The history of Lakeshore

[thelakelander]

Located along the Ortega River and Cedar Creek, 7 miles southwest of Downtown, the neighborhood of Lakeshore has a history and built environment largely shaped by significant housing booms, bubbles and busts of early 20th century Jacksonville. Here are a few historical facts about the development of Lakeshore.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/the-history-of-lakeshore/

[Charles Hunter]

I grew up in Lake Shore, north of San Juan Ave. in a concrete block house built (according to the Property Appraiser) in 1950. A screened Florida Room was added at some point before we moved there in the early 1960s. My Dad had the screen 'walls' replaced with concrete block at some point - making it more comfortable, especially in the winter. Heat was provided by a kerosene stove at the bedroom end of the hallway.

Since St. Mathews Catholic Church and School (Grades 1-8) was close by, most of my friends went to school there. I walked to Hyde Park Elementary - about one mile, along 2-lane Cassat Avenue - no sidewalks and long before it became auto-dealer row (it was woods). I walked past those 'gateway' features to Lake Shore Junior High School. We were always curious as to why the school named Lake Shore was on Bayview Road, and the school named Bayview (Elementary) was on Lake Shore Boulevard.

That "town center" you featured had a locally-owned drug store with a soda fountain counter. Stopped there many afternoons walking home to get a cherry Coke - made with cherry syrup squirted into a fountain Coke. There was another local drug store at San Juan and Blanding, and another at Blanding and Shirley - this one had a great comic book selection, spent lots of allowance money there.

We'd walk to Roosevelt Mall before (and after) it was enclosed. At the corner of Blanding and Shirley, what is now a Gymnastics gym and a 'dog spa' was a Food Fair grocery, that became a Pantry Pride. The Dollar Tree was a Neisner's 'Five and Dime' store. My barber shop was one of the small storefronts between them.

We also spent a lot of time (and money) at the Classic Lanes on Cassat, bowling or (more often) playing the pinball machines (1 game 10 cents / 3 games for a quarter). I'm happy that it is still a bowling center.

I have good memories of growing up in Lake Shore.

[jaxlongtimer]

The Dollar Tree was a Neisner's 'Five and Dime' store.

Never knew we had a Neisner's store here.  Never heard of them until I went to college with one of their family members.  They were out of Rochester, NY, and apparently grew to hundreds of stores at their peak before going bankrupt and being acquired by Ames n 1978 per Wikipedia.

[sandyshoes]

Went to Neisner's in my childhood - it was the Mother Lode for plastic pop-beads (anyone remember those?) and all the holiday decorations.  And all other dime-store 'treasures'. 

[Florida Power And Light]

I have known the area since the late 1970’s.
On the Cedar River at Blanding Blvd….. Herb White’s Marine boat dealership.
The Bowling Lanes next door. The Seafood restaurant next door to the Bowling Alkey.
And of course, across the street….. the great restaurant. Now…..?
All gone.
What Happened?

My in-laws once lived in the Lake Shore area. They eventually ended up with a riverfront residence just south of Epping Forest.
Inspiration…. Aspiration.
Back then, I was living in Miami and had no idea that Lake Shore Jacksonville would ever be in my life.

The folks that know and love present day ( and past) Lake Shore area are quite lucky.
 An intriguing place, and a great home for many.

[sandyshoes]

FPL, I think the bowling alley is still there and open, as bowling is now part of gym class for a church school.  (The kids had to dress out in their gym suits and a bus took them to the bowling alley for class). Next to the bowling alley, across the little road, there was a Polynesian restaurant, with big tiki torches lit - you had to go down and around a hill and the torches made it easier to find.  And they were fascinating to a little kid as we returned home from wherever, at night. As for the restaurant across the street from the bowling alley, was that Denny Moran's Steakhouse? 

[Charles Hunter]

sandyshoes - I grew up in LS, and I am pretty sure the Polynesian restaurant was across the Cedar Creek bridge from the bowling alley.  The restaurant looks closed, too.  There was a KFC next to the bowling alley, up by Lake Shore Boulevard.

According to Google Maps, the bowling alley - now called The Phoenix Bar - is "temporarily closed"