Crazy Times, On The Job, The Construction Biz2 Comments

The Fire

lewisotr

Ruby Waggoner was my dad’s mother. She and my grandfather had divorced when Cecil was very young. He was raised by his dad, Theron and Leona (or Nonie) his stepmother and a host of aunts, uncles and his grandparents. Ruby Lee or Granny Ruby as I called her was still a big part of our life growing up. She lived in Austin and we visited often. She was one funny old gal that laughed a lot and made the rest of us laugh. Any time after I was grown and had projects around north Austin, I’d stop by her house … Continue reading The Fire

Amazing Things, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

The Green House Mall on RR 620

lewisotr

Matt and Muriel Wiggers started The Greenhouse Mall sometime in the 1970s. There was some variation of that business still operating (or was at the time of this original writing) with the name Outside in Style. I have heard it is relatives of the original owners carrying on the family tradition. Mr. Wiggers’ Dutch accent became quite recognizable in Austin in the late 70s and 80s with his TV and radio ads, “250-0000, come see us, won’t you?” My own personal story about this business. Hooked On Hydroponics: A takeoff on the name – Hooked on Phonics We took our … Continue reading The Green House Mall on RR 620

Amazing Things, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

BookStop – with home grown roots in Travis County.

lewisotr

The 1980s found me on a reading binge. I would read 1 to 2 books per week. I had a hard time passing up a BookStop location without pulling in. The one in Lincoln Village was where I went the most often. That was at I-35 & 290. For me the Bookstop’s were so much easier to get to than all the mall book stores. Besides that, I really appreciated the layout and selection that BookStop offered. By the time they were taken over by Barnes and Noble and their stores started to disappear, my reading had diminished. Then it … Continue reading BookStop – with home grown roots in Travis County.

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Texas History, The Early Days, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Von Boeckmann-Jones Co. Building in 1950

lewisotr

G&L VBJ – The Next Chapter G&L was a great office supply store in downtown Austin for many years – Just across the Congress Ave Bridge, south of the River. The initials G & L were two brothers. Gunnar and Louis Johnson. G&L Stationers teamed up with VBJ (Von Beckman, Jones) to form G&L VBJ and moved across into a new store building south of Riverside on the east side of So. Congress – in the early 80s. Below is a blurb from the Chronicle. Below is my own story about G&L The Strange Things We Remember It’s been almost … Continue reading Von Boeckmann-Jones Co. Building in 1950

Amazing Things, Another Daily Happening, Crazy Times, In and Around Austin, Kenny Lewis, Past Angora Chronicles Stories, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

It Wasn’t Me

lewisotr

Kenny always had a lot of company pride. He liked for all of his machines to be looking nice and clean. Everything needed to be ship-shape in Kenny Lewis’ world. He enjoyed having his company name on jackets and caps. He spent a lot of advertising bucks and it paid off for him. You would see people wearing them often, putting the CCI name out in the public. Kenny and I had an arraignment for about a decade that lasted until 2003. We pooled resources and CCI was the name that was in the forefront of the business. I still … Continue reading It Wasn’t Me

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, My Friends, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and Musings4 Comments

Haufler Motors

lewisotr

Udo Haufler was a trader at heart. He was born and raised in the Twin Sisters area Blanco County. He started buying and selling used vehicles after the war and settling in Austin. This is a car lot he was operating in 1953 in downtown Austin. I’ve never been clear what the actual address was. But I think it was possibly in the 2nd or 3rd block and a few blocks east of Congress Ave. He traveled far and wide buying the best quality used vehicles he could find. Those travels took him to the Lincoln Mercury Dealership in Conroe … Continue reading Haufler Motors

Amazing Things, My Friends, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

A Happening We Seldom Get To Enjoy During A Lifetime

lewisotr

November 26, 2016 Madeline and I attended a birthday party for a friend. A friend that was our neighbor for about a decade in the 70s and 80s. Yes a 40 year friendship. This lady watched us go from a family with one little boy, to a house with 5 boys playing in the yard. To say those were transformative years for Madeline and me would be an understatement. Esther Haufler turned 100 today and we were there to help her celebrate the joyous occasion with many of her friends and relatives. Continue reading A Happening We Seldom Get To Enjoy During A Lifetime

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, My Friends, The Construction Biz, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

My Friend Udo

lewisotr

I have had the great fortune to meet many people in my lifetime. None probably made a greater impact on me than Udo Haufler. Udo was my neighbor, my friend and my mentor. The first day of 1977, Madeline and I moved into a house on a very quite, secluded south Austin street. Albert Road was like being in another place altogether. It wasn’t like living in Austin. Directly across the street was a large 2 story house, with a horse stable in the back. Esther and Udo Haufler were the elderly couple that lived there. (of course now that … Continue reading My Friend Udo

In and Around Austin, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Highways In and Out of Austin Throughout the Years.

lewisotr

In just over 100 years the highways around Austin changed numbers several times. This is a look back to see how much things changed. 1917 Map of Austin 1936 Map of Austin and Central Texas 1936 Map of Austin and Central Texas 1942 Map of Austin 1950 Map of Austin 1954 Map of Austin 1960 Map of Austin 1973 Map of Austin and Central Texas Continue reading Highways In and Out of Austin Throughout the Years.