Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

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Do you remember the Country Boys Market with its wooden floors? Walter Smiths was the place to go for clothes on the Fulton Mall. Penny Candy had great blacklight posters and don't forget Whitie's Pet Store on Blackstone. What vintage retail do you remember growing up in Fresno?
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bikeboy
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Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by bikeboy » Thu Apr 25, 2013 10:38 pm

The countless hours I used to spend in the aisles of Rudys in Clovis on Pollasky, or by Foodland near Hoover High. I grew up on 7th street near there. There was always something interesting for me to look at there.
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Fresno Bee - Oct. 15, 1970 / Click to Enlarge

katiedidnot

Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by katiedidnot » Mon Jun 24, 2013 6:44 am

I remember them all, perfectly. I can still smell Rudy's. The candy counter sweets mixed with the plastic smell of the whole glorious scene. I remember buying many SuperBalls there and always, a little blue paper bag of candy corn. My mom would get the bridge mix, and my sister would always choose malt balls.

dclaet
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Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by dclaet » Sun Jun 25, 2017 11:31 pm

Rudy's Variety store there at First and Barstow was such a neat, old-fashioned store. The candy counter, with the oak wood and glass partitioned candies were the greatest. I remember the giant metal scoops that they used and then they would weigh the candy on the scales. I loved buying goldfish there and Creeping Charlie plants, among other items.

The elderly manager, Mr. Rudy, I assume, was always wearing his red and white striped jacket. I would ride my shiny chrome Stingray bicycle with the banana seat and chrome handlebars to Foodland, crossing a very barren First street to run errands for my mother. Not much traffic back then. My mom always gave me a dime for my efforts, which I spent on their gumball machines, hoping for the pretty ring in the front. Joan was my mother's favorie check-out clerk there.

1christone1

Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by 1christone1 » Thu Jul 06, 2017 2:15 pm

I spent a great deal of free time using my allowance money on toys, model cars, and airplanes, comic books, and magazines, at Rudy's First and Ashlan, next door to the C & C market.

Linkslady
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Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by Linkslady » Tue Nov 10, 2020 10:08 pm

We went to the one on Belmont between Cedar & Maple I think.
Seems like I remember wooden floors.

Former Resident

Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by Former Resident » Sat Nov 13, 2021 3:50 pm

I too have fond memories of the one on Belmont. I was always taken with the candy counter. I would beg my mother for some of the chocolate stars.
Also, there was a wonderful bakery next door to this particular Rudy’s store. The bakery had an impressive glass door that was adorned with a cylindrical glass handle handle attached with two heavy metal mounting brackets. Wonderful chocolate chip cookies there.

Clipper cat
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Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by Clipper cat » Thu Nov 25, 2021 12:02 pm

Former Resident struck a chord with the mention of the bakery next door to the Belmont Rudy's. It was a tiny independent shop with some magical talent on hand. When I lived in a small 2nd floor apartment on White I would occasionally buy some breakfast treats on a weekend with my few dimes of starving-college-student funds (back in the 1960s). My mom was a gifted baker herself, but this outfit made a cake (pink champagne?) that rivalled her considerable skills. Still think of this place occasionally. Thanks for the memories from another former resident!

Guest

Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by Guest » Thu Jul 20, 2023 8:29 pm

Vague memories of the branch in Fig Garden Village. It was new then 🤠

Guest

Re: Anyone remember Rudy's Variety Stores

Post by Guest » Sun Feb 25, 2024 12:25 am

I remember the one in Fig Garden Village that had nuts in a glass case on a turntable with a heat lamp. The Sesame sticks were the cheapest and that's the one I always got

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