Saturday, June 27, 2009

Matchbook Memories from our Cruisin' Days....

Click-on to enlarge, and scroll down!








You local Fort William and Port Arthur(ites) will fondly remember most of these businesses along our cruisin' routes back in the late 40's, 50's and 60's. Some of the buildings still exist to this day but most are long gone. Do you remember where they all were? I remember most of them.
The Flamingo Club is where our wedding reception was in the 60's. The place turned into a real dump throughout the '70's and 80's then was finally torn down to build an apartment building.
In Fort William, "Spuds Burger Major" was the next best place for burgers and fries after the long living A&W. The first A&W in what we now call Thunder Bay was on 10th ave. near intercity, which later became the Welcome drive-in and is now a hair dressing spa.
The Columbia Grille on May Street(now Norma Jeans) became famous for unknowingly harboring the infamous fugitive "Bambi" Bembenec, which took place about 20 or so years ago. Thunder Bay was put on the map because of a movie made of her escapades and the fact that she hid out at the Columbia. Click on comments below to get a final story on Bambi(Thanks for the input)....Dave.
Are you too young?...or too old to remember?

4 comments:

Jeremy H. said...

awesome! thanks for the smoking memories!

Anonymous said...

Her name was Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek. She legally changed her name to Laurie Bembenek in 1994. She is thought to be living now in the Pacific Northwest. She was my waitress when I ate at the Columbia in the early 90's.

Anonymous said...

flamingo club ahhh my very first job given to me by my neigbor scott shields

Anonymous said...

great great site