Friday, August 15, 2014

Can you name this location in Richmond and the approximate year?

This a tough image challenge. A lot has changed since this image was taken in Richmond. Can you name the location and approximate year? What do you win? Bragging rights.

- Ray

14 comments:

Amblus said...

This looks like Grace St (with Shafer on the left) but that's a pure guess. Early 80s?

Amblus said...

To be more specific, the parking lot at Grace and Shafer, looking to where Exile and Grace Place used to be.

john m said...

That's the right location, but I don't remember Andy's. Looking at the cars I'd guess 1985?

Anonymous said...

It's about the 300-400 block of West Grace Street, looking from the "When Noah sailed the waters blue, he had his troubles, same as you...." lot. Andy's closed in the early to mid 80's, to my recollection. Some Times Dispatch folks hung out there.

Tim M.

Anonymous said...

Damn...but that does seem to be the parking lot at Shaeffer and Grace. Maybe it's early 70's before Andy's moved.

Tim M.

Anonymous said...

I'm going with 800 block of West Grace, 73-75, relying on the Ford Maverick in the lot and the possibility of plywood in the windows of Andy's. I know that lot well from V.C.U. days and from lots of work in the area later. Andy's must have moved further east on Grace to the other location, as I know it was there in 1979. Tim M.

Sean Yeager said...

The one thing I can definitely say is that it's 1981 or after. There's a gray '81 era Camaro on the right side. Could be late 1980.

What was Andy's? Where did it move in 1979?

Ray Bonis said...

This is interesting - I'll answer tomorrow (Tuesday, the 19th) the location and date.


- Ray

Ray B. said...

Amblus is the winner and she posted her two responses within an hour of me posting this.

The image is from a graduate student's report on the redevelopment of Grace Street dated November 1987. It shows the 800 block of W. Grace St. I don't know much about Andy's but I know it was closed the entire time I've been in Richmond. I heard it was popular with RPI folks back in the 1950s and 1960s.

All of this is gone now - the parking lot and those buildings on W. Grace St. VCU has built dorms to replace the parking lot on the south side of the street and dorms on the north side.

Thanks for participating.

- Ray

Anonymous said...

Andy's ended up further east on Grace Street (see my earlier post), hence the connection to the newspaper. I know it was there (around the 300-400 block east) in 1979, as I arrested a fellow who robbed the place as a rookie cop. Tim M.

Amblus said...

Hooray! I spent a lot of time down there from 89-94.

Anonymous said...

Isn’t that the place on Grace Street where the guy sold hot nuts outside the door? Was this taken from the parking lot of the sub shop (“Mr. Moes”?)?

Liza said...

Andy's was a very popular bar in the 60's. You could drink 3.2 beer there under the age of 21. It was always packed with college age kids from UR, RPI, etc. Had many good times there with friends in the mid 60s!!

Unknown said...

Andy's was known as the Camelot Room, served cold 3.2 beer and great sandwiches. I spent many afternoons there while attending RPI in the mid 60s. Two black ladies worked there, Novela was one and they were both the nicest people you would ever know. Great hang out spot with friends. The owner was Briggs Elliott, one of the coolest guys to talk with. Many great memories.