My Web Site About Marlow Heights 60s and 70s (2024)

CMC122 said:

I knew quite a few people who were upset when that Hot Shoppes closed

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I was one of them too. I worked at the Jr Hot Shoppes in front of Iverson Mall in the early 70s. I worked full time over a couple of Summers, and on the weekends during the school year. Also, I know the Hot Shoppes Cafeteria in the Marlow Heights Shopping Center was the last one that Marriott closed. For a while it remained opened as, "Marlow Heights Cafeteria", and many of the original employees still worked there. At the time of the Hot Shoppes Cafeteria closing, Marriott claimed that they planned to open a "theme" restaurant, I believe in the Marriott Twin Bridges. Supposedly it was going to feature a lot of the favorites from the various Marriott owned restaurants (Jr Hot Shoppes, Hot Shoppes Cafeteria, Hungry Herman's, etc.). Sadly, this never materialized.

Chuck
Visit My Marlow Heights Web Site for fun 60s and 70s Memories!
www.marlowheights60sand70s.com

CableChick said:

I remember going to the Red Barn to country dance!!! It was the happening place you know! Friends got shot at in the parking lot one night. Brings back memories of when me and my hubby were courting!

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You don't mean the Red Barn restaurant do you? The one I remember was on St Barnabus Road next to Temple Hills Baptist Church. Was the "Red Barn" you were referring to a bar/club? Can't imagine a place that sold fried chicken and "Big Barney" hamburgers being a place to dance, as well as having shots fired in the parking lot.

jazz lady said:

I only remember going to the shopping areas in the late 60s through the 70s and the early 80s. The pictures of the stores really brought back memories as did the sounds from WPGC (Where People Get Cash)!

Good job and I'm looking forward to seeing the progress as you flesh out the site.

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Thanks, Jazz Lady. Those WPGC jingles and commercials brought back memories for me too. I'm hoping to obtain more information on the radio station, and others of the time (such as WEAM), as well as other sound files.

cattitude said:

I was block. Teased hair, Peters jacket, deck shoes, mulligans. I desperately wanted a leather jacket (had to be Cabretta leather) but my parents said no.

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Cattitude,
If you were a Block, that was definitely old school, because that's what Grits were called originally. The teased hair and Peters jacket were right, but I don't remember a Grit wearing "decks" (that was a fad in the late 60s/early 70s for the "Preps" and "Mods"). I remember the hard core "Grit Girls" wore the Peters jackets and Chucks, and a heck of a lot of make-up.

vraiblonde said:

Not being from Maryland, I had never heard the term "grit" until our middle daughter came walking in with a tight t-shirt, a thick chain necklace and a chain from her pocket to her belt loop with a leather thing attached. Larry said she looked like a grit girl.

Cute site.

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Sounds like your husband was a Grit, or knew of them.

virgovictoria said:

And Woolworth's?

Or did I miss one or both?

Cool Site!

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The last time I went through the Marlow Heights Shopping Center, Steak in a Sack was still open. I also believe someone told me that a son of the original ower was running the place. And yeah, I remember Woolworth's too and their hoagies. Thanks for the idea, I'll try to include this stuff and more on my website. Hopefully others will be able to contribute photos too.

The Red Barn and the other Red Barn

Frozenpl said:

The Red Barn that held the dances was a bar located in Morningside about a mile from Andrews AFB. Your website brings back the good old days where you could walk to mall with no worries.

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Thanks for clearing that up about the two Red Barns. I don't remember the bar you mentioned, but I remember the Classics III nightclub (even though I was too young to get in during its heyday). There's also a WPGC promo on my site's "Sounds" section for the infamous Hangar Club.

fttrsbeerwench said:

I think the site is nice Chuck!! My mom grew up in the southern D.C area in the mid sixties, she tells me funny stories about living in District Heights . I love it.

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Not too familiar with District Heights, but I would occasionally go to the Jerry Lewis cinema. Also, wasn't the Shakey's Pizza on Pennsylvania Avenue considered District Heights?

911Carrera said:

Nice site, Chuck! Those were the days.

I didn't grow up here, but we used the term "Grit" in the midwest, too. In the early 60's the Bad a$$ dudes dressed like Fonzie on Happy Days and were called "Hoods."

Grits, greasers,townies, rednecks.....

You left out the chapter about partying and muscle cars (when they cost $1000 for a nice one in good shape) in the 70's though. Those were the Days!

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Yeah, Grits weren't exactly limited to the DC area, but I believe the way they dressed back then (banlons, Chucks, Peters jackets, etc.) was unique. If you remember the movie, "The Outsiders", those guys were greasers and acted a lot like the Grits of PG County and beyond. As far as dressing like the Fonz, when that TV show, "Happy Days", came out (on the heels of "American Grafitti"), that gave Grits a boost in popularity. A lot went from wearing "Macs" to straight leg jeans, and Peters jackets to leather ones a la The Fonz.

Chuck, What were you driving back then?

What were the preferred "rides" for the Grits in Marlow Heights?

911Carrera said:

Chuck, What were you driving back then?

What were the preferred "rides" for the Grits in Marlow Heights?

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Back "then" I wasn't old enough to drive, but I remember lots of Camaros, Firebirds, Chevelles, Nova's, etc. I used to have an '86 Buick Grand National, a '91 GMC Syclone (two of them), an '02 Subaru WRX, and my present ride, an '04 Subaru WRX STi.

cissp said:

Not too familiar with District Heights, but I would occasionally go to the Jerry Lewis cinema. Also, wasn't the Shakey's Pizza on Pennsylvania Avenue considered District Heights?

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LOL..Honestly, I am only 29, so I have none of your fond D.C. memories. MY mother is 50 and we have talked alot about her youth as a navy brat and living in the city when sh efirst go tout on her own. I no nothing of Shakey's but I think you may be right about that part of town anyway!!!

I don't know the city in the same way most older folks do, which is sad. I think I grew up in the wrong decade..

cissp said:

I just created a web site that is about Marlow Heights in the 60s and 70s.

Chuck

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Unbelievable trip down memory lane, Chuck!

My grandparents used to live on "23rd Parkway Court" (which was off of 23rd Parkway) right across the street from Iverson Towers. I remember watching them build it as a kid. There used to be a rumor that a guy fell off of one of the girders and died when they were building it and at night you could see his ghost walking around the unfinished floors.

We used to walk up to the shopping center and it's exactly as I remember it in your picture, right down to the missing "I" in the sign!
Too funny...

Red Barn always had great burgers, and the chain used to extend up into northwest PA where I lived later. I remember ordering the "Barnbuster", which we lovingly referred to as the "Gutbuster".

Talk about how safe it used to be, we used to hike to Oxen Hill to go to the movies when the Marlo Theater didn't have anything good. I remember seeing "Willard" there (for some odd reason).

Oh..and if you went to Hot Shoppes, you HAD to have the Hot Fudge Cake with hot chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Thanks again.
Great JOB!

As I was reading the thread I thought, oh yeah, I remember that. Memory lane, ahhh, and all of the sudden I am now craving a Hot Fudge Cake with hot chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

FastCarsSpeed said:

Man you guys are old hahaha.. I grew up off of old marlboro pike right across from Hilcrest Drive-in. Then moved over off of fisher road to the aparments "Heather Hills"... We of course like everyone else started the slow crawl south. man marlow heights was soo different even in the 80's compared to now as I work in Shootland "oh sorry Suitland".. Steak in a Sack is still open and OMG that is the best in the world..

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Suitland... "A Caring Community"...

mainman said:

Suitland... "A Caring Community"...

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fttrsbeerwench said:

LOL..Honestly, I am only 29, so I have none of your fond D.C. memories. MY mother is 50 and we have talked alot about her youth as a navy brat and living in the city when sh efirst go tout on her own. I no nothing of Shakey's but I think you may be right about that part of town anyway!!!

I don't know the city in the same way most older folks do, which is sad. I think I grew up in the wrong decade..

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Well, if your mother is 50 then I'm definitely in her generation (46, graduated from HS in '76).