Nothing sticks with you like your first job, whether it was stocking shelves at a grocery store, working at fast-food restaurant, or running errands as an office assistant. We asked readers for their first job memories, and — maybe because so many had experience with paper routes — they delivered.
Extra! Extra!
It turns out your neighbor probably had a Fort Worth Star-Telegram paper route back in the day. As a high school student in the mid-1950s, Jim P. remembers that papers “had to be delivered on foot to front porches and using a bicycle or car was a firing offense.” His 6.5-mile route was the longest in the city, but he got to know his 200+ customers and bought a fancy 1949 Chevrolet convertible with his wages.
Regaling retail
The building that now houses Overland Sheepskin Company at 115 W. 2nd St. was once home to Burt’s Shoes during the 1950s. Bill W.'s first job was “serving and selling to women only.”
But Bill wasn’t the only footwear specialist. Abbe C. worked for the Wells Boot Store in Hurst and recalls “using the T-shirt press to press a crease in Wranglers for cowboys.”
Before it was La Gran Plaza de Fort Worth, this Hispanic shopping mall was Seminary South Center — which was born in 1962. One of the highlights of Kristi F.'s time working at The Cosmetics Department was helping the American singer Charley Pride.
Fun in the sun
In 1991, Stephanie R. would take her lunch break next to the viewing panel of the Fort Worth Zoo’s newly opened gorilla exhibit. She did this for weeks until one day she noticed one of the gorillas was missing. When the gorilla returned, she had a baby in tow. “She walked over, bent down, and showed me her new baby. It was the coolest thing I’d ever experienced,” Stephanie told us.
Katie M. used to teach swimming lessons not only to kids, but to adults at SafeSplash Swim School. She enjoyed working with one particular trio of elderly Italian women. Katie informed us, “if you have ever taught swimming lessons, you know how difficult it is to teach adults, but these ladies were eager to learn.”
Watch this
Remember the Fort Worth Twin Drive-In Theater? In 1961, 14-year-old Joe S. worked the ticket booth and snack bar. He’d “work six to seven hours and was paid $3 a night.” The drive-in closed in 1979, and the screens have since been demolished off of East Lancaster.
Pauline J. recalled her first job ever at Casa Mañana, which required frilly blouses and fishnet hose to escort theater patrons to their seats. But for $1 a night, it was worth it to catch all the performances and even meet the stars. She told us the “dollar-a-night earnings went towards my first 10-speed bike.” Ah, simpler times.
Foodie firsts
For Melissa H., Mindy Lu’s Fried Pies was a great place to work as a teenager. Opening in 1974, working at Mindy’s helped Melissa hone her retail, food handling, and customer service skills. Plus, she says, “got a free fried pie every shift.” Not a bad gig.
Note: Reader responses have been lightly edited for brevity + clarity.
