19 replies to this topic

[Harry]

As many Dentonites are aware, especially those (un)fortunate enough to live a stone's throw from the UNT campus, the "high rise" apartments going up on Fry Street have created quite a state of multi-variable chaos.
Construction, no parking, there-is-seriously-another-nail-in-my-tire syndrome: the list goes on for miles. In the end, however, all that chaos might just be worth it.

When The Tomato closed (not to mention the arson) everyone's head exploded over losing the famous mediocre pizza, and plans for the space were left to speculation for years. Eventually the entire block was torn down, forcing multiple small businesses to move or close. And the last thing staunch supporters of Fry Street's kitschy, homegrown vibe wanted was a corporate conglomerate to move in and piss their corporate poison all over the street's beloved independence. (This apparently doesn't apply to the rather popular Jimmy John's, judging by the line out the door every day at lunch time and after last call.

But the empty block just sat there for what seemed like decades, making a cartoonish mockery of the void in the heart of many a Fry Street purist. There was talk of a CVS, which elicited gasps of horror. So there it sat.

Read more: http://blogs.dallaso...eet_develop.php

[UNTcrazy727]

As many Dentonites are aware, especially those (un)fortunate enough to live a stone's throw from the UNT campus, the "high rise" apartments going up on Fry Street have created quite a state of multi-variable chaos.
Construction, no parking, there-is-seriously-another-nail-in-my-tire syndrome: the list goes on for miles. In the end, however, all that chaos might just be worth it.

When The Tomato closed (not to mention the arson) everyone's head exploded over losing the famous mediocre pizza, and plans for the space were left to speculation for years. Eventually the entire block was torn down, forcing multiple small businesses to move or close. And the last thing staunch supporters of Fry Street's kitschy, homegrown vibe wanted was a corporate conglomerate to move in and piss their corporate poison all over the street's beloved independence. (This apparently doesn't apply to the rather popular Jimmy John's, judging by the line out the door every day at lunch time and after last call.

But the empty block just sat there for what seemed like decades, making a cartoonish mockery of the void in the heart of many a Fry Street purist. There was talk of a CVS, which elicited gasps of horror. So there it sat.

Read more: http://blogs.dallaso...eet_develop.php

I wasn't really around for it, but what's people's obbssession with the old Fry St? The place was a complete dump. Fry St is going to be amazing when construction is complete. And IMO most students are happy about the makeover

[Harry]

I wasn't really around for it, but what's people's obbssession with the old Fry St? The place was a complete dump. Fry St is going to be amazing when construction is complete. And IMO most students are happy about the makeover

I think it is nostalgia - we equate the old Fry street with what for most of us was a more carefree time in our lives. I do agree with you though, the changes are going to be fantatstic and there is enough of the old Fry street left that we are getting the best of both worlds. I would love to see that area get to the point where more students choose to stay in Denton versus heading home on the weekends and I think they are heading that way with the improvements.

[Mark Gommesen]

I wasn't really around for it, but what's people's obbssession with the old Fry St? The place was a complete dump. Fry St is going to be amazing when construction is complete. And IMO most students are happy about the makeover

Fry Street is part of the history of UNT for decades. The institutions like the "Flying Tomato" will always be a huge part of my college memories! Just want we need more characterless corporate chain stores. It is sad that students will have to cultivate their memories at a CVS. There are1000s of CVS stores, but there will be only one "Flying Tomato"

When my daughter enrolled at UNT seven or eight years ago, one the first places where I took her was the "Tomato", just to her where I have carved my initials and to add hers.

Edited by Mark Gommesen, 18 May 2012 - 11:41 AM.

[The Fake Lonnie Finch]

The thing is, we're all old. We gathered in the 80s and 90s at the places along and around Fry. The Flying Tomato. Otays. Rick's. Riprocks.

The kids now are different. The world is more corporate for them, and that's what they are accustomed to seeing. Even from a business man's angle, I think that's sad.

Fry Street had character and characters. Now every big city and small city in America is the same kind of bland.

Wal Mart killed mom and pop stores, and five and dimes (remember TG&Y, anyone, and the stamps you'd collect?). A whole generation of Americans think Olive Garden and Carraba is Italian food. They also think Chili's is a neat place to meet for burgers. Don't even get me started on this generation of the lost who believe outfits like On The Border are Mexican food.

I still love the hole in the wall places. I like Kel's on Forest Lane, and Mama's Daughters' Diner in Harry Hines. I like Pietro's on Richmond smack off of far lower Greenville for Italian; that and the orginial Campisi's up off the beginning of lower Greenville on Mockingbird.

I still go to the old Casita Dominquez, although it's now Nueva Casita; the old man is still there, he just was kind of forced to sell it. That's on Blackwell down the back way from the old Million Dollar Saloon. We still hit La Calle Doce in Oak Cliff, the original, for "mexican" Tex-Mex as well.

Look, that era of original places in shrinking. Part of what I loved about Tulsa is that it has some really original eateries that haven't gone national, or even regional. Ike's Chili Parlor. Coney I-Lander. Ron's Hamburger and Chili. Bill and Ruth's subs. Weber's Root Beer Stand. The old Breakfast By Day, which in now called Brookside By Day and it's offshoot south as you get toward Jenks, BBD II - The Duece. Elmer's BBQ, motto "It Be Bad" with their world famous Badwich. Jamil's a Lebanese steakhouse. Cain's Ballroom for music.

I love that we're in a conference now with Tulsa because it gives me even more of an excuse to visit some original places. Real original places. That's what the Flying Tomoto was. That's what Fry Street was. That America is giving way to the techno-corporate blandness of In-N-Our Burgers, Chili's, Olive Garden, Walgreen's, CVS, etc. and the like everywhere is sad.

Can't fight it. I'm just thankful I lived in that era. It's gone except for a few places. Tulsa is one of them - a city that still has a ton of original eateries and whatnot. Real places, man. Real places.

Edited by The Fake Lonnie Finch, 18 May 2012 - 01:07 PM.

[gksmith]

Agree. "Tomato" was't great for the good. It was the atmosphere. Tomato was the only "restaurant" on that block (Riprocks, Ricks, Cool Beans are more bars then restaurants). What is really lost are the stores along Fry Street between Oak and Hickory. Was it called Second Hand Rose? There were other places there that fall into the same catagory.

Off the Fry Street path but a great place is Denton Independent Hamburger on the square.

[adman]

There are1000s of CVS stores, but there will be only one "Flying Tomato"

Hate to break it to you but The Flying Tomato was a chain as well.

[Green P1]

Psssshhhhhh. YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKN BOUT OLD MAN. FRY STREET WAS A DUMP. ALL THEM NEW BUILDINS AN FANCY CHAINS IS GONNA BE TOTES BETTER. WAY MORE KICKASS.

[greenminer]

Hate to break it to you but The Flying Tomato was a chain as well.

I'm trying to find info on that. Gotta link?

[C Vo]

I miss Griggs Bennett and the Corkscrew, Gene Hartman's Campus Barbershop, Jim's Diner and even Judy Smith had her Rose's Costumes on Fry St. for a time. I still remember the arcade behind the Corkscrew in the late 80's. Good Times!

Now with corporate owned businesses, you won't get to know the mom and pop people that make Denton a special place.

I don't care how Fry St. looked. It was unique and it was Denton. Now, it's going to look like every big college campus place (Like places on Guadalupe St. in Austin) that you can find anywhere.

Oh, and Otay's. I still remember the Denton Fire Dept. there every Thursday night to make sure they stayed under the Fire Code numbers in that little building that was a former convenient store.

[UNTflyer]

Why hasn't the guy who torched the Tomato ever been put on trial?

[Green P1]

Why hasn't the guy who torched the Tomato ever been put on trial?

Because he really only torched a building already set for destruction? I for one salute the kid for making my last night on the REAL FRY that much more memorable. Every establishment losing power and the only ones getting beers the regulars who the bartenders recognized? Frantically calling the local news stations and selling video of the blaze taken with a camera in the days before every cell phone included video? That's a night I'll never forget.

[UNTflyer]

Because he really only torched a building already set for destruction? \

Arson is arson, and it put lives at risk.

[Harry]

[Stix]

I'm trying to find info on that. Gotta link?

http://www.myspace.com/tomatopizza

The Tomato started as a small chain in Illinois.Originally named The Flying tomato.The Store opened in Aug. 1984.Robert and Becky Slusarski ran the business down here until 1996 when they bought the store from the company. They Changed the Name to The Tomato in 98.