Civic Center occupants | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Civic Center occupants

Squeeze said:
This thread is already bumming me out.

It's really no wonder how small cities like Hartford became ghost towns when you think about how many shops were killed by amazon, walmart, costco, etc.
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This gave me a chuckle. Hartford is Hartford not because of the places you listed. Wow
 
A Boston Globe reporter - Christopher Price - is coming out with a book on the Whale and has weekly podcasts with former Whalers.
One was with Lawless and Lawless ran off a list of Hartford places he liked to frequent and mentioned Chucks and Gaetanos among others
 
Pre and post game…Ludlowes. Great little bar street level. It was also the same for the Whalers. Players would (Whalers) would come in before going to Gaetanos.
 
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Just going down memory lane of going to UConn games at the Civic Center as a kid in the 90’s. I remember going upstairs to the Husky Shop many times before games. I remember the B Dalton bookstore. I think I remember maybe a Radio Shack?? I forgot about the Wendy’s until somebody just pointed it out. I went to a game vs Miami in 1996, and I vividly remember a few of the Miami players were walking around the mall in their warmup’s carrying their “U” duffel bags.

Ive tried to look up pictures of the old mall online, but there are very few. It would be cool if anybody has any, or could find any and upload them in this thread.
 
Went to Chucks and loved Rein's for after game eats. Still go to Rein's in Vernon in occasion.
 
Can we talk about the Whalers gift store? There was no online sports gear. No Dicks or box stores to carry merch. Going into the city, pregame excitement and your Dad letting you get something from that store was an event.

The souvenir store across from Fenway was the same, even if you weren’t a Sox fan.
 
Deepster said:
Can we talk about the Whalers gift store? There was no online sports gear. No Dicks or box stores to carry merch. Going into the city, pregame excitement and your Dad letting you get something from that store was an event.

The souvenir store across from Fenway was the same, even if you weren’t a Sox fan.
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I still have a Cards hat in the alternative navy blue I got at that Fenway store in 92 for $20. Fitted wool, couldnt find stuff like that anywhere else.
 
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Wasn’t there a Roy Rogers at one point? May be misremembering.
 
87Xfer said:
Best pickles ever.
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Reins did have great pickles. I worked there for a few weeks in addition to another job. I got sick of the drunks asking for greener pickles. Reins became Shelly's Deli which was still decent but not as good as Reins. I also still go to the one in Vernon when I'm in town.

We used to drink Tora Toras at Rising Sun after the games. Chucks used to make good Bloody Mary's and occasionally served a nice sandwich which they make with the prime rib ends. I also remember the peanut store with their fresh hot peanuts.
 
The Viking said:
What did Aetna do?

I totally forgot their used to be a Wendy’s in the HCC. Great stop.
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Aetna strong armed (actually to be more accurate forced bankruptcy) on a bunch of the small businesses in Civic center and then to the ones that could still be afloat, denied lease renewal, in the late 90's. They wanted an empty building to sell.
 
1644610229062.jpeg
 
Went to college in New Haven in the mid 70s and Hartford was so much better. Now the tide has definitely turned. Went to the Umphrey McGee concert last night in New Haven and I visit the city often - what a difference, Many fine memories of Hartford in the 80s and early 90s working in Hartford. It is a shell of what it once was. I still believe that the demise of GFox had a lot to do with the downfall as well as losing the Whalers. The Hellions games were great.
 
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TRest said:
I still have a Cards hat in the alternative navy blue I got at that Fenway store in 92 for $20. Fitted wool, couldnt find stuff like that anywhere else.
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Ptown! Years ago I got my father a Brooklyn Dodger hat from circa 1938. He grew up in Brooklyn and went to Ebbets during that time then.
 
gtcam said:
Went to college in New Haven in the mid 70s and Hartford was so much better. Now the tide has definitely turned. Went to the Umphrey McGee concert last night in New Haven and I visit the city often - what a difference, Many fine memories of Hartford in the 80s and early 90s working in Hartford. It is a shell of what it once was. I still believe that the demise of GFox had a lot to do with the downfall as well as losing the Whalers. The Hellions games were great.
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Hellions or HellCats - still have a Hellcat t shirt
 
My first job out of UConn was with Aetna in their Civic Center Mall branch office on the third floor. Worked there from 88-96. Great memories of the shops and restaurants there. Margarita's was a favorite - would go there after Whalers games and run into players from the opposing team from time to time. Sat next to Brett Hull once at the bar after a Whalers vs. St. Louis Blues game - he could throw them back! Arthur's Drug was great to have in there on the second floor. TJ Maxx, Foxmoor, Gaetano's, Leuttgen's Ltd., Al Franklin's Music World, Weathervane, Gap, Wendy's, De La Concha Tobacconist, Unique Antique, Husky Shop II, Wendy's, Whaler's Gift Store, there was a photo store next to the Whaler's Store, a travel agency next to that and a liquor store next to that (can't remember the names). There was a Food Court in the ground level, which is where Chuck's was located.

The Whalers had their offices on the third floor and there was a common restroom in the back corner. Sometimes I'd run into Gordie Howe, Emile Francis or Chuck Kaiton in the men's room!
 
I worked in CityPlace for a couple years in my single 20s. I’d park under the building, work, take the walkway to the civic center. Dinner was free nachos at Margaritas and whatever happy hour special beer they had. Whaler game. Chuck’s afterwards. Then back over the walkway into the parking garage to go home. Not a breath of fresh air from 7am to midnight.
 
So this might deserve another thread but some must remember when the Husky mascot would do full flying leap body slams on the court. Arms out like Superman! It was insane and was stopped but I loved it! Back when Jeremy was trying to get fans to stand up till the first basket by UConn.
 
Food at BT's and a concert at the Civic Center was always a great date night in your single 20s, if you had some extra coin. Of course, concert tickets weren't obscenley expensive when I was that age.
 
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While we are taking a stroll down memory lane thought you would like to take a look and see if you need another T-shirt.

localvyntage.com

All Apparel

Shop retro All Apparel tees and more
localvyntage.com localvyntage.com

1644718648095.png
 
87Xfer said:
Food at BT's and a concert at the Civic Center was always a great date night in your single 20s, if you had some extra coin. Of course, concert tickets weren't obscenley expensive when I was that age.
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March 1985 Purple Rain Tour with Sheila E at the Civic Center.

I really enjoyed this thread so thanks to all posters. When you can see the end of the road it is memories like this that resonate. So many good memories there.
 
BLUEDOGHOUSE said:
March 1985 Purple Rain Tour with Sheila E at the Civic Center.

I really enjoyed this thread so thanks to all posters. When you can see the end of the road it is memories like this that resonate. So many good memories there.
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I wonder what the age is where the posters are like "What are they talking about?" and have no memory at all of the "mall" being basically what it is today. And no idea that it actually used to be a vibrant hub in the middle of the city.
 
Deepster said:
I wonder what the age is where the posters are like "What are they talking about?" and have no memory at all of the "mall" being basically what it is today. And no idea that it actually used to be a vibrant hub in the middle of the city.
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I’d say anyone born after 1990.
I was born in mid 80’s and whalers left when I was a early teenager.
Went to like 3-4 games in Sections AA or above. I think I got to go to 1 vs bruins game, A vs. Kings/Gretzky game, and I think one lower bowl whaler game.

I can vaguely remember the whaler store and the Wendy’s. If I went to a game it was park and go in and not really shop in the mall. Growing up in newington, it was westfarms or buckland.

I still have a very small whalers shirts, mittens, and some hockey pucks from there.

Anyone my age had to have their parents take them anywhere so it was hard to imagine any of the bars or restaurants you’d bring a young kid too (so Wendy’s was the only spot)
 
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