook from sweet little old ladies who would just stop to help me as I tried to read unfamiliar labels in the Schweggman's" aisles when I first moved to N O as a young mother of two in the late sixties. Gawd! How I loved those ladies: Mizz Odette, Mizz Marie, Mizz Sylvia to name a few. They knew by my accent (British) that I was from outtatown, they all called me Dawlin, of course, and their generosity of spirit soon made me feel right at home."-- that just about sums up what is best about livng in New Orleans.

The Ice Man- Brought blocks of ice that were stored in the kitchen Ice Box during pre-refrigerator times, and even later for those who shunned (or couln't afford) modern conveniences.

The Rag Man - Weekly jaunt through various neighborhoods would find usually a kindly gentleman, complete with portable scale in hand (quite similar to the ones found in the supermarkets'produce sections) and after bundling up your rag offering, he'd hook the mass to his scale...Trouble is, though, I have no clue what the per-pound going rate was!...He sang "Dodedoo, dow dowap, Rag Mop, what makes your big head so hard!"