What is happening with the old IHOP building next to the new Welcome Center being built (on Dutton Ave.)? Who owns it and why is it still standing? Its a bit of an eye-sore.

no one wants to forget it...syrup was too good

There will be an enclosed walkway built between the Welcome Center and the IHOP. All morning visitors will be given a free ticket for green eggs and ham.

BornAgain said:

---

no one wants to forget it...syrup was too good

---

Even the "roadies" knew about the syrup..They'd come in off the highway and put it on wheat crackers for a bit of a "pick-me-up"..Worked great..I've tried it with a cup of coffee..Best of all time in Waco was at the old Elite on the Circle..after ordering, they brought a huge circular trey full of hot rolls and bread, with all kinds of honey, jams and jellies in a ring surrounding the center..As a kid, I lived for our family Friday night steak and/or shrimp night and the awesome rolls and jelly! Time period..50's, 60's.

Wicked_Wombat said:

---

What is happening with the old IHOP building next to the new Welcome Center being built (on Dutton Ave.)? Who owns it and why is it still standing? Its a bit of an eye-sore.

---

Pretty sure it's scheduled to be razed.

MrGolfguy said:

---

Wicked_Wombat said:

---

What is happening with the old IHOP building next to the new Welcome Center being built (on Dutton Ave.)? Who owns it and why is it still standing? Its a bit of an eye-sore.

---

Pretty sure it's scheduled to be razed.

---

they should build the howdy hut to match it

Or How About The Hickory Stick on 18th street. Virtually every Sunday after church. Loaded baked potato was a killer.

Blackjack Bear said:

---

Or How About The Hickory Stick on 18th street. Virtually every Sunday after church. Loaded baked potato was a killer.

---

Back in the day, there was no better place to celebrate a family birthday than the Hickory Stick..Even got a song for the Birthday celebrant! James Clark, the proprietor, once served as President of the Texas Restaurant Association...and served a top quality steak...I was a friend of his son, the late Jim Clark..who I could NEVER beat at foosball at The Library....Lots of fond memories from the Hickory Stick..

It will be demolished but at this point, the delay makes me wonder if it was found to have asbestos or some other environmental issue that slowed the process down and they have just put it off while working on more pressing matters. Just a guess but it will definitely go away ultimately.

Boernebear said:

---

It will be demolished but at this point, the delay makes me wonder if it was found to have asbestos or some other environmental issue that slowed the process down and they have just put it off while working on more pressing matters. Just a guess but it will definitely go away ultimately.

---

I thought they were using it for construction storage building the new howdy hut.

BylrFan said:

---

Boernebear said:

---

It will be demolished but at this point, the delay makes me wonder if it was found to have asbestos or some other environmental issue that slowed the process down and they have just put it off while working on more pressing matters. Just a guess but it will definitely go away ultimately.

---

I thought they were using it for construction storage building the new howdy hut.

---

That's a possibility too - I haven't looked that closely recently to see if that's the case.

Boernebear said:

---

BylrFan said:

---

Boernebear said:

---

It will be demolished but at this point, the delay makes me wonder if it was found to have asbestos or some other environmental issue that slowed the process down and they have just put it off while working on more pressing matters. Just a guess but it will definitely go away ultimately.

---

I thought they were using it for construction storage building the new howdy hut.

---

That's a possibility too - I haven't looked that closely recently to see if that's the case.

---

I think all of the syrup is the the only thing holding the building together.

Edmond Bear said:

---

Boernebear said:

---

BylrFan said:

---

Boernebear said:

---

It will be demolished but at this point, the delay makes me wonder if it was found to have asbestos or some other environmental issue that slowed the process down and they have just put it off while working on more pressing matters. Just a guess but it will definitely go away ultimately.

---

I thought they were using it for construction storage building the new howdy hut.

---

That's a possibility too - I haven't looked that closely recently to see if that's the case.

---

I think all of the syrup is the the only thing holding the building together.

---

Excellent theory. If you let that stuff "set up" for a while, it developed the consistency of a candle.

Loved The Hickory Stick.

I would sure enjoy one last roll from Chicken Shack if someone offered one.

Bearly Interested said:

---

Loved The Hickory Stick.

I would sure enjoy one last roll from Chicken Shack if someone offered one.

---

I'd like 2...one filled with butter, the other with honey.

Quote:

---

James Clark, the proprietor, once served as President of the Texas Restaurant Association...and served a top quality steak...

---

I, too, thought that The Hickory Stick served a really good steak.

I am curious about something, and perhaps you can help me out. I never took a peek inside the kitchen, but were the steaks really broiled with charcoal like the sign out front claimed?

Not many places will fool with using a real charcoal grill anymore. I do believe that The Cattlemen's in Fort Worth still does, though.

Most places now prefer the convenience of 'char-grilled', which is really just a gas grill with some heavy cast iron radiants.

The taste is just not the same, however.

Eleven-League Grant said:

---

Quote:

---

James Clark, the proprietor, once served as President of the Texas Restaurant Association...and served a top quality steak...

---

I, too, thought that The Hickory Stick served a really good steak.

I am curious about something, and perhaps you can help me out. I never took a peek inside the kitchen, but were the steaks really broiled with charcoal like the sign out front claimed?

Not many places will fool with using a real charcoal grill anymore. I do believe that The Cattlemen's in Fort Worth still does, though.

Most places now prefer the convenience of 'char-grilled', which is really just a gas grill with some heavy cast iron radiants.

The taste is just not the same, however.

---

I honestly don't know. Wish I could ask my friend Jimmy, but he passed away a few years ago. I do know the steaks tasted like charcoal broiled...The marbling in their ribeye was almost the best part! :-)

Wicked_Wombat said:

---

What is happening with the old IHOP building next to the new Welcome Center being built (on Dutton Ave.)? Who owns it and why is it still standing? Its a bit of an eye-sore.

---

It really hard to forget.

Best Clipping Path Service Provider Company

oorahpa said:

---

Still miss Leslies Fried Chicken

---

Not sure if anypne here will remember Youngblood's Chicken here in Waco..My family would go to their Franklin Avenue location...across Franklin and close to Rountree Motors...They had their logo in the floor tile entrance, and it remained there for many years after the business closed..Youngbloods expanded to other Texas locations, and I found this article describing thier successful operation in some detail..Hope some of you recall this business..it was excellent quality all around.. http://oakcliffyesterday.blogspot.com/2014/05/youngbloods-fried-chicken.html

Quote:

---

Youngbloods expanded to other Texas locations

---

Bexar,

Thanks for the link to the Youngblood's article. That was an enjoyable read, including the comments, although it was confusing whether the 'secret' ingredient of whey was part of the Youngblood's recipe, or instead a part of the Leslie's recipe.

I think one also mentioned that Youngblood's chicken had a brownish-reddish color, and I'm not sure what you would add to fried chicken to get that, but I'm no chef.

While I wasn't in Waco at that time, I do recall during the the late 1960's that a couple of restaurants in the Sherman, Texas area advertised on their signs out front that they sold 'Youngblood's Fried Chicken', so I suppose they were franchisees or licensees.

That chicken must have had a very unique taste that people really liked, because fried chicken recipes are a dime-a-dozen and for a restaurant in that day to be willing to pay a fee to offer it is a pretty good testimonial.

Not that it matters here, but those two Sherman restaurants were a place called Gordon's Old Fashioned Freeze, and amazingly, one of the local Dairy Queens.

While I remember eating at both of those two places, we probably got something other than fried chicken since my dad revered my mother's recipe and to order chicken out might have been seen as being disrespectful. That sounds strange, I know, but those were very different times.

Not sure about the recipe, either...but copy that on "different times" :-) I remember the Youngblood "hatcheries" in Speegleville..they were huge open* ( wire walls to keep varmits out) buildings, and located not far from the fabled Highway 6 "Dragstrip" ( old HWY 6 after the new Lake Waco was completed and a new Highway was constructed.)

Speaking of Youngblood's chicken, it appears that it was resurrected for a 21-month period down in Austin back in 2017-2018.

Quote:

---

Our J.T. Youngblood's family would like to inform you, with a heavy heart, that we have decided to close our doors. Today was our last day of serving up fried chicken after almost 2 years in operation. We thank you for all your love and support. It has been our pleasure serving the Austin community and we have enjoyed bringing a Texas Tradition back to the present!

---

More photos and the story is here:

Youngblood's 'Reboot'

They claim that one member of the Youngblood family was involved in the venture, and that the recipe was true to the original.

Thanks for posting that article..Brings back lots of memories..Especially the take out photo, which at Waco's Franklin Ave. location was on the west side of their building..Family picked up a ton of chicken there!

Wicked_Wombat said:

---

What is happening with the old IHOP building next to the new Welcome Center being built (on Dutton Ave.)? Who owns it and why is it still standing? Its a bit of an eye-sore.

---

I went by there today and it's now just a big pile of rubble, looks like demo complete. Gone with the wind.

BigfootBear said:

---

Wicked_Wombat said:

---

What is happening with the old IHOP building next to the new Welcome Center being built (on Dutton Ave.)? Who owns it and why is it still standing? Its a bit of an eye-sore.

---

I went by there today and it's now just a big pile of rubble, looks like demo complete. Gone with the wind.

---

I was down there with my family last week visiting my mom. We drove by the I-HOP early in the week, "hey kids, look the I-HOP is still standing" Drove by later in the week, "hey kids, look the I-HOP is no longer standing".

Hickory Stick. Lived there in flrst couple years of college.