Virginia Beach's '7os population boom.

A look at Virginia Beach's rapid population growth over the 1970s, from a brief column c. 1979. A lot of Virginia Beach's '7os growth were families leaving neighboring Norfolk, seeking different public schools. 

 

Hilltop Square

Was reminded of the old series New Detectives recently, which filmed around Hampton Roads back in the 9os. The episode that (first) grabbed my eye was 'Mind Hunters' from season 2. In that episode they did some filming around the old version of Hilltop Square shopping center (near First Colonial & Laskin Road).

Hilltop Square as it looked circa 1996..

In this cap you can see the Wendy's (which is still there). And the corner of the old Hilltop Square Theatres, which closed back in the late '8os. And came back as a Virginia Power office, pet store, and (I think) a gym. 

The re-enactment where the psycho is pulling on to First Colonial with his victim.

And then they head down First Colonial Rd, you see the old signs for '44', which predated 264. This would be right at the overpass where the First Colonial Rd Target was eventually built. I remember incidentally watchin' this episode for the first time. The scene was supposed to be set in Maryland, but recognizable to a VB resident.

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Recently streamed the movie 'Boardwalk Winter'. It was filmed in Virginia Beach, though I don't think its' setting is ever explicitly identified as Va Beach. But film locations will be recognizable to locals and recurring tourists. 

A lot of the story is set at a hotel and boardwalk around 23rd and Atlantic. But there's also some recognizable shooting around Sandbridge and Rudee Inlet loop. Also some cool shots on Jungle Golf's course. Jungle Golf scene also included an accurate reference to a nearby, but unnamed pirate mini golf (Pirate's Paradise).. Kinda noticed some other nods to Hampton Roads culture, without explicitly naming the area. The lead male character uses a WRV board, and a local chilling on a boardwalk bench is wearing a Navy vet cap. 

Without spoiling too much plot, Boardwalk Winter lays out a relationship that feels doomed from its start. And the couple has to decide/feel a best course forward. Female lead (Fern) is living in an offseason, oceanfront hotel. She's sub-letting part of the small place to a likeable and funny character. And she has an interesting and caring neighbor (played by Victoria Jackson, I think the cast and crew were probably a mix of Los Angeles & locals?), and a friend who frequently visits (Tiffany). 'Tiffany' was a perfect casting for a VB friend, though I recognize this was set in basically anywhere beach USA, the locale wasn't the story. Don't know if the actress portraying Tiffany is a local, but I could see her as a natural in a 17th St hoodie. 

Interesting relationship test in Boardwalk Winter that depicts a timeless (but urgent in this story) dilemma of loving and losing, or just preemptively avoiding love. 

I streamed it on Prime, it's a good watch for couples and/or families. And commendable use of VB, which seems to have untapped filming potential. I can relate to some Boardwalk winters having spent some myself. And ironically, during one of my own winter oceanfront tours, there was some filming going on for the ol' true crime show New Detectives. I will say, Fern's place was a lot nicer than some of the long-gone, grimy motels that used to do off-season rentals back in the day.. and it's always cool seeing VB on the big and small screen.

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This is more Lost Norfolk, than Lost Virginia Beach, but..

The 4300 block of Hampton Blvd, before ODU built their current basketball arena (The Ted, turned Chartway Arena). This pic was taken (probably Fall) 1999. The good ol' days of Hampton Blvd's seedy clubs/bars and trash-strewn vacant lots. 

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Found an old piece of Oceans II letterhead, down on Atlantic. This specific piece of paper came from the late '90s. Who knows how long the logo predates that though. Thought it was a cool, nostalgic logo. I removed part of the phone number, but wanted to leave in Hampton Roads' old 804 area code.

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I've referenced this archaeology before.. the excavation of an American Indian settlement around Great Neck in the late 70s & early 80s.. as the area was being gradually developed, like the plot from Poltergeist II. It's a very thorough accounting of the artifacts, arrowheads, etc found around the area that is today near John B Dey elementary and Thomas Bishop Lane.

This diagram (of the yet developed lot numbers) is in the Great Neck report, though it predates the excavation by about a decade. It's an interesting artifact in itself though.. because it shows the area prior to the current bridge. The old bridge was the only route over Long Creek in the early 70s. And that route is now 'West Great Neck Road' (the road that is angling to the left of the map).

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Tidewater Landfalls is a 1969 hardcover collection of newspaper columns authored by George H Tucker. Basically Tucker wrote about the cultural habits and quirks of southeastern Virginia (then mostly known as Tidewater, now more Hampton Roads). Below is a column, where Tucker made a compelling case for Hampton Roads to show love for the under-respected seagull:

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Couple pics of the old bank building, at the corner of Princess Anne Plaza's parking lot. Looks like it's marked for remodeling.. or extinction. It was kind of a monument to the elegant banking of the past. With most people doing online, or ATM banking, direct deposit, etc. now.. I don't think you'll see these large bank branches built anymore, as signals of brand strength.

An old Princess Anne Plaza ad from the early 80s, listing a pair of banks. that could've inhabited this building around 1983. I think at one point in the 90s, it was also a Nationsbank.

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The end of Columbus Square 1.0

This complex at the corner of Constitution & Virginia Beach Blvd used to be a Hechinger hardware, that was converted into a large Barnes & Noble. Then it was Planet Music, then it was carved up in to various retail businesses. I don't really remember when the Bed, Bath, and Beyond was added (I was probably out of the area).. but looks like it's getting leveled. And in the process of remodeling the area, they dumped their old Columbus Square sign, that had probably been there 30+ years.

Rest in peace, gothic(ish) lettering..

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The old Hostess/Wonder Bread store on Bonney Road was vacated many years ago (I think). It then looked like it was being used as overflow parking for the nearby car dealership. But I guess it's finally being re-developed.

There aren't many good reasons to go to Bonney Road these days, but that Hostess outlet used to be the spot for your bulk Twinkie needs.

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extinction of Lynnhaven East..

Looks like the old Lynnhaven East strip mall is being remodeled (or torn down). It lost its Toys R Us anchor a while ago. Toys R Us went up in the late '8os, along with a couple other tenants.

This is the strip's listing in the 1992 phone directory. They weren't kidding when they described the non-consecutive suite addresses as 'Irregular'. Toys R Us and Schlotzsky's had different physical but identical (mailing) addresses?

The shell of Toys R Us. A lot of memories from this place. And it was a bold move opening there, because if I remember right.. Children's Palace was still operating just across the street when they opened, and Toy Castle was still in business just another couple blocks away. Rest in peace.

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Remembering a local men's suit shop, Alexander Beegle. There was one near the Oceanfront, and a location inside Military Circle. This is a newspaper ad from December 1979. 

I found an old interview where I pulled this screen cap, of Beegle's Military Circle facade.

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Great Neck's Chesapeake Indians

During the early & mid 8os, the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach was excavated for artifacts from a long-gone Chesapeake Indian settlement. In this photo, you can see postholes that had been left behind for centuries. There were once part of their dwellings. This site was on Thomas Bishop Lane, photo is from the mid 8os.

Nearby postholes..

When you enter the neighborhood today, there's this historical marker giving some backstory on the local Chesapeake.

^ this is some legal and technical info I found from an old government publication on the Great Neck excavation.

Linked comic on the Chesapeake Indians: The Disappearance of the Chesapeake Indians.

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A couple years back, the Birchwood Shopping Center went thru a pretty comprehensive remodel. But they left a remaining segment of its original facade. My best theory: since this wall doesn't face Virginia Beach Blvd, they didn't want to invest in re-doing it. And I appreciate it. It's a remnant of its old '7os form. (This is the back wall facing Lampl, where Revco used to be.)

The whole complex used to have these ridged walls, with the '7os ball lights. It reminds me of its 8os Outlet Mall days.

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Interesting 1982 print ad I rediscovered recently... Pascal's Isle of Capri, formerly at 313 Laskin Road. I only found one online reference to Pascal's, a 1993 Daily Press article, recalling Pascal's late '70s glory days. I mean, their operating hours were 9 at night 'til 2 in the morning. That's my kinda' club, and I appreciate their hand-crafted logo.

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Found this old 1959 directory ad for Maestas Funeral Home recently.. once located on 18th & Baltic. And I realized 65 years later, this building still stands. Had some square footage added, but still there, now housing a funeral home with a different business name..

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This is a pretty obscure recollection.. the short-lived Chuck E Cheese's at Hilltop.

It was housed in this building at Hilltop West circa 1983. Which is currently 1637 & 1639 Hilltop West. And was only open for a year (or two).

In 1982, the building was partially occupied by S&K men's clothing store (directory listing circled)..

By the time of the following year's (1983) phone directory, Chuck E Cheese's had moved in, and there was no longer a listing for S & K, so Cheese's must've occupied both 1637 & 1639, basically the whole building. (New listing circled..)

This was an interesting practice of these old city directories.. they listed the name of the business' managers. I cross-referenced the manager's name in the same directory, and he was living over in Green Run. But like the Chuck E Cheese, he wasn't there the preceding year, and was gone by the following year. You can see, by the printing of the '84 directory, the Chuck E Cheese's was gone.

Who knows why it came and went so quickly, early/mid 80s was when Cheese's was in its prime. And based on the general manager's phone listing.. seems like he may have specifically relocated to (then left) VB based on the job?

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This was a cool building that had been on Virginia Beach Blvd for a long time..

There was a nice bait & tackle shop at the front, the back and side was basically a small business park (I guess as part of Birchwood's larger business park there). Looks like a church was one of their last tenants.

The recent, regrettable end of that building. I saw that Atlantic Bait & Tackle did relocate, and rebrand tho..

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Sort of a quick then-and-now.. A newspaper ad from February 1980, advertising a new home at the back of Little Neck.

And the same house (different angle), 40 years later..

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