12. Headquarters Music

When I think of Headquarters Music, I think of 4 things: cassettes/CDs, t-shirts, Manic Panic hair dye, and bongs. I will always remember the atmosphere of Headquarters. There was a strong odor of incense that masked the underlying musty aroma of the store, and there was normally a heavy metal record playing.

Headquarters was ahead of its time in many ways. While the music industry fell on hard times and people stopped paying upwards of $18.99 for new release CDs over a decade ago, the movement to legalize marijuana in Ohio has picked up momentum. Headquarters was always the place to go for pipes, bongs, and other assorted smoking accessories. Once marijuana gets legalized, New Carlisle is going to need Headquarters back.

11. BC Caffe

The BC Caffe is the Caffe that started it all.

From cheesy potato soup to the rest of their menu, the BC had it all. I only ever had the cheesy potato soup, but if that was any indication of how the rest of the menu was then they had something for everyone. That soup was so damn good. I only wish my dream of waking in a bath of its deliciousness comes true some day so I can die happy. Reason we need it back: Cheesy Potato Soup.

10. Maria’s Cocina

When I think of what heaven will be like just after the check-in process I imagine a huge banquet roomwhere everyone is given the menu from Maria’s Cocina. God knows we deserved it and He’s coming through for us. Oh! Hello Paul Walker! What are you having today? Chicken Quesadilla? I think I’ll have the same. Maria’s menu was extraordinary and before its time for New Carlisle. Literally, it was just before it’s time as the city had a massive influx of Hispanic residents arrive in the years following which would have no doubt helped boost the business. Come back today and you’d see better results, Maria. We need you.

9. Willie’s

Willie’s has the distinction of occupying two of New Carlisle’s most treasured landmarks: the “Dillinger” bank and Bobo’s. Another pizza store, Willie’s specialized in a thin crust pie that was absolutely delicious, and they offered pasta dishes that made real Italians forsake their nationality. Their original location at the Dillinger bank was cozy and welcoming. Unfortunately, as happens with many businesses, Willie’s took on a “too big to fail” attitude and moved to the much larger Bobo’s building. In a city with a half dozen pizza joints, the competition and increased overhead proved too much for Willie’s to withstand, and they eventually closed their doors for good.

8. New Carlisle Bowling Lanes

New Carlisle Bowling Lanes was located behind Trostel’s furniture on Jefferson. They offered 6 lanes of competitive bowling and delicious fried foods such as onion rings and fries. Legend has it all the the alley’s balls were so lubed up with fry oil from oily hands they were nearly impossible to use.

With today’s drug use and rap music running amok our kids need some good wholesome fun to occupy their time. If we had our New Carlisle Bowling Lanes back maybe we wouldn’t have all these problems.

7. CLC Sports Cards

America experienced a sports card trading boom in the late 1980s, and CLC Sports Cards brought smiles to the faces of every kid in New Carlisle. What started as a bookstore slowly morphed into a full fledged card shop featuring sports cards, memorabilia, and even trading events where local folks could add a social element to their collecting.

The things that stick out about CLC were their $1 card grab bags and their incredible card trade-in program, which allowed young kids to be swindled out of cards by adult shopkeepers at a return rate of 10 cents on the dollar. There was no greater feeling than selling that card you worked so hard to find for $3 only to then buy it back a month later for $30. We need this store back to teach kids valuable lessons about how life isn’t fair.

6. The Garage

The Garage was located at the same location as Players, and while it was similar, it featured a few key differences. The Garage hosted bare-knuckle boxing matches nightly between over-served patrons, and some of those battles would put the UFC to shame. The Garage was also the town’s best showcase of live music, with classic rock and country music being played every weekend. If New Carlisle brought back some bars like the Garage that serve liquor maybe the city’s drug use would decline.

5. Doo Dads

Once known as the Ceramic Shop, Doo Dads specialized in penny candy and decorative knick knacks. This made Doo Dads the choice for adults and children alike.

What I remember most about Doo Dads is that you could buy Tongue Splashers gum in massive paint cans. We used to pass it out to all the kids at the baseball fields and they would spend more time sticking their tongues out at each other than trying to catch the baseball. Doo Dads also used to sell those Halloween ghost decorations that made a super annoying “WHOOOOOOOOOO” sound when anyone clapped near it. You could always count on some kid repeatedly clapping their hands to keep that ghost going when you walked in Doo Dads. Maybe if Doo Dads came back kids could get back to clapping at ghosts instead of clapping at the police arresting drug dealers.

4. Country Connection

The Country Connection was not just a great restaurant that had a world class menu and amazing creme pies. It was also the only place I felt at home, and that includes my actual home. From its church-like waiting room, its elevated booth area, the sundae bar that looked like it was built by Jesus himself, the enormous stone fireplace that brought warmth to all during cold winter nights, and the servers that didn’t just bring us food and beverages but also delivered pure love and kindness, Country Connection wasn’t just a restaurant. It was home. The day the fire came is a day that will live in infamy. While we prayed for a rebuild, the day never came, thus a small piece of ourselves burned up with that fire. I still dream to this day of ordering a swiss steak with mashed potatoes and green beans and a side salad with ranch. Hopefully Maria from Maria’s Cocina shares kitchen duties in heaven with some of the Country Connection folks.

3. Video Images

As we mentioned earlier, Video Images was legendary for its massive room full of pornography. No other local video store offered adult videos, so Video Images was truly unique in that aspect. Local kids always tried to sneak a peek into the porno room, and it is believed that most of New Carlisle’s sex education occurred in that room rather than in health classes at school.

Video Images also boasted an impressive selection of regular VHS tapes and video games, including Nintendo, Super Nintendo, and Sega Genesis cartridges. You like to eat candy and popcorn while you watch movies? Well, you’re in luck because Video Images had a massive selection of both, and at prices that were consistent with the movie theater. But most of all, we just need that porn room back. New Carlisle has nowhere to buy or rent pornos.

2. Johnson’s

I get so out of sorts when I think about how we don’t have Johnson’s to go to anymore. They not only sold

the finest meats but had everything you could ever ask for in a small, easy-to-navigate space. Why do we need an aisle with 50 different varieties of bottled water? At Johnson’s they had what you needed, it was fresh, and it was damn fine tasting. Being adjacent to J&E was a huge plus as well. I’ll never forget buying my first Burple at the old Johnson’s building. It wasn’t long before they upgraded to a superior building across the parking lot, as new competition had arrived in the form of Howard’s Super Duper.

But all the glitz and glamour of bullshit juice bars and free samples was too much for the citizens of New Carlisle, as they were swept up in Howard’s charms. Johnson’s closed shortly after, leaving half the town yearning for the days of old. Many opted to drive to Cub Foods in Huber. Others went back to living off the land. Today our only option is the latest iteration of the IGA. They take advantage of our “food desert’ designation with sky high prices and long lines. We are at their mercy. The city needs a hero and that hero’s name is Johnson’s.

1. J&E

There was a time in New Carlisle’s history where we had a place that offered one stop shopping. Candy? Check. Toys? Check. Glassware? Check. The latest in fashion? Check. And the list went on. Candy was their biggest feature. They didn’t just have your grocery store variety; they had your Willie Wonka’s factory variety. Sure, the folks at the registers didn’t seem too keen on having children as customers but that just made J&E even more iconic. It still baffled me why they sold so many things marketed to kids yet seemed annoyed when kids came in. Different strokes I guess.

J&E is needed now more than ever. With the cluster of frustration that is Dollar General as it’s closest counterpart, we really have nothing in this town but a vacant building that once housed the greatest store in the city’s history.

Fun fact that puts J&E at the top of this list: famous Canadian musician Bryan Adams bought his first real six string at this very store while he was vacationing with his grandparents. He played it ’til his finger bled, and eventually rode that J&E guitar to international fame and riches.

Did we miss any New Carlisle  businesses that you think should come back? Let us know in the comments!