Saying Goodbye to Stucky's: No Tacos But Oh Those Burgers

MONDAY, JUNE 27

This was to be the last week that one of our favorite places to go was to be open.  Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois.  (Stucky's was also the same place that Tom's Cafe was located back in the 1990s and we also hung out there a lot.)

So, we decided to go to Stucky's as much as we could.

I went to the Fox Lake Theatre and saw "Top Gun:  Maverick."  Then Liz and I went to Sunnyside for their $1.50 Monday draft beer special and then over to Stucky's where we planned on getting their $1 tacos.  Sadly, however, they ran out of tacos before we could order.

That is a problen there right now.  They are running out of many things.  You never know "what" you can order and hope to get."  Enjoyed the $2 12 ounce cans, always ice cold.

*****************************

TUESDAY, JUNE 28

Went to Stucky's for the last half price burgers and were happy to find out that they had restocked a little, but there were many times employees were sent over to the next door Angelo's grocery store to buy stuff.  

I had my last Roland's Swiss cheese and mushroom burger with loads of grilled onions and Liz had her last bacon cheeseburger.  Both came with fries or tots of homemade chips.  I dare you to get a burger that good and big anywhere for $4.75 anymore, especially in these days of runaway food prices.

--RoadStuck

Now You Can Get Your 'Cheezborgers" at Jewel (And They Aren't Even Real Cheeseburgers)

From the April 13, 2017, Chicago Tribune "Billy Goat 'Cheezborger' patties coming to Jewel-Osco freezers" by Samantha Bomkamp.

"The famous 'Cheezborgers' sold by Billy Goat Tavern, a Chicago institution, will soon be available at Jewel-Osco stores."  However, the patties won't be coming with cheese.  Just "Borgers" I reckon.

They are available in two sizes: a 3.2 ounce version called "The Original" and a third pounder dubbed "The Curse Breaker."  (You know, the Cubs and all).

The Billy Goat Tavern has been open in Chicago since 1934 and a 1978 Saturday "Night Live" skit featuring John Belushi gave the humble restaurant legendary status.  "Cheezborgers" and other menu suggestions made by owner William "Billy Goat" Sianis, a Greek immigrant, became widespread catch phrases and included "no fries, cheeps!" and "no Pepsi, Coke!" although this was later reversed.

For Cubs fans, Sianis holds another place in lore.  He tried to take his pet goat to Game 4 of the 1945 World Series to bring the Cubs luck against the Detroit Tigers.  But the goat was denied entrance and Detroit won the Series.  As legend has it, Sianis placed a curse on the Cubs.  It would be another 71 years before the Cubs went to another World Series.

Ain't 'Fraid of No Goat.  --RoadDog

SOME INTERESTING AND IRONIC PREDICTIONS:  "Ronald Reagan doesn't have that presidential look,"  United Artists executive after rejecting him for the lead role in the 1964 film "The Best Man."

40th Anniversary of the Bar Code

I have been writing about it in my history blog the last several days.

That sure made the lives of grocery store check out folks much easier.  And now, they are trying to get us regular folks to scan those codes ourselves.  I was extremely apprehensive at first, but have since done it many times and it is not so bad.  But, I usually do it only when the regular check out lines are too long or if I only have a few items.

I'm a semi-literate bar coder.

But, speaking of bar codes, we have a chain of discount stores here in Illinois called Aldi and those checkers are the fastest I've ever seen.  They can scan that code and put it in my basket faster than I can put items on the conveyor belt.  I generally wait until someone goes ahead of me so I can have a chance to get my stuff up there before the things are checked out.

Beep, Beep, Blip.  --RoadDog


WHY TEACHERS TURN GRAY EARLY (Selected test answers):  Q;  If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and 3 oranges and four apples in the other hand, what would you have.  A"  Very large hands.

Goodbye Dominick's

A mainstay here in the Chicagoland area closed its doors for good earliet today at noon. And, that would be Dominick's Food Stores which have been ailing financially for years and completely unable or unwilling to match food prices with other stores. //// They were very expensive on almost everything, a big reason why I rarely went there all these years. I always hate to see a familiar name go, but at least it wasn't one I often frequented. //// It joins the long list of Chicago-based stores like Marshall Field's, Montgomery Ward's, Wieboldt's and, I'm sure in the not too distant future, Sear's. //// Oh, Well. --RoadDog

A Great Independent Grocery Store in McHenry

I originally was writing about this when I ended up writing about the newspapers. I DO tend to get off-track.

While Frances was reading the comics and working on the crossword puzzle, I read the Northwest Herald and saw an ad for Angelo's Supermarket. They had some great sales, so decided to stop by on my way home.

The store is located in shopping center west of downtown McHenry on Illinois Highway 120. It is called Elm Street on that stretch.

Get these prices!!! $2.99 for a pound of roast beef, same for corned beef, seedless watermelon for $1.49, and local corn for 10 cents an ear. I'll go back to this place, plus it's an independent grocery store struggling against the corporate behemoths. Around here, that's Jewel and Dominick's, although I don't expect the latter to be around much longer judging by lack of business. Then, K-Mart and Wal-Mart have also gotten into the grocery business. It has to be a rough job to combat them.

Jewel and Dominick's might have prices like the roast beef and corned beef when they're on sale, but that will be for a half-pound.

The place was busy, so that's good.

In nearby Johnsburg, we have another great little independent called Val's which is the main place we go to for groceries. They have one of the best delis ever. Most everyone swears by them in this area.

Support Your Local Independent Grocer. --RoadDog