2017 Downtown Brownsville Walkabout

 It looks like the cupola's tiling is done and the trim is being painted at City Market / Town Hall

 The Olvera building renovation continues with the railing facing East Washington is almost complete.

Ricardo Carlos is putting the wood railing for the outside

 The fountain looks like it may be getting new plumbing and will be functioning as it was meant to.

There's my double meat-ham & cheeseburger from Rutledge Burger (since 1922).

 The workers 

 See the reflection?

 El Jardin in the distance

1926 ~ Olvera Shoe Repair Shop: Mending Soles

By Rene Torres

Today, under new ownership, the building that was once owned and that housed the Olvera Shoe Repair Shop is going through a facelift.  Victor Olvera started the business of mending soles in the Market Square area in 1926.   

from Brian Brodie's film "Siente la Ciudad"

In the beginning, the square was one of the liveliest places in the city. It was the center of business activity—a focal point in the city where vendors of all kinds sold their wares.  

Brownsville and the country enjoyed the benefits of the roaring twenties, when the country was in a festive mood and business was booming. 

But just like any business, the shoe repair shop had its ups and downs. Regardless of the status of the economy, the shop survived the depression and war years. 

A long-time employee of the shop, Jose Llamas said, “As money gets tighter, people want their things to last longer.”  The favorite footwear of then, was not ready for the shoe cemetery until it had several visits to the repair shop and/or passed through the hand-me-down cycle.  

The idea of diversification, and the fact that it was the only shop in town that provided “while-you-wait repair”, helped the store to endure.   Yes, in the good days the shop had a gallery of shoes perched among the shelves.  When that part of the business slowed, it was Olvera’s other business interest that kept the cash register ringing.   

According to one of his sons, Rolando, a retired pharmacist, remarked recently that his father never stood around to see his own shadow.  He was never content with the status quo—  always on the trail to fill his shelves with that unique product. 

from Brian Brodie's film "Siente la Ciudad"

Besides repairing wounded soles, the store also served as a pawn shop.  His army surplus business did well enough to compete with Whitman’s, which was mere steps away from the shop.   

One side of the building faces the heart of the historical Market Square, while the opposite side, fronts Washington street.    If you needed money, Olvera could also accommodate you with loan and in the same breath, rent you a room located on the upstairs of the building. 

from Brian Brodie's film "Siente la Ciudad"

Mr. Olvera died in 1973, and his son with the same name, took command of the iconic shop, only to face some hard times in the 1980s.  But as time progressed, the shop avoided slumps by providing consistent quality care at affordable prices.  Victor Jr., maintained a healthy list of customers by employing the same business sense used by his father.  

On or about the year 1996, Victor’s son, Mike, oversaw the business that still employed workable vintage equipment that dated to the early 1900s. Some of the tools of the trade might have been old, but the quality and service was always up-to-date.  .  

City of Brownsville photo

As the business ambiance around Market Square changed,  the shop made a move to a different site.    Mike, who vowed to keep the shop open if he could—  relocated to Boca Chica Boulevard.   After several successful years at that location, the business took its final curtain call.  The journey that began in the 1920s, lasted long enough to be part of the world-wide web. 

Victor Olvera, restored thousands of soles throughout the decades.  People from all walks of life came through the shop— to leave behind their leather treasures to see another day.   The shoe shop business faded, but the building will remain etched in Brownsville’s history, to serve as a remainder of the business stature of Victor Olvera.  He was the epitome of a good businessman. 

 

Google image of former Boca Chica location

Ripped from the Pages of the Bronsbil Estacion Facebook

I use a li'l Nikon Coolpix L830 with a built-in zzom lens that let me take this from the front of El Hueso de Fraile which is near 8th street so we're looking down four blocks here.  The Radio Shack sign was there originally but faded out black and the crown and flag are also Photoshopped with additional treatment to make this look like it was done with a heavier camera.

This is an original logo from a local family-owned and operated gas station business that was big in the RGV during the 1950s.  I removed "Cisneros" family name and retrosized it biggtime.  I even made a t-shirt from the design.  See some great Cisneros Rocket gasoline ads and photos by clicking ---> THIS LINK <---

 Here's a small segment of a  1900s postcard of E Elizabeth St  in front of JL Putegnat and Willlman's Pharmacies 

What's of interest is that we've posted shoeshine boys before.  They are icons of many stories I've heard ol' timers talk about but they had come from era of El Jardin or Missouri Pacific Railroad depot where they would shine shoes for passengers or hotel visitors.  This photo is much older and shows part of a Texas Confectionery (candy store) sign and hanging ornament sign which is called a mortar & pestle which was used by an apothecary who would drugs into fine power or paste.  The building is a "Botica" which translates to Drug Store or pharmacy.

 I took this with my phone camera which works better than my camera sometimes.  It was enhanced to brighten dark interiors.

 Roy Hess did an excellent story on the Voice of Brownsville Hank Hollingsworth which was in this past Father's Day issue of the Brownsville Herald.  <----  This was just a KBRO tribute to the living legend I had the pleasure of meeting for a Bronsbil Estacion exclusive on KBOR's Voice of Brownsville story.  Roy's story last Sunday righteously packed a slew of sports highlights most appropriately as opposed to the more biographical story we did.   

 Tile on 8th from E Elizabeth being renovated by Parra family interests and there's potentially a story worth reading here unless someone else does it first.  

Two hand-painted signs at the Parra building were discovered last week which made for some interesting photos sent by Ernie Lopez and Leroy Lopez (no relation).  A li'l research revealed that the lot was once the location of the First Baptist Church since early 1900's and by 1930 it was a brick structure with split to be occupied by several store businesses which eventually became one furnture store.  It was also the location of Mac's Toys store for many years which many still living today can recall.

Same corner - early 1960s (Mac's Toys photo courtesy Don Mc Fetteridge)

June 1988 marked the 49th anniversary of the Tienda Amigo disaster.  We thought it would be interesting to point out that its original location was across the street which is shown from this photo taken from top of old Miller Hotel which stood on same location which Tienda Amigo of 1988 was. 

The Little League Queen at center waving to the camera is Sandra Lee Peeples, age 12, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C.H. Peeples s at 364 Scott St.  Her two attendants were Phillis Ann Merrill, 10 and Judy Margenau, 12.

1957 Cotton Carnival children's parade from a collection we shared on our sister page we're calling the Delmar Kuebke- Fisher's Cafe family collection which were graciously shared by Mel's Antiques & Collectibles of Olmito, Texas.  In this particular photo we see a lot to talk about such as the Ft Brown building No.1 which was headquarters building for police station after the fort closed in c1947.  That's the Gateway bridge and a beautiful red fire engine with convertible 1950s chariots in a row.  That "Crossroads of the Hemisphere - The New Gateway to Latin-America+ sounds is a testament to Brownsville's former greatness and future potential?  

Another slide image which came out much better than expected as this slide was fairly damaged looking but the scanner was able to capture the sharpest image possible with a li'l clean-up work.

 You never know what you'll see downtown.  I call this one the Mexican Cousin It. 

Proverbs 26:13

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

Come back and check on Bronsbil Estacion and please feel free to share your love of Brownsville with a link to this blog.  Thanks

Social Justice Warrior (a.k.a. the Rock Hater) Strikes Out Again

by Javier R. Garcia

The social justice warrior (SJW) strikes out again - emboldened by support from his fanatic cult-like followers.  He likes to use my name to gain publicity but that doesn't always work well for him.  Last year he called the police on me for "tagging" him on Facebook ONE TIME and the Brownsville Police detective actually called me on the phone about it.  Antonio likes to exaggerate (lie) and beg for sympathy.

For any sane person to understand what has transpired to get to this point of ludicrousness, they'd have to turn in all their marbles.  I don't ask that of anyone.  His post was made May 29 in response to a comment I made about him on April 12th.  Just read on from this point and I'll insert a word here or there but don't expect it to make sense (or scroll down to confederate flag with that Cheezmeh guys head in it then bounce back here).  No I'm not sorry for the confusion.

I meant to say liberal apologists for lack of better words known to me.  These left-over hippies from a forgotten drug-crazed generation cling to him like flies on sh*t.  His other followers are jobless video-game playing post adolescent millennials, abortionists and atheists (the type that promote chaos) and new brand of Chicano activists who identify themselves as native or indigenous Americans who want to separate themselves from "white-American" society and reclaim lands lost after War with Mexico.  In my opinion - a  bunch of crackpots!

So his li'l friends chime in to show support and don't seem to notice their wise leader didn't have the wisdom to set his page's private settings.  Mind you, this was on Veteran's Day and the SJW is a veteran.  I do not know or care what division of armed forces he joined but to be called a coward on his own page and not respond proves my point.  He should have proved his claim about me harassing him.  I only called him out in the past after he went after me and tried to shame me by calling me a neo-Confederate sympathizer because I didn't agree with his racist attack against several people.

Not once did he comment to explain himself.  He insinuated I harassed him and his family but doesn't show proof - just this "paper trail" bullsh*t he started with.  Hey Tony - everything we write online can be scooped up and gathered like a piece of dogsh*t in a New York minute if there is any investigating needed to be done.  I thought he knew - so he has nothing to fear from me as I never threatened him but he's good and making little things seem worse than they are.  I just wanted to have a word with him.  That's all - online or in person - to ask him why he called the police on me rather than speak to me about it like a man would.  I never threatened him.

More supportive comments from his valiant friends but not a peep from him.  To understand the SJW just pay attention to what he says.  If he calls you a racist, he is really the racist.  If he says someone is obsessed with him, he is really the one who is obsessed etc etc.

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We should backtrack a bit to April when there was a local election going on and Erasmo Castro - The Cheezmeh guy who needs no introduction here, was being targeted by the cowardly Antonio through an online publication, NETA.  Antonio wrote an article to undermine Castro's bid for public office - something Antonio aspired to when he returned to Brownsville with his agenda to remove all references to civil war or presidents who owned slaves (i.e. Washington Park, Jefferson Davis memorial stone there and other such nonsense).  
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By the way, NETA was the source of a controversy recently when two female social justice warriors attacked a popular artist well-known and respected in the historical and art community of Brownsville but that's another story.  The source, NETA, like Antonio and the two self-proclaimed Chicana artists that used it to attack another artist from Brownsville, has biggtime issues with skin color and their Mexicaness and the "white" oppressors they imagine are making life hell for them.  I know it sounds crazy but that's the way I see them so if that makes me crazy too so be it....

Anyway I "warned" the Cheez and thought that would end it until two other Facebookers insinuated themselves into the banter which is what causes all this Facebook drama we all hear about.  What I wrote about Antonio is the truth:  He likes to cause controversy over the stupidest things that offend him and like-minded fools.

Online controversy attracts more controversy and the SJW is no different.  Mar is a local attorney obsessed with Castro  (I do not know the reason) and Serrano is the former owner of B.A.M. (Brownsville Arts & Music) which closed it's location downtown.  Both begged for attention so I'm letting them have it here.

Never get between a dog and his bone.

If you'll recall, the SJW tried telling readers of our local newspaper in a opinion piece that the majority of people in Brownsville were "mestizos" which is a racist category the hypocrite uses to get his point across which never makes sense.  In closing, this is my paper trail sample of the SJW's latest idiocy.  I wont be spending too much time worrying about him or his fanatical followers unless he begs me to.  

Click on this ---> "Mestizo"  to see my bisection of the essay he wrote to local newspaper.

**************  UPDATE  ***************

Here's an addendum to this wasteful blog entry.  The SJW has irritated others with his racist attitude.

 It seems that Raul has been in disagreement with the SJW and was probably a target of Antonio's manipulative method of playing the victim and making others seem "like the bad guy."  I have never met Raul but he saw Antonio's post on Antonio's FB page targeting me and reposted and "tagged" me to alert me and two others so we had some fun at the SJW's expense.

By contacting me, perhaps Raul alludes to the proverb that states "enemy of my enemy is my friend" which would apply here if the SJW was a threat but it seems that the SJW's antics have finally wore thin and he is no longer successful at stirring up discontent and support from his local followers who had on a few occasions joined him in his hatred for the confederate rock memorial in Washington Park.

Antonio also tried to shame "Mike" but again, people are starting to see what a coward the SJW is.

The next line is shocking, weird, repulsive and ridiculously funny at the same time.  Maybe I should ask for these "inboxes" that prove it.  No one is bashing gays here -- just the thought of Antonio teaching gay sex to children.  That just seems odd but I guess he wants that.

Hopefully the SJW will go away and stop harassing people and playing victim.  Until then, I reserve the right to defend my character from the stigmas he tries to attach to me and to reciprocate without the need for a direct retaliatory act against him.