So here we go with a showcase I have been longing to present since the beginning of this great topic of Mine and it will arguably be the most important one that I have ever done and will be one of the most visually stunning of it's kind It will deal with Woolworth, a store that I will always hold dear to Myself because of all of the great & magical times that I had there with My Grandma Now I just didn't have fun at just one location, no-sirree bob, I was very fortunate to have experienced two locations I have talked about these many times within My showcases and among other topics and hopefully people has wondered how cool it was back then in My area and all that. Location Number 2 has arguably always been My favorite of them but Location #1 will always be the one that I was to last before they went out of business completely from My area which is such a bummer that it even happen in the first darn place

PLEASE NOTE: All pics that I made are huge, expand them in a new tab to see all the wonderful details

Woolworth in St. Louis!

So before we begin My journeys basically decades in the making, I want to point out some very crucial trivia similar like I did in My Odds & Ends with My special General Grant & Farmers Market showcase cause I'm all about history and the way this day and age is that wants you to forget, I'm not about that nor will I ever be So it was a long time ago in the late 1800s/early1900s, Frank W. Woolworth began his company of some of the first Five & Dime Stores ever known. Here in My home town of St. Louis located at 3669 Lindell Boulevard, The Woolworth Building was constructed by The St. Louis Club in 1899. This gorgeous structured building was designed by Friedlander & Dillon of New York along with St. Louis's own architect Lawrence Ewald, the Club had remained within the building until an awful fire spawned in 1925 that severely destroyed a tremendous amount of history including a big significant portion of the interior. This actually became the headquarters of the F. W. Woolworth Company, under which the name it received its landmark designation that we lovers of Woolworth I hope all know. The beautiful building is now an art museum for St. Louis University so thankfully all the history is not lost and much has been restored. I have never been there but one day I may. Take a gander at a recent pic of how the F.W. Woolworth building is in recent times



Here is a look at some vintage pictures of some of Our Woolworth Stores from many, many decades ago along with one that has became numerous businesses throughout it's tenure. Hopefully there's still people out there that can still tell you how it was with these locations and how cool it was during these times of grandeur




Now the thing is and boy is it a pathetic one, I have seen nor read anybody talking about My Woolworth Locations, neither 1 or 2 and I find that so depressing and sick and I'm using sick as the old school way, not the newer way it's being used by this generation So because that and My own personal reasons this presentation will be all about that plus much,much more in the SPECIAL 3 PARTER This maybe the most visually stunning showcase you may ever see that deals with this so without further delay here we go

NOTE #1: The unique background that you will soon see is I have shown in My Cryptozoology topic that is from Woolworth Location #2 on Cherokee, I will get to all of that in Part 2

So right off the bat is My Woolworth Crayons that I found in My storage a while back. I cannot determine which location that these little guys came from though I am contemplating that they are from Location #2 of the year and just seems logical...check out these wonderful Woolthworth Pink & Violet Crayons that has a 1985 Copyright on them which you'll see a lot of them throughout My showcases for size comparison & Woolworth display



NOTE #2: Right now will be Woolworth Location Number 1 on Grand, you will see the location soon

So here is My previously seen Vintage Kenner Star Wars Imperial Officer, he was My last vintage SW figure of the original series. I have pointed this out in My Part 1 of My Kenner SW. I recall it like it was only last month, it was a time when I was really becoming aware of things in the mid to late 80s. There on their shelf was many SW figures I already had however they had the Imperial Officer which is one that I desperately needed. Sadly these were the last days of the line and SW was coming to an end until it was rejuvenated in the 90s as I have showcased greatly in My main SW Topic. This SW figure is one My most cherished ones because he was one of the last ones I got and despite his 1980 Copyright is from the ESB series, I do believe it was an actual POTF 1 release which makes him even more special That series is regarded the to be the most crucial because it was the final one so Woolworth must have had one last shipment there to come in and it's remarkable that along with My Grandma that We were there and got him basically in the nick of time




This Woolworth had such a great toy isle with such variety. On the left side there was big bin filled with all kinds of Animal, Dinosaur & Monster[b] toys. I got two [b]Dor Mei Kaijus which is their versions of Godzilla & Gigan. I have showcased Dor Mei figures before with My REMCO DC Warrior Beasts. These two are quite common amongst the very small Kaiju community out there. I have always loved these figures and were always a big part of My childhood when I was loving monster films and all that great fun Kaiju chaos



The design of the Blue Goji is quite great and unique looking with his dorsal fins instead of the usual spiky planks that Godzilla has and really I kinda prefer this style and it's the only figure I have even in this depiction



Dor Mei's version of Gigan doesn't appear to be a cyborg yet still some sort of space reptilian-insectoid hybrid plus he he had digits/claws instead of mantis-like blades. I really liked this alternate design as well



Their size comparison with My previously seen Imperial 1933 King Kong & 1985 Godzilla somewhat varies.



So in the fantastic year of 1990, Woolworth got in some great new toys, those great new toys were none other than Playmates's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I was so stoked about that on their great toy shelves & walls because I was already collecting the TMNT series for at least a year and a half as I just fell in love with it and the cartoon. The movie was coming soon too during this time, so much exciting alignments was happening here. I had said before in other topics that the 1990 TMNT Series of action figures was arguably the best one ever and any big classic TMNT fan would think the same I would imagine and hopefully there's more than Me that still loves these vintage TMNT times. So I got many of them at Target & Venture but I got these new two guys at Woolworth and they are actually four figures really as they are kinda like 2-packs which I loved it when Playmates would include more than one figure within a package: Wingnut & Screwloose and Muckman & Joe Eyeball Thank goodness I took care them as I did most of My TMNT One day I hope to showcase My entire Vintage & 2000s TMNT collection sometime soon in a special TMNT Collection topic but for now look at these guys and their Playmates 1990 Copyrights, I have always loved them



So Woolworth had just about anything you wanted and that meant for kids too. I was already a HUGE Three Stooges fan for years already. I saw this Three Stooges Meet Hercules VHS Tape and I wasn't familiar with this one. I knew Moe, Curly & Shemp Howard, Larry Fine & Joe Besser but the guy with Moe & Larry really didn't register with Me as I only saw a picture of him on TV via KPLR Channel 11 when I watched the Three Stooges for years before and that was it. This guy was named Curly Joe DeRita. I asked My Grandma who is he and she told Me and I asked is he funny or good and she said not really funny as the others. Well I wanted to see him and this movie cause during this time it was rare to see stuff after the shorts with Joe Besser so this would be a new little exciting thing for Me. She bought Me the film and I must say I wasn't a bit disappointed with it. I watched it countless times since. I soon would see him the cool animated series & live colored short on VHS when i found them over at Movie King whom I showcased greatly in My Glory Days of Video Rentals in My Odds & Ends topic. I'm not sure when I got My Three Stooges Meet Hercules VHS Tape in 1990 I got it but I do think it was around the time when I got the above TMNT cause they had some really cool & yummy TMNT Cookies that I kept the boxes for that I misplaced unfortunately so it was during a great time in 1990. Here is the Front & Back of the Covers along with the serendipitously color matching Woolworth Crayons



Here is the actual VHS Tape itself along with closeups of the Stooges & Hercules. Note that picture of Curly Joe is the one that really had My youngster curiosity going but Moe & Larry didn't look too much different as I was used to seeing them older with Joe Besser. I had no clue who Samson Burke was but later on I would find out that he was a Canadian Bodybuilder & Wrestler which was really cool



Here is a closeup of the VHS Label and the 1961 Copyright. Now the thing is this video was released in 1988 which was 35 years ago this year



Despite this is a release by Columbia, GoodTimes re-released it. I have explained their history in My great Video Game & Vintage Wrestling Topics cause I have many video tapes by them Check the 1991 & 1988 Copyrights



So now it's time to show where this beloved Woolworth once was. I have spoke of the great area many times here as well in My Odds & Ends especially during My cool showcase of Paramount Drugs because they shared their building with Woolworth Here in this recent pic of the area of Grand you see on the far right Tower Grove Park, one of the largest parks in the country and one I have very fond memories of My Grandpa & Me walking from Our Old House to there. Next is Paramount Drugs, one of the best family owned pharmacies you could ever go too. See the huge two-tone gray & brown colored building, that's the fantastic Woolworth that I got much of the great stuff that you just saw



So the Woolworth on Grand was really fabulous on the inside of course but it was cool on the outside as well. Even though it has been over 30 years already since they went out of business, the building still resembles how it looked back then. I remember opening the doors with My Grandma going to the video isle on the right side. Their superb toy isle was much further down on the left side. From here it doesn't look like a big store in-depth but believe Me, it was quite size-able and had a lot of stuff that you watched for entertainment as well needed for the household.



I also recall one day, who knows, it have been one of the trips when I got My special stuff above, there was a very dark skinned man like a black man speaking Spanish (I really didn't know the likes of the Caribbean Islands and stuff then) and I don't know what his problem was which I think it may have been that he couldn't find his car keys but he was really in trouble...My Grandma knew what he was saying cause she knew the language and she helped him out a bit cause like My Grandpa, she'd give you her shirt off of Her back if She knew you were a.good person and in need. This was a cool moment for Me There you see the doors were Woolworth once was. Also in this complex of buildings was a Dominos Pizza as well as the Pawn Shop that I spoke of before that she got Me My King Kong Lives VHS as well as My recently seen WWF Most Unusual Matches Ever VHS in My super fun 5-Part Vintage Wrestling VHS & DVD Collection in My Vintage Wrestling Topic. Around the corner was Judy's first store that I showcased previously. Like Verna, she was one of a kind and I never eve want them to be forgotten about



So here is Judy's 1st Store on Grand from a distance, you can clearly see The Woolworth on the right side there



Here's a good recent look at where Judy's first store was. She shared the building with another store that I showcased before. He looked like Dr. Harvey Whippleman and his shop was really weird. I got a strange Iron Pirate Figure that I wanted My Grandma to get Me and unfortunately I misplaced that bizarre statue I have no clue what became of that man but Judy moved to Cherokee Street as I have showcased her second location before in this very topic. Surely there is others out there besides Me that remembers and knows all of these great stores and people from this time. It makes Me so sad to think that their all forgotten and I'm all that's left that had had major fun experiences within this whole region on Grand Whether people do or not I don't know, is all I know I had some tremendously fun euphoric times here and I will never forget it nor let it go into oblivion



So here is My Woolworth Location 1 Collection on Grand. I find it amazing that I was able to put all of this together, it took a lot of work but gosh it all looks remarkable and so visually stunning, I feel very fortunate to do this



So that will do it for Part I of My special Woolworth presentation. I hope you liked it and were surprised. If your just know seeing this and saw nothing else then quickly scroll to the beginning, you do not want to miss a second of this historical showcase. Part II will come soon and will focus of the great stuff I got at Our extraordinary location #2 of Woolworth on Cherokee Street Until then you can check out a lot of great stuff that I did within this very topic that you missed or even see some of it over again cause it's really worth another look and I'll see you around

Nice. I wasn't collecting SW figs by that time so I really don't even remember POTF figures until I saw images of them much later on. I said before I remember one Woolworth's in our area because it was on the corner near where my mom worked. I know I must've gone in there many times when we had to pick my mom up, but I don't really remember much about it other than picking up those baseball card sets there. I mostly recall the bigger toy stores, the AM&A's my mom worked at, grocery stores, and places in the mall. Smaller places like Woolworths or pharmacies I really don't recall much though I do remember one near my grandma's where my dad let me pick out a Starting Lineup figure, NY Jets WR Al Toon (he had a cool name and a cool pose, didn't know anything else about him).

I actually found an image of that Woolworth online. You can see it on the left and the AM&A's next to it. That AM&As was pretty unique for my memory because the store was five stories. I've never been in a store like that since, but my mom worked in the shoe department on the 4th or 5th floor. I remember on the 1st floor they had a candy shop with all sorts of bulk candy.



On the right you can see the Main Place Mall named such I suppose because it was on Main St. I don't rememberr much about it, it really wasn't that impressive as malls go, but there was a sports collectibles store there in the early 90s where I recall picking up a few Starting Lineups. My mom worked at a couple different AM&As back then so I recall fun things about the different locatiosn, like one that was connected to the Lockport Mall in Lockport NY. I remember that mall was shaped like a plus sign and there was a Friendly's ice cream we went to lunch often. There was also an Ames connected to the mall where you could actually enter the mall through Ames which I always thought was neat because every other Ames and stores like that in the area were solo structures. That mall was about 45 minutes from our home so my mom must've had some trek in those days. Sadly, the mall was finally torn down a decade or so ago after a slow decline. There's a WalMart there now. And the last Friendly's locally closed maybe 5-6 years ago, though there is one in Olean, NY about an hour away we took the kids to a year ago because they really liked the ice cream sundaes. I mean, what kid wouldn't want one of these?



It seems like Woolworth would've been a more prominent store in your area, so maybe that's why you remember rt more and the locations around it. A lot of these places will be forgotten in time. My aunt will often talk about old stores that even I don't remember, so it's fun to talk about the stores we grew up around that no longer exist. Every now and then I'll tell my kids stories about places like Child World or Two Guys. They're old enough to have been to Toys R Us, so they at least have that, but I'll tell them about how Child World looked like a castle from the outside and how memorable that was to see a kid.

Good times. Thanks for sharing all of that. I love nostalgia, I guess that's just a part of getting old, lol.

Your welcome PB. That is an amazing area you have there. That Woolworth looked good. Funny My Mom worked in the shoes department at Sears in Crestwood for many years. Shame that mall got torn down and Walmart is there. I'm glad your Aunt tells you stories and that you tell your kids these stories cause without us elders telling them and showing them all these great things of the past all will most likely be forgotten or worse I hope there's a lot of parents that is doing this cause the future won't be as exciting when their older Yeah I'd grab that Sundae then again it looks too good to eat, let's freeze it and make it a figure

Oh I'm not done yet, I got 2 more parts to go. They will be even arguably more special than this one Soon I'll post Part 2, until then thanks PB

Yeah, Friendly's was a cool place for a kid as they had some of the coolest looking sundaes. I wish there was one closer because I'd take my kids there once in a while. Plus, their BBQ chicken melt sandwich was pretty good, and they had loaded waffle fries we liked.

I see and all that food sounds really good Well maybe one day they'll have another location for it to be closer to you or they can be just a special event and/or treat once in a while

So here we go with Part 2 of My 3-Part Woolworth special! I have been wanting to do this for ages particularly this part here but the final will be arguably be even more fantastic. Now this maybe a refresher to whom follows My topics and looks back on them with bonus material. This will deal with My great Woolworth on Cherokee Street, it was one of the funnest places that' I'd like to go to during My childhood, possibly even more so than the Kingshighway where Venture was, the Morgan Ford Road where My great K-Mart used to be and even the area of Hampton Village where My old Target was. Cherokee was a place that had tons of stores and Me & My Grandma went there all the time because Our Dr. Viloria & Dr. Chang was there and after We were done We'd go to Woolworth cause it was so fun, We'd stop by Judy's Superstore to check her out and say hi plus We'd go to Walgreens and the newly opened Bazaar and of course both locations of Globes Drugstore which I will talk about all of that and much more in in Part 3 in a special Location Extravaganza but for now here we go with some of My great stuff that I got at My Woolworth on Cherokee Street Woolworth's Toy Department was actually in their basement/under floor. It was an enormous room like it's own department store within itself. They had tons of toys, basically all you could ever want. They had MOTU, DC Warrior Beasts, an absolutely insanely huge stock of G.I. Joes and lots bootleg & imported toys as well as their own brands. Like I said before, this was one of the most exciting places you would ever want to go to as it was a toy gold mine there, I sure hope there's still people out there that recalls this besides Me, I never want this to be forgotten and fall in the trap of Oblivion like so many others have



Yes, here we go with these Checkerboard Press Coloring Books from 1987 as you just saw the Copyright & Logo above. I showed these earlier on in My Cryptozoology & Animals Topic. I was only about 6 or so years old. My Parents had gotten me many great Dinosaur Books before and knew most the species and even how to pronounce them. Of course the same thing with Animals but really that's all I really knew of the sort of the Animal Kingdom but there was some kinda of big bang cause My Grandma would find Me Harry and the Hendersons at Movie Mogul down the street from Our house (I showed them in My Odds & Ends's Glory Days of Movie Rentals) around the time when I first saw these down in My huge Woolworth's basement/ under floor I was astounded. My young eyes never seen anything like this before. It was Coloring Books of some subjects that looked familiar yet so different and these has always been super special to Me ever since and don't quote Me on this but i believe these were exclusives to Woolworth and I only saw them at Location #2 on Cherokee Street so they could have been even location exclusive, I never knew but I'm glad I have'em

MODERN MONSTERS & MYTHICAL BEASTS: I saw these covers and I was just wowed. I knew only a bit of Mythical Creatures cause My Mom recorded some old films and I'd watch many Ray Harryhausen movies with My Grandpa cause he really liked them back in his day same thing with Universal Monsters (you can see My Ray Harryhausen & Universal Monsters in My Modern Action Figure Topic!). Now stuff like BigFoot, Sasquatch, Lochness Monster, Mothman, Jersey Devil and so on was new to Me. However I had already seen Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend that My Grandma rented Me over at Rainbow Video in around 1985/1986 which is a great film but a major tearjerker none the less about Mokele-mbembe, a surviving Sauropod Dinosaur that still lives in The Congo. When I first saw that film I had no idea the importance of it nor knew I would be totally fascinated of the category it belonged in because then soon I'd see Harry and the Hendersons & the Boggy Creek films and I developed just not a liking toward these mysterious bipeds but I became hooked on Cryptozzology itself becoming an avid studier of it which is still valid. Now as for Aliens that is a total different story. I knew about extraterrestrial life early in My life because if you recall just recently in My huge 6-Part Vintage Kenner Star Wars I showcased My great Avon E.T. and so many SW that were Aliens + My Grandpa got Me into the Alien franchise beginning with Aliens 1979 & Aliens 1986 at My tender young age which was ok, I was a horror freak already and these movies really didn't scare Me, I loved them and they became one of My favorite franchises ever along with Predator & Terminator as well. It was so cool back then Here is the covers, take a gander at that art, it's some of the best I ever seen especially the Modern Monsters one, I have seen very little that compares to this



Now these weren't too strange to Me because I already knew Dinosaurs big time and thanks to Zoobooks among others I knew many kinds of extant Animals. So here is My DINOSAUR WORLD & UNUSUAL ANIMALS which also has gorgeous covers that few books even to this very day can even compare to



So here's a brief look inside the coloring books. I really only colored in them a bit possibly even with My Woolworth Crayons seen in Part 1 So here is a look at MODERN MONSTERS, these are superb





And here is a look at the MYTHICAL BEASTS, DINOSAUR WORLD & UNUSUAL ANIMALS, these looked so good and who knows, I may one day decide to color in them once more but on a realistic take than what I did when I was a youngster





Here is the Price Sticker, these unfortunately fell off recently and I really don't want to force them on there. I've always liked the fonts of these little price stickers. These coloring books were only 59 cents each or 2 for a buck, can you believe that These were so cheap so that means My Grandma got Me all four of'em for 2 buckaroos



Here is the back covers of the Coloring Books and I like how they don't have the titles so you can see "more of'em




So there is a number of action figures that I got from Woolworth Location #2 on Cherokee Street. Many I have showcased already so I'm going to just say that My Grandma got Me Kenner's Battle Beasts' Hammertail Crackarm & Hasbro's InHumanoids' Magnokor & Redlen. Like I said, this Woolworth had a ton of great stuff



I previously showcased these guys. They were wonderful too and I recall seeing them on the pegs. Here is REMCO's DC Beast Warriors consisting of Craven, Hydraz, Snakeman & Skullman plus they are with Crossbones of Pirates of The Galaxseas: The Legend of Treasure Island with Imperial's Battle Rhino I especially recall Crossbones on the pegs and thinking that he was the only I wanted yet I'm not sure I she got Me Battle Rhino there or at Woolworth Location #1 on Grand o even perhaps Ben Franklin's on Grand Either way these were so cool and I loved them days when they were available especially at Cherokee's Woolworth cause those times were so special indeed



So here is something that I showcased much earlier on within the topic near it's beginning and I wanted to revisit it because it's one of the most special & memorable times that I had just not over at Cherokee's Woolworth but during My entire childhood This belongs to none other than SOMA's Monster Man Woolworth Exclusives



These figures are regarded as some of the most obscure ever known by collectors and there is very little information known about them on the web & YT. I recall seeing these guys over there like it was last week. It was still during the big MOTU craze at around 1986 when it was still going strong and there was other lines similar like the foreseen above DC REMCO Warrior Beasts among others. SOMA made their own too and joined forces with Woolworth to sell them as total exclusives. These were way up My alley and were perfect for a kid who loved MOTU and loved to cross-over other figure series' with them. I saw them and wanted them really bad and My Grandma MiMi got Me the whole set of 6 right then and there and it was a great time that I will never forget

The series included Muck-O-Man, Fire-Man, Rock-Man, Tree-Man, Varanian-Man & Avian-Man



Here they are next to My Woolworth Crayons. I have always loved playing with them as they are soft rubber but darn near like a soft vinyl similar like a Bandai Kaiju from the 80s & 90s which I really love the feeling of



I believe that these are the only figures I ever got by SOMA whom went out long ago They had really good quality and the sculpting on these guys are top-notch. My fave of the bunch has always been Avian-Man



The designs of the Monsters are quite clever that went with so much that was around that great decade. In fact every element & aspect that was being pushed at us children sans for a robot or a cyborg, you couldn't ask for anything more



They actually have a special feature being able to be interchanged with each other. I used to do it long ago but over time I stopped because I fear I will tear them up. I did that with Rock-Man's head and that wasn't pretty so his head doesn't move but everybody moves just fine with the usual five points of articulation. Look at how they look with My Woolworth Crayons & Checkerboard Press Coloring Books. Such a wonderful display and I am so thankful that have these and that I'm able to have a reminiscent display of Woolworth from one of the best periods of My life



Here is the 1986 Copyright. Even then I was looking for them and was interested, it's so important to do so



So here is the scale with Mattel vs. REMCO vs. Sparkle Toy vs. SOMA, See what I was talking about when I said that SOMA's Monster Man fits in just right



SIZE COMPARISON: Now here is a VERY big issue with Me and over the years which I haven't seen many people complain about or even notice the ways of Hasbro. Here is My InHumanoids in not only sized compared but also DESIGN COMPARED as well with My SOMA Monster Man I know these figures were quite obscure when I showcased them greatly near the beginning of My topic and I as speak they are becoming even more rare. However, during the time when InHumanoids were available at the same great & fun Woolworths on Cherokee Street, SOMA's Monster Man was available before them Here is a comparison of Tree-Man and Rock-Man compared to Redlen & Magnokor together It is truly uncanny how much they resemble each other...even in the same poses The point of the matter is...I have said this time and time again...Hasbro has took the concepts, ideas and even designs from other companies like Tonka's Go-Bots, Rock Lords & Super Naturals, even a small independent company like SOMA and then it becomes more popular with them simply because their Hasbro They are like corporate locusts moving on and takeover company by company as I have expressed My disgust many, many times of the demise of great companies like Tonka & Kenner, Larami, Galoob & OSTM, WowWee and many others. There is so much more than that it's totally beyond ridicules and it's been major frustration of Mine for quite sometime Again, take a gander at the pic I have provided the comparison of



So when Woolworth was going out of business in the states in the early 90s (which is so hard to believe that it was even a thought cause as a youngster I never thought anything like it though I would know this pain so much cause so many great stores & people that I knew and have talked about & showcased like Judy & Verna's Mr. T's would soon follow they handed over their deal of SOMA to Walmart of all places because apparently they were their competition and already preparing for their major takeover that would soon happen and that we're still all seeing right now this very second and re-branded them as Halloween Monster By 1990/1991 these great figures were no longer the cool one and done bonus series for your MOTU and so on, they were being treated as a Halloween novelty and NOT an action figure series When I found this out sometime ago I was totally appalled by this decision because that is not what this series was originally intended for nor will I ever except this because they mean so much more than just being a "novelty" for Halloween time

So with little info online I was able to make a Monster Man & Halloween Monster Comparison, here is their logos...



and here they are on the Card. Look at that difference...SOMA was extremely creative with their's and Walmart just made their's look generic. Open the pic in a new tab to see all the detail like all of Mine



So here is a brief look at My Woolworth on Cherokee Street...



I know it was just a tiny glimpse of the Woolworth Location #2 on Cherokee Street but I am saving that for Part 3 which is the final one and it be a big bonus cause I will feature a big look at that, Judy's, The Baazar, Globes, Walgreens, a special look at where Dr. Viloria & Dr. Chang was and much more in a journey down on Cherokee and you'll see how it was for Me back then as a youngster Until then I'll see you around

It's cool you have so many memories of stuff you got at Woolworth. Like I said, I don't really remember much about it other than baseball cards. I'm not sure why. It's nice to have memories like that. Funny mothman news, I took my daughter to Hot Topic last week because she had Rewards cash to spend and they had a Mothman t-shirt, just not my size. My daughter didn't know anything about the Mothman but I quickly told her the cliff notes and said the location was in West Virginia and I tried to get the family to stop there on our summer vacation. Well, I may've converted her so fingers crossed maybe I can get my picture with the Mothman statue, lol.

Thanks PB Indeed it is and I'm quite thankful for all of that. That's great news you have there. Hopefully so, remember what I told you before to talk to your kids about it and teach them these things and say how much you love it cause if you don't Don't forget that I made a special Mothman Prophecies spotlight showcase plus The Last Broadcast, My own UNKNOWN SIGHTING and more that has yet to attention from you, Acid talked a little bit there

http://www.dctoyrevolution.org/general-discussions/cryptozoology-ufos-dinos-mythology-animals-discussion-t1111-90.html?hilit=Mothman%20Prophecies

So here we go with My third & final part of My Woolworth journey which you can see both locations in Parts 1 & 2 and if you have been reading & following Me since then you know that location #1 was on Grand and location #2 was on Cherokee Street and you know how great & special this was for Me as a youngster I'll be back to talk more about location #2 in a while because right now I will be talking a bit about what other great stores was on Cherokee Street. There was the cool Walgreens down there. Unfortunately they went out of business sometime ago and I have no idea when cause I haven't been down on Cherokee Street in well over twenty years and I will explain that in time. Now Me & Grandma only went there a handful of times and I have previously showcased within this very topic of some of the stuff that I recalled that I got from there and that was My Tonka Super Naturals. You can search throughout the topic cause I made a few showcases of them and had them cameo others such as My great Hasbro Visionaries one. I will never forget that Walgreens and what it looked like inside and seeing those Super Naturals there on the pegs



Now here we go with a very special figure that I got from a newer store on the block cause I always considered them newer compared to Woolworth, Walgreens, Globes & Judy's cause I believe they moved in around 1988 or so cause even as a youngster I had established that whole block by at least a year before hand. This store was simply called The Bazaar It was a large store and had a ton of great rare things that you couldn't find anywhere else, only Judy's Superstore could compare They specialized in imported international items and bootlegs of all sorts of kids toys and even stuff for adults like novelties, apparel and room accessories. Their toys and kids area was actually a big part of their store. It was a bit darker in light & nature and I really liked it. It was kinda a like had a setting a Halloween costume shop like Johnny Brocks's has which you can see him greatly in My Odds & Ends which is arguably My most crucial topic, even more so than than this one It was spooky and since I was a young horror freak it was right up My alley It was such a different store, I was quite excited to go there all the time, almost as much as the other stores if you can believe that Unfortunately The Bazaar went out of business I believe in 1990 which they had a short business run sadly and I hope I'm not the only one that remembers that great store that once was. I know I got quite a bit over there but there is only one thing that I can muster up right now and that was a huge Dor Mei Kaiju Now as you saw I got two Dor Mei Kaijus from Woolworth on Grand seen in Part 1, well I got a massive one from the Bazaar and I'm sure any of the members of the small classic Kaiju community will immediately recognize him. However I was a foolish child and not happy with stuff the way they were so I wanted My Grandma to paint him a goldish color as he was nearly all black but over time I really loved this and realized that My decision as a youngster wasn't as dense as it seemed Now like the others he was never named as he was basically a bootleg. There you see My great Checkerboard Press Coloring Books seen in Part 2 from Cherokee's Woolworth as the background



First there is My Three Stooges Meet Hercules VHS from Woolworth Location #1 on Grand. Now as a very odd feature for the time, this Kaiju has many points of articulation which predates NECA's Godzilla by nearly 2 decades as he has a neck swivel, 2 shoulder & 2 wrist cuts, 2 hip cuts, 2 ankle cuts and 2 tail cuts... that's 11 POA for a Kaiju, not even Bandai made that many then in the 80s which really is quite remarkable



Here is his size comparison with My Dor Mei Kaiju from The Bazaar compared with fellow Dor Mei Wooworth Kaiju from Woolworth on Grand, Imperial King Kong 1933 from Ben Franklin's on Grand & Godzilla 1985 from an uncertain location. There you see how huge he is...



However, he is way more in scale with Imperial's much larger Godzilla 1985 that My Grandpa got Me on his Kansas City MO business trip at a special comic shop. This is an awesome Vintage 80s Kaiju at it's finest



Cherokee Street!

So here is the magical, one of a kind street that is Cherokee Street where I been too many times and have tons of memories at. Now even though I'm bragging how wonderful it was, it really wasn't a good neighborhood, in fact it was far from it. My Grandma was never afraid to go there but she was always cautious and always wanted Me to stay by her at all times and I listened to her. There was crimes with Black & Vietnamese among other cultures. To a young Brandon's eyes & knowing, it was so cool seeing the diversity of all of these different looking people cause I only saw them types in movies and such at the time but I knew what crime was, I loved Bruce Lee films, Death Wish 3 and saw other movies like that not to mention NES games like Double Dragon but still times like this was really rad to Me. Our Doctors were there so really we didn't have a choice most of the time so We just got used to it and did Our fun stuff afterward



So when you enter Cherokee Street at the far East end you are greeted by a greatly sculpted Cherokee Indian Statue that is way older than Myself. When We used to live at the old house, My Grandma usually went the other from the South entrance from [b[Grand[/b] turning left where Paramount Drugs & Woolworth #1 was. It was always a busy place when We'd go but after Our Doctors left and after everybody went out of business literally almost at the same time around 1991, Woolworths, Judy & the Bazaar which were Our main stores were all gone, We just didn't go there anymore I have no clue when that location of Walgreens went under and Globes closed their doors period in 2010 so that basically ended everybody We knew from My Childhood cause so much was already gone years & years before, it's so sad Again, I haven't been down to Cherokee in so long. On the web it says how wonderful the place is with such a great cultural touch...I know that sounds exciting but don't believe what they say, it was bad then and I'm sure it's way, way worse now especially since the PlamDemic Most if not all of the people there sadly don't even know about how fun it was then with all of these great stores, now it's an International immigrant haven with no personality




So here is Our Doctors, Dr. Viloria & Dr. Chang. Viloria was Our main physician, I knew a lot of health stuff when I was little but when 1994 happen I knew a heck of a lot more than that cause it changed My life forever when I got bad sick which Viloria told My Grandma that I wouldn't inherit My Dad's disease but sadly he was wrong So during this time I kinda liked going to him cause he was nice and I like how he spoke, he was Filipino and his Filipina wife was his receptionist but really she was his boss, she drove him nuts I mean really, he was mental later on during his personal life, My Grandma found that out cause she was good at knowing things. I liked that he was Asian cause it was cool watching Bruce Lee & Godzilla films then actually seeing these types of people in person for a young curious Brandon Across the hall was Dr. Chang, he shared the building with Dr. Alberto Viloria and he was Our Dentist. We didn't go to him as often. I don't recall a whole lot about him but I sure do his office as he had an aquarium filled with Goldfish. He was a nice guy and he may have been the first Chinese man I ever knew just like Viloria was the first Filipino I knew



I don't know what happen to Dr. Chang if he moved away or retired or what, I hope he's still around I do know what happen to Dr. Viloria and in fact in recent times no less It was in the mid 2000s and We were needing a new doctor and there wasn't many options for Us. My Grandma wasn't sure what to do but she saw that Dr. Viloria was still around and he was on Jefferson which is a bad neighborhood and it's kinda in the middle were Cherokee Street is and where My great K-Mart used to be so I knew that part of town. I told her let's do it, We know him and he knows us and it will be like round 2 so she agreed and We went to him a few times but things were different. Our neighbor down the alley was his receptionist which it was like what a small world We never really talked to her, it was a pathetic hello & bye scenario like it's always been with most of Our neighbors and nothing good & serious cause this day & age sucks of how people have become so cryptic and just weird, it's just so disappointing how society is He was older and We just weren't pleased with his practices and as I said he was mental about his wife which I believe they were divorced by this time and it really changed him for the worse. I don't recall what his reaction was when he found out that I got sick and that he was wrong Very recently I checked to see if he is still around and sure enough he is and still in the same building on Jefferson I mean he's gotta be knockin' on 80s door even past 80 cause he was around My Grandma's age. Oh and by the way he liked My Grandma, there was very few men than didn't even when she was older Since at least 2010, this truly is the age of the old man and never at retiring at anything. Here is his building on Jefferson, it looked pretty nice over there with a usual look for a St. Louis clinic area.




So as I did in My ToyBiz DC 89 Batman & DCSH showcase with My ToyBiz Marvel Topic I showed what I think My childhood friends Timmy & Jenny look like now and I believe this may start a trend for important purposes like this so here goes some more What did these doctors look like OK, Dr. Viloria looked like Keiju Kobayashi who was the Prime Minister in Godzilla 1985. Ever since I first knew Dr. Viloria I thought that and I may have even said something to him about that which I cannot be sure about that. The last time I saw him he still looked like that with the grayish hair and glasses. Now Dr. Chang is tricky cause I haven't seen him in over 30 years but the only person I can say that he looks like is Donald Li who played Eddie in 1986's Big Trouble in Little China and that's all I can say so here they are



Now even tough I was a patient kid and a good patient too I was quite anxious to get the appointments done and over with cause We'd go to Woolworth, Judy's, Globes & The Bazaar and I'd be at those windows of the building looking out at Woolworth right down the street. Now look at the pic and the building on the right with the windows and Me looking out of them patiently holding My horses to get down there and have a ton of fun



So here is Woolworth on Cherokee, arguably the main attraction on the whole street back then which many people around town or even that wasn't in St. Louis would visit just to go to this location This is the one that I got My goodies from seen in Part 2. It was a large long building and it was really one of a kind. It had two levels, the first floor had your big time stuff like electronics, clothing, housewares & utilities, automotive and even a big pet shop that sold exotic animals that were illegal My Mom had a great time there during her childhood as well



Now second & lower level/basement was where the real fun was cause that was their Toy Department and it was huge, arguably the biggest one you could ever go to. Even though it's been over 30 years since I step foot there, I clearly recall how it was. To put this in perspective, it was almost the size of a TRU down there, you could fit in all of My local K-B & K&K Toys from Crestwood, South & West County, that's five stores there I'm not joking, it was a toy haven down there, I loved them as much as either of My 3 Venture locations, that's how darn exciting, fun, cool & rad it was to be there and that's one of the reasons why I miss it so darn much I mean they had an insane stock of G.I. Joes and their MOTU and the like such as REMCO'S DC Warrior Beasts & SOMA's Monster Man was so heavy duty on the shelves, it was so darn euphoric to see all of this together in one of the best decades ever known. There's a lot more that My young eyes saw that I'm not thinking about at the moment but believe Me when I say it was one of the most engaging toy experiences one could ever have and I'm quite thankful that I got to experience it many times during My years as a youngster until they couldn't be open anymore



Now it's some Mexican/Spanish store which is a dime a dozen over there now, no variety, creativeness, no fun, no history anymore there, it really sucks that it has come to this, surely Woolworth hasn't fallen to oblivion



Now we're going to Judy's Superstore on Cherokee. I have talked & showcased about her many times within the topic as well as others and I hope My limited amount of followers have paid attention here cause this stuff is important to Me as well as for history's sake So as I showed in Part 1, her original store was on Grand around the corner of Woolworth #1 & Paramount Drugs. I was a wee-bit young to really grasp the importance about her and the whole situation itself then but I sure remember it though and thank goodness about that She moved down to Cherokee which really wasn't that far away I mean We drove from that area to Cherokee in just minutes. That was the beauty of the matter where I used to live cause We had so much within the area, most of everything We needed and wanted to go to was all in one big general area within several miles from each other then unfortunately We moved in 1990 and most of everybody was gone soon after, only a handful of stores & people survived and many times for countless years I wonder if We didn't move would things had been different, well I'll never know So driving down Cherokee was cool but knowing that We were going to Judy's Superstore was arguably the funnest part of all. Just seeing her store gave Me a bit of a rush cause I knew what her store was all about to behold and there's never been a store like her's since that even comes remotely close to her's



Judy was Korean and she was the first Korean person I ever knew. I knew the Chinese & Filipinos in person thanks to Dr. Chang & Dr. Viloria seen above but I really didn't know Korea all that well back then when I was a youngster. This was a time when I was learning culture and the diversity of human-beings (I already revealed how I first knew Black People within this topic as well as others with Billy Dee Williams' Lando, Carl Weathers' Apollo & + Michael Jackson) and I thought that seeing & knowing these different types of people were really cool and interesting and I had no probs them being different and even more so the same goes now. Judy was married to an American Caucasian man. They owned the shop together and they worked alone, there was never an employee nor security guards, they handled their big store all by their-selves which really I don't know how the managed it



So when you open her front doors she's on the right with her big check-out counter. To the left was her huge wall of custom-iron on made shirts with a ton of Bruce Lee shirts which I got several of them back then cause I was a huge Bruce Lee fan, he was one of My most beloved childhood heroes. She had tons of other clothing on racks and many novelties and imported items cause this is what the feature of her Superstore as she had imports and merchandise that you most likely wouldn't find elsewhere. Now as seen within the topic I got some Transformers from her plus much more. Her toy isle was really cool. It wasn't that big but boy did I love seeing all of those imported Japanese goodies. Now near but always from her toy isle she had some adultish items there. Even as a youngster I had an eye for the female form. I thank goodness that I wasn't like how this generation is being non-binary, gay & trans before becoming a teenager and all of the bum-steer that is being pushed down our throats in almost everything during every minute of every day during this pathetic androgynous day & age The adultish stuff she had was posters of naked women from either Playboy or Hustler or both. I don't know. Is all I knew whenever I had the chance I would gawk at it as much as possible cause I liked it. They were just posing topless with somewhat big boobs from what I recall, I don't think they were that big but the classic babes were hot I know that Though really I didn't know the real feeling nor understand the purpose of it till I was much more mature and Judy and My Grandma never knew I did that. I am actually grateful that I discovered this cause I believe it gave Me some kind "learning curve edge" for My future cause latter I would really appreciate & admire the human female, their beauty & physique and so much that can can do. I've always been a very observant & curious fellow and had I not seen this over at Judy's Superstore I cannot be certain that I would have been the womanizer & admirer that I became She had adult stuff at her counter as well like cigarette lighters, naughty statues and stuff like that, really I thought the stuff was strange yet they had this unique thing about them that seemed funny yet kinda tabooish I'd look at'em but act like I was unaware of'em when I was next to My Grandma Mimi & seeing Judy cash Us out trying to be a good doobie cause I was a youngster and stuff like that just wasn't right for kid that age




So as a special bonus I have included a special entry from My Odds & Ends Topic, you can check out the topic plus much more here ---> http://www.dctoyrevolution.org/general-toy-discussions/my-odds-ends-insane-keychain-t1176-70.html and this topic is arguably more imperative this this very one It was on New Year's Eve & Morning this very year that I came to a very crucial revelation that is so dear to Me, check this

BrandonDaCollector wrote:So it's NEW YEAR'S DAY and I thought that it was apropos to showcase this which really is quite delayed in a way because last year (dang, can you believe 2022 is over and we're in a new year already...where the heck did the time go during the the 4th of July I showcased a flier from Phantom Fireworks that I got in the mail. I was thinking about doing something else but ultimately it wasn't the right time but come very early New Years's Eve Morning We came to a conclusion to use My old Fireworks for New Year's @ MIDNIGHT

In a little wrapper lo and behold there was some Black Snakes within it. I attempted to light one but I didn't have the proper lighter to do'em plus it was getting late so I plan on using these guys for 4OJ as well.



Now here is the mysterious part of the Receipt as well as the Snakes. I believe I have come to the conclusion of almost certainty that these came from JUDY'S SUPERSTORE I mean look at the Receipt, it looks like a local shop would use it and look at those prices, there is no freggin' way that this came from that Fireworks Tent believe you Me and another factor of this situation is, it looks like it is from an Asian person perhaps from an Asian shop...ever eat Chinese Takeout and look at their receipt...that is KEY RIGHT THERE...Judy was Korean which is Asian...I believe that THESE old vintage babies are from JUDY'S SUPERSTORE...WOW, you don't know how crucial this is to Me



Ah so there is My Fireworks from Fenton & High Ridge Mo and a special bonus possibly but most likely even from Judy

So there was that special entry, I was really happy about it cause I just loved Judy, her SuperStore and all the times I had there Now as I just did with Dr. Viloria & Dr. Chang above, I have been thinking of it for a long time about who she looked like. Numerous times My Grandma said that WWE's Asuka reminded her of Judy and keep in mind this was in the mid 2010s to around 2020, My Grandma never forgot about Judy I saw what she meant personality wise but not looks but I could be wrong, it's been known to happen



Now looks wise in the face I think she looked like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers's Rita Repulsa. Rita is actually a really nice looking Asian character if you ignore the villainess-side of her and the big outfit. When I see her, I see Judy especially in the first pic that I put together



So here we go with Walgreens & The Bazaar on Cherokee. I cannot be certain exactly what building they were once in because so much has changed over there since I've been there last. Like I said it's been around 30 years or so. This Walgreens really didn't look like your typical Walgreens back then. I knew the one on Hampton very well during this time that I showcased in My huge Go-Bots & Rock Lords showcase within the topic. It had little stairs to go up and seemed really snug when you went in there and was kinda dark tinted as well. However they had different toys and stuff that other ones didn't have and even major department stores like Venture, K-Mart & Target didn't have hence My Tonka Super Naturals because the line didn't last long thanks to the plebeians There was so much you could find on this street than any other location. Now like I said about The Bazaar, it was deceivingly big inside and darn near looked like a Halloween shop the way it was lighted up and set up. I loved the toys area/room as they had tons of spooky toys such as monsters hence My great Dor Mei Kaiju above. It was so cool to be at. I mean as a young horror freak like I was it was a true haven for dark items and despite I have been to many Halloween costume shops such as Johnny Brocks seen greatly in My Odds & Ends there was only one other place that could compare and that was the St. Louis Carnival Supply Place as they had tons of great stuff too and I have a lot of memories from there as well, they were, I believe on Jefferson but like the Bazaar they are gone too and Me talking about that will be for another time. Sadly The Bazaar's time in existence as a store was too short, it didn't really have enough time to be established. Judy seemed more cause she was there a bit longer and We went there more too but it was really sad when they went of business because really there was no other place like The Bazaar. Like the rest I hope there's people out there besides Me that went there, recalls them and actually cares like I do and keeping the memories & good tales alive



Now as a special bonus entry, I have to enter both locations of Globes. I mean if your talking Cherokee Street, you gotta mention Globes because they were THE OLDEST stores on the block and they were THE LAST STORES of the old days too. They were the sole survivor of the originals till 2010 Everybody that I just showcased was already gone by the early 90s due to people being people not being interested in this fantastic stuff along with hard crime & invading immigrants basically destroying the history that people like Me know So Globes was a drug store/pharmacy/discount variety store and both locations was just feet away from each other really. I liked both of'em

Here is a Vintage pic of Globes from the 1940s. At least there's some people out there that actually cares about history, (I hope they don't fall for the r3$3t,) look at how that is and here is Globes in it's last days This was My favorite of the two, like Woolworth just feet away they had a big second floor/basement. It wasn't toy filled like their's...in fact they didn't have a ton in it at all of anything. I have many ColorForms including a great 1989/1990 WWF one that My Grandma got for Me from there but unfortunately I cannot locate them now, I hope to find them in time



Here is a look at the second location of Globes Drug Store



Actually here is a great look at the INSIDE of the store because most of these fun stores of the past you can only see the outside but I'm lucky with Globes



Here's where you pick up your prescriptions. I don't think We used them because We mostly used Paramount Drugs on Grand seen in Part 1 because they were closer and We knew each other and they delivered to Our home and that was only one of the great things that made them the best



Here is the entryway to Globes' small toy isle from location #1. It was fun looking around but I really never found what I wanted there like the other stores on Cherokee however seeing all of these pictures of Globes really brings the memories back as I was there countless times and while it's a shame I cannot show pics of how it was for the other stores I am thankful that I can with Globes because they maybe the most historic store that St. Louis has ever seen, I just hope that the plebeians remember them and will never ever forget



SPECIAL SECTION!!

So here is My Woolworth Location #1 & #2 Collection that you saw in Part 1 & 2, amazing that there is two different Muck Men from 2 different series' there



Here's a special collective of previously seen Woolworths, Judy, Walgreens & The Bazaar Special Note that My Sludge the Prontosaurus/Swoop Hybrid & the SW:ESB Presto Magix came from Judy, that is so magnificent



Wow, holy cow, that was such an incredible showcase that I just made and I hope you liked it and were surprised at all of it or at least something that I presented here, this huge 3-Parter was such a crucial one for Me to do because it was such a special time in My life Next will be a double feature of two figures that I just found recently that which one of'em I also got at Judy's SuperStore, until then I'll see you around

So you just saw My great, three-Part Woolworth showcase which it was one of My most crucial ones I ever made that I presented a ton of great moments of Mine from not only 2 locations of Woolworth but other great stores such Globes, The Bazaar & Judy's SuperStore on Grand & Cherokee. Well I have yet something else that is great that I got at Judy's and this will show you another great imported figure that I got from her because she was a master of getting toys from Asia among other countries. I loved Kaijus & Japanese as you know so this was such a tremendous time fro Me. If you read My bio of her, she with husband did everything herslef, she had no employees, she was basically a "One Woman Gang" and I have never met anyone like her since which really only Verna from Mr.T's compares. I veritably hate the fact that nobody in My region ever talks about her nor recalls or even knew her. She was so cool and I will never forget her So this other great figure that I got at Judy's SuperStore is none other than Invincible Steel Man Daitarn 3 aka The Unchallengeable Daitarn 3 from the TV Show from 1978 - 1979.



Here is the Wikipedia page ---> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_Steel_Man_Daitarn_3

Like a lot of My stuff, he isn't complete so he will not be able to transform into his other morphs but he still looks pretty good. He's still shiny and he's super heavy due to most of his body being actually metal than being plastic



Sadly he's missing his right hand but he does have his sword that pugs into his arm so I pretend that is his substitute/new/alternate manus. It's still really shiny and the sticker is still intact too



He has a great looking Japanese & Animeish face that you'd expect. I love his color scheme and his overall design. His chest cavity opens up but I am afraid to put his head down inside since it's really tight so I just leave him be. I always thought that his gears looked like church windows which is kinda strange but I always digged how cool this looked



Here is the 1984 Sunrise Copyright. Sunrise used to be a Japanese toy company, they went under a long time ago and there is very little info about them online



For a special size comparison, I put together My Daitarn 3 vs. Dor Mei Kaiju that I got from Woolworth location #1 on Grand next to Paramount Drugs. The scale isn't too bad, they go good fighting each other





As a bonus entry within the presentation, here's a figure from the Robotech series by Matchbox. Here is the Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotech. It's yet something else that people don't talk about yet it was pretty big during that time period of 1985 People must realize if there wasn't Robotech there would have been so much less in the future when it came to robots and transforming fortresses...that means a lot of Marvel for instance would have been quite different years later

Now I believe I only had a couple figures but I really don't recall where I got them. I don't think it was from Judy's. I'm thinking it was at Grandpa Pidgeons or even at Venture. Along with Daitarn 3 seen above I recently only found one Matchbox Robotech and that was Battle Fortress SDF-1. Now I really never took care of him, all of his parts and accessories are missing but he's still intact and in good condition. His turrets still turn really well, he moves pretty good



Here is the 1985 Matchbox Copyright along with Harmony Gold USA & Tatsunoko Productions. These are highly sculpted on his feet. I love it when Copyrights & company info are really big & obvious on figures especially on their feet, remember to always, ALWAYS check your COPYRIGHTS and take a gander at that



Here is Battle Fortress SDF-1 compared to My previously seen Parasite that is also by Matchbox in the year of 1985. They had their fair-share of robotic lines back in the 80s too joining so many others



So here is Daitarn 3 & Battle Fortress SDF-1 compared with My previously seen Bandai Voltron that I also got at Judy's SuperStore. It was so great getting stuff you loved from her



With so many lines of robots & cyborgs in the 80s these were so fun back then also and it was apropos to showcase them because along with many plebeians back in the day, I was on the robot craze too. It's possible that I may showcase more stuff from Judy but I think if I do it will be in My Odds & Ends so keep a look out there cause you never know what I'll post as that it is arguably My most crucial topic of all I hope you liked this and were a bit surprised. As seen within this topic I'm trying to keep the past going, so very few are doing it and I don't want stuff falling to oblivion Next up will be another special one, until then I'll see you around