Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Saturday, December 7
um, Zayre?
SR - my mom called Zayre, the store on the floor, b/c everything was always tossed on the floor. I was obsessed with my Swatch. I had the rubber face protector too. I don't wear a watch anymore, don't pay attention to watches at all but I think
Swatch watches are still available. Are they?
tang!
vision street wear. sinbad. starter. pro player. sunny delight. charleston chew. jbtv. gt. haro. mongoose. U.S.E.D Jeans. marithe & francois girbaud. cross colours. Troop. variflex. nash. B.U.M. Equipment. Butera. FuncoLand. I.O.U. Merry Go Round. Venture. Zima. Bud Ice. Choose Your Own Adventure. Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? Walter Jacobsen's Fox Files. Upper Deck. O-Pee-Chee. Skybox. Topps. Donruss. Fleer.
I was talking to a friend who is only five years younger than me, and she had no recollection of the existence of Pee-Chees. Mindblowing.
But to answer the question: GrrAnimals.
I refuse to believe anyone misses Zima.
Annie: Ha! Now that you mention it there were always piles of stuff on the floor at Zayre. Good times. Swatch is still in business.
How about monchichis? Anyone remember those? What happened to the little guys anyway?
lever2000 or any other brand with the number 2000 in its name.
Quisp.
I think they brought back for aminute, but I Haven't seen it for quite some time.
Real "Jarts"
Do they still make that game "Trouble" with the Dice Popper built into the board?
I miss seeing Datsun 280Zs everywhere.
My "Green Machine" is what I miss most of all. they should make an adult size version.
Space Food Sticks (it's what the astronauts eat!), Apple Crates and Orange Crates (brands of Schwinn Bikes... hell, is Schwinn still around?), Ron Santo Pizza, Jack-in-the-Box (and the Jumbo Jack in particular), Johnny Lightning race cars, Chicago Today newspaper, Nik Nik shirts.
God, I'm old.
Oh, and Printdude... don't forget Quake.
Osh Kosh B'Gosh. I had a pair of train conductor overalls that I was in love with.
These are actually models of Huffy Bikes (which is still around): the Omni 10 and the 626. I recently saw someone riding a mint Omni 10 not long ago and I had a wave of nostalgia come over me.
Yes, Schwinn is still around, though no longer made in the US -- and they brought back the Crate for awhile a couple years ago!
Please note that this isn't just dead brands but also live ones that you miss from childhood. Fire away on the baseball cards and skate companies! :)
@Tabbt=y:
I remember Monchichi's! Wow, that brought a smile. Also, do you all remember Weeble Wobbles?
Velamints. I loved those things.
And Hypercolors. Yeah, they sucked, but it was sorta fun to see my red handprint on somebody's t-shirt.
And OP, and Crystal Pepsi.
And Karl Kani, who is currently still making clothes, but is somehow not a zillionaire. Go figure.
Powell Peralta
I second Quisp and Quake (remember the big "election" to see which cereal would be discontinued?); and I also miss Whistles, which were the companion snack to Bugles at all family functions/holidays during my early childhood.
Is Mr. Yuck a brand? Maybe more of a campaign. Still. I miss them.
entertech. garbage pail kids. delorean.
keds.
and what was the name of the thing that u sat on indian style and pulled on the disc that u wrapped your legs around to make u spin?
Marge -
Weeble Wobbles wobble but they won't fall down! That is what I say to my brother when he's drunk b/c he sways around like a Weeble and I now can't get the Monchichi theme from the commercials out of my head. ...they're so soft and cuddley.
There was that one commercial for "Nut-N-Honey"...and the wife would ask "What are you eating?". The husband would say "Nut-N-Honey", and the wife would say, "C'mon, you can tell me". That went on a couple of times.
Anyways, for a short time there was a cereal called "Nut-N-Bitch".
The wife would ask, "What are you eating?"....
p - it's called a Sit n' Spin. Marketing geniuses. I was a huge fan. Also loved the Skip-It and when mine broke, I used a hula hoop.
I was all about some Hypercolor and Swatch. I was also obsessed with Purplesaurus Rex Kool-Aid and Jello 1-2-3, both of which are dead.
I rocked some BUM Equipment jeans and Bugle Boy (who then made a Bugle Boy Girl line) threads and would occasionally sneak out with my brother's Cross Colors jean jacket. The early- to mid-90s were a colorful time, indeed.
p, that would be the Sit'n'Spin.
My 2 year old son has Weeble Wobbles -- they still make them, but they're not the same. Not so aerodynamic, they have lumpy hats and such.
Same with Fisher Price Little People. They're out there, but they're different. Bad-different.
Rich, I hate to burst your bubble, but I think you're remembering a skit from "In Living Color," another brand I sorely miss.
And I believe they were called Nut'n'Bits. Hilarity ensued.
Sorry if I killed a memory!
Also, David.
That bit was done WAY BEFORE In Living Color.
Another example of how your generation is out of touch.
The world did not start in 1990.
Along with the Zayre stores, there was also the Venture stores, which were marginally more upscale.
I also thought it was the coolest thing ever to go to Service Merchandise and order something on their computer terminal, and go wait for it to be sent down a conveyor belt to pay for.
Studebaker. The first family car I remember was a big, hulking purple TANK of a sedan that could hold two adults and five children and enough food, blankets, and toys for an entire day at the beach. The seats were so comfortable; they actually had springs like a mattress. Chrome for days and whitewall tires. But the best part was that grape color like Kool-Aid. You don't see cars that shade of purple any more. That car got replaced with a pink Chevrolet station wagon with fins. Don't see pink cars like that any more either.
Ponderosa, boy was them good eats...
Burple...
That and my original Nickelodeon.
Truth Or Dare, You Cant Do That On Television, Fragle Rock, ect.
The "Terminator(s)" (1 and 2)
And, "Pete And Pete"
Ecto-Cooler
'Gee, your hair smells terrific" shampoo; pop rocks candy; TaB (soda)
Freakies Cereal (I still have the magnets!)
Fresca
5-Alive
Wella Balsam Shampoo
"The Indians Call It Maize"
Cookie Crisp
Wow I remember those astronaut sticks. I loved them!
definitely Venture. As in "I have to run to the Ventures for some soap"
Banana clips and those shirt clips so you could tie your shirt on the side. Umen sweatshirts. Z. Cavariccis and white Air Jordans.
Please note that this isn't just dead brands but also live ones that you miss from childhood.
Yeah, but everything I remember from my childhood is dead!!!
But with that in mind... the gum from the baseball card packs, when Topps was pretty much the only company. I actually miss the gum. Also, the 3-D baseball cards in boxes of Frosted Flakes. Also Tony the Tiger before he got "rad" and buff. And Funny Face, the Kool-Aid alternative. Afro-Sheen. The original Speed Racer cartoon (where he actually shot and killed guys). That zebra gum (can't remember the name).
Humbugger,
"Yikes Stripes"
that and Afro sheen made a great hair gel.
"tunies" hot dogs made from tuna that came (were packed :) )
in a can.
all casserole recipes that called for Kellogs corn flakes as a necessary topping. yyyuuummmm.
Ocean Pacific - I had yellow jeans and a matching oversized white shirt with pastel stripes that I loved. Scary fashion!
fun dips!
Oh, and Pez. And Jiffy Pop. And this Wyler's Kool-Aid type stuff that came in root beer flavor. It fizzed and tasted sorta like root beer but it wasn't root beer. That was Dad's job...
Short and Sassy shampoo
trax sneakers from Kmart
gauchos gauchos gauchos
bubblicious and hubba bubba
zots
i never used it, but i remember DD7 as this like, super cleaning product from my childhood that my friends and i were convinced we could recreate by mixing random hygiene products together in the sink.
I was in Tokyo last fall and happened upon a place called the Monchichi Gallery, with life-size Monchichis in the window. My younger friend couldn't understand why I was going nuts over this, nor did she want to be seen with me after I started singing the song.
I also miss Venture. I never would've thought to pair a plum shaker-knit sweater vest with a bright blue shirt and a long strand of peach beads if it wasn't for a Venture display. I was stylin'!
Other brands I fondly remember:
Freezy Freakies
Herself the Elf
Ginny dolls
Mandy, Jenny, and Becky (these Fisher Price dolls that were about the size of an American Girl without the hefty price tag)
Sassoon jeans (ooh la la!)
Puzzletown
Strawberry Shortcake
Shrinkydinks! Jesus, I loved those things so much, until I realized the little pieces were totally lame after they shrunk.
Does that count as a brand?
Smurfs.
Z Cavarrici Jeans.
Smurfs.
Z Cavarrici Jeans.
Dr. Pepper gum!
I'm in Shanghai this week and just walked past an entire store dedicated to the Monchichi. Oh so soft & cuddly.
3 words: Big Green Machine. I want one again. And have spoken on this subject upon numerous occasions. Nothing like pulling the lever for a wicked slide. Especially on wet blacktop.
My first skateboard: Vision Agent Orange. Tracker trucks & a mean set of Slimeballs. Bomb drops off the post office loading docks. Wallrides.
The Cramps. The Dead Kennedys. On tape. Big Lizard in my Backyard. 13 Songs.
Legend of Kage. Rygar. Mac 128. The Arcade. "Blue Valkyrie needs food, badly." Zork. BBS. 14.4 as an upgrade. D&D. Amiga. Basic.
Bazooka Joe bubble gum. I second Service Merchandise. Members Only jackets. AMC cars. Vans shoes. Diesel jeans.
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Andrew / May 18, 2008 2:08 PM
Inspired by this post.
I miss Screaming Yellow Zonkers, which was apparently only killed off last year. I hadn't seen it in ages, but would get a box every time my dad and I would head off on an Indian Guides camping trip.