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24 Things You'll Only Remember If You're a True San Antonian

By San Antonio Current Staff on Fri, Mar 1, 2019 at 3:58 pm

San Antonio loves being nostalgic. And part of the nostalgic tendencies includes remembering things that no longer exist in the Alamo City. To do just that, we rounded up 24 things to take you down memory lane if you grew up in San Antonio – or at least been here long enough to feel like you did.

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Karam’s Kantina
Now part of San Antonio’s history, Karam’s earned its place in local culture. Fun fact: parts of the interior as well as the patio were used to film scenes in the Selena movie (particularly the scene where Selena and Chris eat pizza). The West Side staple had dedicated regulars, but eventually had to shut its doors.
Photo via YouTube / ChaoticConcept

San Antonio Children’s Museum
San Antonians today know The DoSeum, which is the Alamo City’s “museum for kids,” but it’s not exactly the same as the SA Children’s Museum. Located on Houston Street, the former museum housed two stories of interactive games and attractions for little ones to learn and, most importantly, have fun. There was even an H-E-B kids market and a model airplane! Seriously, pour one out for SACM, which closed in 2015 after 20 years.
Photo via Instagram / sachildrensmuseum

The Brackenridge Stables
A lot of attractions are packed into Brackenridge Park, and longtime residents will remember the Brackenridge Stables, which was open as early as 1937. Home to lots of horses that you could ride around the park, the stables provided a fun activity for an afternoon at the iconic park, that is until it closed in 1999. Today, the Eight Forty apartment complex sits where the stables formerly stood.
Photo via UTSA Libraries Digital Collections

Handy Dan
Home projects almost always meant heading to Handy Dan Home Improvement. As one of the first home improvement retailer chains, the store let San Antonians get their hardware all in one place. Some locations would even offer fun Spurs meet and greets. Fun fact: two former corporate execs were fired from the company in 1978 and went on to create The Home Depot. By the ‘80s, Handy Dan was done for.
Photo via Today In Georgia History