Description: Charles L. Centlivre founded The French Brewery in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1862. Centlivre started out brewing a couple of beers and ales, and would later change the name to Centlivre Brewing as the brewery's portfolio had expanded to over a dozen brews in the early 1930s. Old Crown was added in 1933 and was a runaway hit with beer drinkers, quickly becoming Centlivre Brewing's top seller. The beer was so popular, that Centlivre Brewing adopted the name Old Crown Brewing Corporation in 1962. Sadly, a decade later, Old Crown found themselves in financial trouble, and ended up shuttering the brewery in 1973.
Description: If you head to 192nd and Aurora Avenue North in what is now the City of Shoreline, you would have no idea that it was home to a go-kart track right on the corner during the '60s. Kart Pike Go Kart Track opened in the early '60s and was apparently still up and running at the end of the decade in this unincorporated North Seattle area. No idea what a few laps cost back then, but odds are it was good, clean fun with minimal spend.
Description: Founded in 1945 in Bourbonnais, Illinois, Rudolf Express served the Midwest with a commitment to provide timely service that exceeded that of their competition. Clearly, they made good on that commitment, as they were a top regional carrier throughout the Midwest for nearly 60 years before calling it quits in 2002.
Description: Bruin Pennsylvania Petroleum Products was founded in the early 1920s in Bruin, Pennsylvania. Doing business as 'Butler County Oil Refining Company,' Bruin produced Bruinoil brand motor oils and Bruin brand gasoline, referring to them as "The Bear of Them All." Located between the railroad line and what is now Route 268, the Bruin refinery was a massive facility that employed many Pennsylvanians during its run. And like most early petroleum manufacturing facilities, the location was eventually designated as the number 3 toxic waste site (The Bruin Lagoon) on the EPA's SuperFund list.
Description: The Zombie Hut was a Hawaiian/Polynesian-themed restaurant, nightclub and Tiki bar located on Freeport Blvd. between Florin Road and Sutterville Road in Sacramento, California that originally opened in 1945. Inspired by the 1930s Tiki craze, the night spot's quirky name came from the 1945 comedy, Zombies on Broadway, that featured a fictitious nightclub in New York City called the Zombie Hut. The restaurant drew large crowds for years with Polynesian dancers, Hawaiian singers and musicians, and of course, countless exotic cocktails. The '80s saw things slowing down, and new owners tried saving it with limited hours, a change in theme, and a new menu, but in 1990, Zombie Hut closed its doors for good.
Description: The Moscow Music Peace Festival was a rock concert that took place in the USSR on August 12–13, 1989 at Central Lenin Stadium (now called Luzhniki Stadium) in Moscow. Occurring during the glasnost era, it marked the first time hard rock and heavy metal acts from abroad were granted permission to perform in the capital city. Over 100,000 people attended, and it was broadcast live to 59 nations, including the United States. The event promoted understanding between the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War, and also raised money to help those addicted to drugs and alcohol. The concert featured six hard rock bands from abroad and three Russian bands. The concert ended with the various band members participating in jam session.
Description: Dimension Films was one of the American 'mini-majors,' which are small to medium independent television and motion picture production studios. The studio was used as Harvey and Bob Weinstein's label to produce and release independent films and genre titles between 1992 and 2019, specifically horror and science fiction films.
Description: Voting is important, and the presidential election of 1860 was no different as we saw Republican Abraham Lincoln defeat Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell. The electoral split between Northern and Southern Democrats was emblematic of the severe sectional split, and in the months following Lincoln’s election (and before his inauguration in March 1861) seven Southern states, led by South Carolina on December 20, 1860, seceded, setting the stage for the American Civil War the following year. To the polls, ye sons of freedom!
Description: One of the longest running ecological causes is probably that of the many campaigns to 'save the trees.' Whether it's trying to thwart developers from clearing land for new construction, fighting against clear-cut logging, or just trying to save one special tree from destruction, tree huggers come in all stripes and have one thing in common – a love for nature and magnificent trees.
Description: Alucarda is a 1977 English-language Mexican supernatural horror film that is a loose adaptation of the 1872 Gothic novella. The story follows a young girl's arrival at a convent after the death of her parents. Their deaths are the beginning of a series of events that unleash an evil presence on the girl and her mysterious new friend, an enigmatic figure known as Alucarda. Demonic possession, Satan worship, vampirism, and yes, even some nunsploitation follows. Though a Mexican production, the film was shot in English. Internationally, it was released under several alternate titles, including 'Innocents from Hell' and 'Sisters of Satan.' The film has been noted by film scholars for its themes regarding national tradition versus modernity.
Description: Rush'n Attack is a hack and slash/run and gun video game developed and released in American arcades in 1985. The Cold War era game's name is a play on the phrase "Russian attack." Gameplay has players assume the roles of the special operations Green Berets who are infiltrating an enemy military base to save POWs from execution by firing squad. There are four stages, each ending with a special group of bosses. The Soviet Armed Forces that attack throughout every stage are Soldiers, Gunners, Supply Runners, Combat Specialists, Jetpack Soldiers, German Shepherds, Parachute Gunners, Gyrocopters, and Flame Throwers. Rush'n Attack was ported to home computers and console game systems, becoming a critical and commercial success.
Description: Birmingham Small Arms Co. Ltd. (BSA) was a major British industrial combine, a group of businesses manufacturing military and sporting firearms; bicycles; motorcycles; cars; buses and bodies; steel; iron castings; hand, power, and machine tools; coal cleaning and handling plants; sintered metals; and hard chrome process. After the Second World War, BSA did not manage its business well, and a government-organized rescue operation in 1973 led to a takeover of BSA's operations. The few business areas that survived this process disappeared into the ownership of other businesses.
Description: Bay Area Music was first published in January 1976 as a free bi-weekly magazine that was funded by advertisers and covered the Bay Area's eclectic music scene. In the mid-'80s, BAM opened an office in Los Angeles, leading to separate Northern and Southern editions of BAM being published, and its largest circulation of 130,000 biweekly throughout California. The final edition of the print magazine was published in June 1999 with the paper's circulation at the time of closing was 55,000.
Description: For decades, the Soviet Union maintained extensive restrictions on artistic expression on everything from paintings to music. The German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 came as a complete surprise to the Soviets. As the USSR focused on the war effort, Soviet music witnessed a relaxation of restrictions. Finding themselves allied with Western powers, the Soviets focused on patriotic propaganda rather than anti-Western rhetoric. With a restored connection to the west, Soviet music experienced a new wave of progressivism and experimentation. Promoting music and leaning an instrument continued on well into the '60s, including campaigns like Музыка в нашем городе (Music in Our City).
Description: When it comes to bikers, there is a certain level of in built camaraderie, but that's not the case when it comes to those who trailer their bikes to rallys. Bikers fall into two camps when it comes to this – those who ride their motorcycles to the rally, and those who trailer their bike most of the way there, only to ride it into town from 20–30 miles out. We're not going to get into it here, but what we will say is that this message pretty much says it all.
If You Can’t Ride the Fucker Here, Then Leave the Fucker There! 1989 T-Shirt
$16 $24
Description: What does a retired aerospace engineer turned rancher do when his diesel horse hauler isn't pulling the grade? He designs and builds a big ass turbo. At least that was the case with Donald Benis of Dubois, Wyoming. After getting unsatisfactory results from the options on the market at the time, Benis went to work and came up with what was one of the biggest diesel turbos available. Once he got his design dialed in, his huge Benis was making impressive power, and other ranchers asked for one of their own. Soon enough, Benis begin selling his turbos through ads in the back of magazines, and every order included an "ask me about my huge Benis" sticker.
Description: What do you get when you mash up hot rods and monsters? In 1980, the answer would have been Weird Wheels trading card stickers. Featuring a checklist of colorful creations along the lines of the late '60s Odd Rods cards, the set blends Kustom Kulture with matinée horror. The cards themselves have monsters and other creatures driving absurdly customized cars, trucks, and motorcycles. As cool as the cards looked, they came out at a time when the Kustom Kulture was well past its peak, and the set flopped, but that doesn't mean they're still not cool! This one features the reaper from the outer packaging tearing it up in his '37 DeLuxe Cabriolet.
Description: Cigarettes Naja was a brand of French cigarettes positioned as an exotic 'Oriental' tobacco, through they are believed to have been made primarily with Turkish tobacco blended with Chinese tobacco. Branded using a Naja Cobra and advertised with using a stylized Egyptian woman, Cigarettes Naja definitely felt exotic even though there wasn't much to them.
Description: In the far-flung future of 2020, environmental pollution has resulted in mass deaths. The rich were able to build an underworld refuge, the poor had to stay on the surface building gangs to survive. Jason Storm, a cybernetic underworld guard (Tracker Communicator), gets wind of a plot to exterminate the people on the surface. He flees above ground to get Sumai, a respected martial arts master, as his ally to stop the dirty plot. This is the gist of 1993's TC 2000, a sci-fi martial arts film where people with guns choose to engage in elaborate hand-to-hand combat for some reason.
Description: B. F. Leaman and his son Clair began his trucking business with a single Pierce Arrow truck delivering lime and milk around Lancaster County, Pennsylvania back in 1913. By 1930, they were successful enough to purchase Mileage Motor Corporation, and began hauling fuel oil in addition to the lime and milk. In 1933, the Leaman Transportation Company was formed. In 1961, Leaman merged his two companies with Chemical Tank Lines, forming Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, Inc. Following the merger, the company had 31 terminals nationwide and approximately 1,300 bulk tankers. Leaman continued to expand through acquisition well into the '90s, and by 1998, had the industry’s largest tanker fleet and most expansive service.
Description: Portland cement was developed in Britain beginning in the middle of the 18th century. Its name is derived from its similarity to Portland stone, a type of building stone quarried on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. Modern Portland cement development began in 1756 when combinations of different limestones and additives, including trass and pozzolanas were added during the construction of a lighthouse. Portland cement had been imported into America for decades, but in 1871, Eagle Brand Portland Cement began producing it stateside in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and by the early 20th century, American-made Portland cement had displaced most of the imported product.
Description: What do you get when you mash up hot rods and monsters? In 1980, the answer would have been Weird Wheels trading card stickers. Featuring a checklist of colorful creations along the lines of the late '60s Odd Rods cards, the set blends Kustom Kulture with matinée horror. The cards themselves have monsters and other creatures driving absurdly customized cars, trucks, and motorcycles. As cool as the cards looked, they came out at a time when the Kustom Kulture was well past its peak, and the set flopped, but that doesn't mean they're still not cool! This one features the 'Hunchback of Notre Drag' in his hot rodded 2CV from card #1.
Description: The first Human Powered Speed Championships event was held in 1975, and have been held annually ever since. The events have been held in numerous locations, but the championships have almost always been hosted in sunny southern California. 1983's event was held in Irvine at Orange County International Raceway, where riders on bicycles, tricycles, and quadcycles came from around the world to compete, with a tandem team clocking the weekend's top speed of 57.90 mph.
Description: His Hero Is Gone was an influential American neo-crust band from Memphis, Tennessee. The band formed in 1995 from members of Copout, Man With Gun Lives Here, Union of Uranus, and FaceDown. Characterized by heavily distorted 'thick sounding' guitars and lyrics featuring social commentary, including anti-consumerism, the band had a solid following, but always remained under the radar of a mainstream audience. His Hero Is Gone released a total of six records and toured the U.S. extensively, as well as stints in Europe and Japan, and disbanded in 1999 after playing their last show in Memphis.
Description: Carolina Beach is a beach town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, situated about 12 miles south of Wilmington International Airport in southeastern coastal North Carolina. Carolina Beach’s old-fashioned seaside fun is centered on the vintage boardwalk dotted with pizza, doughnut, and ice cream stands. Nearby, amusements abound, including miniature golf, batting cages, rides and an arcade. Enjoy live music venues, tiki bars and fresh seafood served with views of the Atlantic Ocean. You can surf or paddleboard, hike the white sand trails of Carolina Beach State Park or just take in the sea, sun, and sights.
Description: The Texas Fuel Company was founded in 1902 in Beaumont, Texas, by Joseph S. Cullinan, Thomas J. Donoghue, and Arnold Schlaet upon the discovery of oil at Spindletop. The company was not set up to drill wells or to produce crude oil, so Cullinan organized Producers Oil Company in 1902, as a group of affiliated investors to fund the needed infrastructure. With their wells running at full tilt, Texas Fuel opened their own service stations featuring their own gasoline. In 1932, they introduced high performance Fire Chief Gasoline, followed by Sky Chief Gasoline in 1938, as some of the first higher-octane fuel options.
Description: Contra is a run and gun video game developed as a coin-op arcade game in 1986 and released in 1987. The game was a commercial success worldwide, becoming one of the top four highest-grossing arcade games of 1987. Home ports were released in 1988 for computers and consoles, which were also a critical and commercial success. Contra is set in the distant future of the year 2633 A.D., when the evil Red Falcon Organization have set a base on the fictional Galuga Archipelago near New Zealand in a plot to wipe out humanity. Two commandos, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean of the Earth Marine Corp's Contra unit, are sent to the island to destroy the enemy forces and uncover the true nature of the alien entity controlling them.
Description: In 1908, the Sonora Chime Company of New York City patented its system of chiming bells for clocks, and the company began using the motto "clear as a bell" for their products. As time marched on, Sonora did its best to stay relevant, and began producing record players as the Sonora Phonograph Company in 1913. Throughout the Great Depression, Sonora saw rough times, but survived to emerge from bankruptcy in 1938 as the Sonora Radio and Television Corporation, and began producing radios. From stylish portable models to more traditional furniture type units, Sonora successfully positioned themselves as a premium radio brand at the upper tier of the market. Sonora radios became popular in France, and later much of Europe.
Description: Founded in the late '50s as Frontier Fidelity Savings and Loan Association in Las Vegas, Nevada, Frontier Fidelity Savings got their start with a single location. Locals embraced the hometown bank, and they soon began opening additional branches to better serve their customers. As Las Vegas grew, so did Frontier Fidelity, leading to their eventual purchase of a large Nevada bank that dramatically expanded their footprint and their holdings. After decades of strong growth, Frontier Savings failed in December 1990, at which point they went into receivership and were taken over by a multinational investment bank.
Description: In 1962, Enrico Banducci drove past an unusual looking shuttered gas station at Columbus and Jackson in San Francisco. His friend Morgan Montague remarked, “what a great hamburger stand that would make.” A few months later, Montague and Banducci opened a 24-hour hamburger stand at the same spot, calling it Clown Alley. The triangular café, on the edge of San Francisco's North Beach’s bar scene, became a wildly popular late-night hangout as people leaving the bars craved a greasy burger. With the success of Clown Alley, the duo opened a second location at Lombard and Divisadero, but soon their partnership dissolved, with each of them taking a location, and now there were two burger stands called Clown Alley less than two miles apart.
Description: Mill & Mine Supply of Seattle, Washington manufactured the legendary Titan Chainsaws, and also made the equally renowned Bluejet Chain. Titan became so successful, it eventually became the parent company. The Draper Corporation of Hopedale, Massachusetts, wanted key saw chain patents that Titan held, and purchased the company the early '40s. They promptly sold off the chainsaw manufacturing business and retained the Bluejet Chain brand, as well as the key patents, and began manufacturing saw chains under the Bluejet label. At its height, Draper employed over 3,000 people, though as fortunes declined in the '60s, it was gobbled it up by a larger toolmaker in 1967, and under their leadership, layoffs began in '75 until closure in '80.
Description: BMX Bandits is a 1983 Australian action film about three teenagers who discover a stash of walkie-talkies, and decide to make a quick buck by selling them. Unfortunately, the equipment belongs to a gang of hardened criminals who need them for their next job, and will do anything to get them back. The film was initially released as Short Wave in the United States, but would regain it's BMX Bandits title when it made its way to home video.
Description: What do you get when you mash up hot rods and monsters? In 1980, the answer would have been Weird Wheels trading card stickers. Featuring a checklist of colorful creations along the lines of the late '60s Odd Rods cards, the set blends Kustom Kulture with matinée horror. The cards themselves have monsters and other creatures driving absurdly customized cars, trucks, and motorcycles. As cool as the cards looked, they came out at a time when the Kustom Kulture was well past its peak, and the set flopped, but that doesn't mean they're still not cool! This one features the 'Hot Rabbit' in his triple drive wheel hot hatch from card #2.
Description: Krokus is a hard rock band from Switzerland that formed in 1974. The band started out with a progressive rock sound, but subsequent albums saw them go in the direction of more traditional hard rock and heavy metal. Their fourth album, Metal Rendez-vous, delivered their first hit and brought the band international recognition. Subsequent releases in the '80s saw Krokus enjoying moderate success in North America and Europe throughout the decade.
