Does anyone remember the name of the restaurant that is now Valle's? They served really good chicken fried steak if memory is correct. I think the name was a male'sname, but my wife and I just can't recall. Thanks.

Can you rephrase the question? Aren't you naming it in your question? I don't remember anything by that name at all if so. Also what is the time period you are talking about?

I believe BaylorB254 is thinking of when it was owned by the guy who owned Regal Car Wash originally. Can't think of his name but also had a good breakfast.

Also Valles' mini-tacos (barbacoa) with green sauce is one of the best Mexican plates in town.

PartyBear said:

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Can you rephrase the question? Aren't you naming it in your question? I don't remember anything by that name at all if so. Also what is the time period you are talking about?

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Yes, that was a poorly worded question. My apologies.

forza orsi said:

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74Bear said:

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I believe BaylorB254 is thinking of when it was owned by the guy who owned Regal Car Wash originally. Can't think of his name but also had a good breakfast.

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The restaurant that is now Valles was Tommy B's and it was owned by Tommy Brashier, who also owned Regal. Good dude.

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That was it! Thank you.

No love for the Taco Torch?

No problem I rarely drive down VM anymore oddly enough, unless it is about a 3/10s of a mile stretch around Lake Air and VM but even that is rare. I had not even heard of Valle's or noticed it. Is it in the building that was a Schlotsky's from maybe the mid 90s - the 00s perhaps?

Was it a Kenny Rogers Roasters at some point?

I hate to digress but the iconic mid 60s Genie Car Wash sign on VM is going away as are both Genie Car Washes. A new Car Wash chain has bought them out apparently. Apparently according to the Trib story on this, the original owner, I believe it was, said at some point in time the logo was literally stolen from Proctor and Gamble. I'm surprised they never found out. They basically copied Mr. Clean and put a turban on him as per the story.

Like I said I rarely go down VM drive so I dont know if that sign is/was even was lit up as a neon sign anymore and frankly dont know if it has even been a couple of decades or more since it was lit up as a neon sign. But it is coming down or is down already.

Lund Vernquist said:

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Yes it one incarnation it was a Schlotzky's. A few before that it was Kenny Rogers Roasters. Next door to Baris.

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Originally Saxon Sandwich Shops circa 1969-70
Taco Torch early 70s-early 90s
Kenny Rogers Roasted Chicken mid-90s
Schlotzsky's late 90s-2006 or so
Tommy B's 2006-2011(?)
Valles ever since

PartyBear said:

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I hate to digress but the iconic mid 60s Genie Car Wash sign on VM is going away as are both Genie Car Washes. A new Car Wash chain has bought them out apparently. Apparently according to the Trib story on this, the original owner, I believe it was, said at some point in time the logo was literally stolen from Proctor and Gamble. I'm surprised they never found out. They basically copied Mr. Clean and put a turban on him as per the story.

Like I said I rarely go down VM drive so I dont know if that sign is/was even was lit up as a neon sign anymore and frankly dont know if it has even been a couple of decades or more since it was lit up as a neon sign. But it is coming down or is down already.

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And once the Genie comes down, the last three "original" businesses in the same location and same building on North VM will be Westview Nursery, Jack's Stereo and Arby's.

Yogi said:

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No love for the Taco Torch?

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I think I used to get Taco Burgers from there. Although I recall a Taco Torch on Waco Dr, close to 25th and one by Baylor food area, I believe.

BaylorB254 said:

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Yogi said:

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No love for the Taco Torch?

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I think I used to get Taco Burgers from there. Although I recall a Taco Torch on Waco Dr, close to 25th and one by Baylor food area, I believe.

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It was a HUGE DEAL driving through the drive-through at Taco Torch and seeing the gas flame burning in the front. I was tiny then, but I remember.

whitetrash said:

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PartyBear said:

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I hate to digress but the iconic mid 60s Genie Car Wash sign on VM is going away as are both Genie Car Washes. A new Car Wash chain has bought them out apparently. Apparently according to the Trib story on this, the original owner, I believe it was, said at some point in time the logo was literally stolen from Proctor and Gamble. I'm surprised they never found out. They basically copied Mr. Clean and put a turban on him as per the story.

Like I said I rarely go down VM drive so I dont know if that sign is/was even was lit up as a neon sign anymore and frankly dont know if it has even been a couple of decades or more since it was lit up as a neon sign. But it is coming down or is down already.

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And once the Genie comes down, the last three "original" businesses in the same location and same building on North VM will be Westview Nursery, Jack's Stereo and Arby's.

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I think Westview Nursey was rebuilt after storm damage a few years back, but you're correct.

That one block of VM containing Westview Nursery, BOA, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, McDonalds, Chipotle, and Whataburger has been completely rebuilt since I was a child. There are no original buildings on that block.

I've always wondered how long it will take before the PNC bank property is razed and redeveloped. That building while classic for its age is showing its age and is really too big for a modern brick and mortar bank branch.

But if you demolished the bank and the insurance offices, that block could fit a whole new shopping center with a new bank building as the anchor in front.

Yogi said:

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whitetrash said:

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PartyBear said:

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I hate to digress but the iconic mid 60s Genie Car Wash sign on VM is going away as are both Genie Car Washes. A new Car Wash chain has bought them out apparently. Apparently according to the Trib story on this, the original owner, I believe it was, said at some point in time the logo was literally stolen from Proctor and Gamble. I'm surprised they never found out. They basically copied Mr. Clean and put a turban on him as per the story.

Like I said I rarely go down VM drive so I dont know if that sign is/was even was lit up as a neon sign anymore and frankly dont know if it has even been a couple of decades or more since it was lit up as a neon sign. But it is coming down or is down already.

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And once the Genie comes down, the last three "original" businesses in the same location and same building on North VM will be Westview Nursery, Jack's Stereo and Arby's.

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I think Westview Nursey was rebuilt after storm damage a few years back, but you're correct.

That one block of VM containing Westview Nursery, BOA, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King, McDonalds, Chipotle, and Whataburger has been completely rebuilt since I was a child. There are no original buildings on that block.

I've always wondered how long it will take before the PNC bank property is razed and redeveloped. That building while classic for its age is showing its age and is really too big for a modern brick and mortar bank branch.

But if you demolished the bank and the insurance offices, that block could fit a whole new shopping center with a new bank building as the anchor in front.

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After posting that above, I need to supplement my answer because Fuddrucker's is still the original tenant in its original space since 1986. So there's four.

PNC shuttered their downtown branch (which was Texas National before Compass bought them out) so this is their main Waco location. They have maybe 25% of the building at most; the rest is office space. Probably not on the redevelopment market for a while.

If I recall Fuddruckers opened in 84. That said I thought while still called Fuddruckers, the company went out of business a few years ago. Is it still there and an actual Fuddrucker's. Same hamburgers as the chain?

I need to revise. The chain does still exist. There are only 64 left in the US and Waco is one of the locations as per the website.