I realized during a prior posting that my two old buddies that began the Flaming Rat Record Store in the Town and Country Shopping Center circa 1970, are both deceased. This won't mean much to anyone who didn't grow up in the Grand Rapids area, but at the time, Dave and Harry were kind of southside legends. With the recent death of Jeff Boughner, the guitarist for local bands of some reknown, I got to thinking about some of the other local characters that have sort of faded into the woodwork. If you happen to be reading this and know where any of these folks ended up, please share.
FLOYD BLOSS: whatever became of Grand Rapids' first porno merchant?
TERRY McCARTHY: the owner of the head shop "The Painted Caravan". ?
BUCK BARRY: Moved to Texas, and passed away several years ago.
DON MELVOIN: Fireman Freddy of GR TV. Died three years ago, after living in the Traverse City Area for several years.
FRANK SLEIGHMAKER: The first TV 8 Weatherman I can remember.
SKIP BELL: disc jockey
GEORGE ARTHUR: the disc jockey that guided us through the "Paul is Dead" clues.
ARIS HAMPERS: Runs a disc shop at Celebration Cinema on the Beltline.
RONNIE FREY: Made the Bavarian a place to go to. Country musician from Canada.
VIC AMATO: Made Charlie Huhn a star. And Danny J's out of "The Elbow Room". I lettered his drum heads.
More to be added later as I think of 'em.
And who could share any insights about PHASE II (head shop on South Division at Burton), THE BEEP LINE, THE PLACE, THE PIT, HOOVER GIDEON, and CHERYL HAVENS?
later old timers-
2 comments:
OK dude, Terry McCarthy owns his own house painting service, figures, Painted Caravan et. al. It's called McCarthy & Sons! Vic Amato, aka Veto, is an exec with his own metal fabricating company and Ogie Dreyer is dying of boredom in Cedar Springs! LOL
The urban legend among the Palmer Elementary School grapevine in the mid '60s was that Skip Bell got fired for a comment about girls not having Oscar Meyer wieners!
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