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Health & Fitness

Remembering Belmont's Classic Establishments!

Today, I’m going to talk about some of our illustrious establishments then and now. What “old-timer" can forget Hal’s Whistle Stop on the northeast corner of ECR and Ralston, next to “The Pink Building?” The Whistle Stop was a great place for Sunday-after-church breakfasts, lunch, or dinner.  It had a huge circular fireplace in the middle, and those lacquered tables. It was there that I ate my first Buffalo Burger!  It later became Leo’s Whistle Stop, then The Country Inn (or Larry’s Country Inn—I can’t remember), then the train station was built. Back in those days you had to wait for the train to go by at ECR and Ralston!

The Belmont Carwash was right across the street on the southeast corner of ECR and Ralston. It was a full service operation, very similar to the Hillsdale Carwash.  It was known for its marquee that announced: “Mr. Smith your check bounced.” It was always a source of great humor—especially if you knew the person whose check bounced!

The McDonald’s in town opened in the early 60’s. Back in those days, they actually cooked the burgers on-site!  Unlike today, it was a very special treat to go to McDonald’s. We would run to the big side window and watch the “French Fry Man” peel and slice potatoes, and the cooks flipping burgers. Nowadays, they dump frozen faux french fries out of a bag, and cook the burgers somewhere in Kansas.  In fact, you can’t even see a grill! The burgers were 18¢ and cooked fresh.

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We also briefly had a Dairy Queen on ECR just south of McD’s (next to Hi-Lo Appliance), but that was short-lived.

Pilgrim Kitchen on El Camino has been there since 1968.  Most locals call it Pilgrim Pies, and it was one of two bakeries where you got your birthday cake. My dad used to drive us on Old County Road-where we would get out, walk across the railroad tracks, and squeeze between fence boards to get to the bakery. The other bakery was Knutson’s at 6th and Ralston, where a dry cleaners now resides. That was when you could park on Ralston Ave. between ECR and 6th! The nice old ladies at Knutson’s would always give you a cookie. It was like at the Mayfair or R&S meat counters, where the butchers would slip you a hot dog to munch on.

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Well, I’m hungry now. See you soon—maybe at The Greek Festival this weekend. OPA!

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