Cache is not at the posted coordinates, park facing Altamesa. You are going to go an a trip down memory lane along Alta Mesa between Westcreek Drive and Woodway Drive during the 1990’s. A lot of the businesses have changed since I moved to the area 33 years ago. Your task is to fill in the blank for the USE TO BE business. You can go and look at the places because you might recognize what they USE TO BE if you have lived in the area a long time. You can sit at home and Google everything. Yes, if you don’t know what it was you will have to look that up. Thanks to two friends for making sure this works. My BFF who is a muggle read through the clues and got them all without dong anything. There was some debate about number 2 but I'm sticking with what her husband told me. A fellow cacher looked up everything from home and got them all in about one and a half hours.
Here’s an example: Behind you is Frost Bank but it USE TO BE Altamesa National Bank (3 words). Across the street in front of you are Golden Chick and Dutch Bros which USE TO BE an empty field (2 words). Understand the task? As of 2022 the businesses are as given, things keep changing.
So here’s number 1: Look to your left which is East and you will see Alta Mesa Food Mart (2920 Altamesa). You may recognize the cones and parking. They closed what USE TO BE ____________ (1 word) and built a new one down on the corner of Crowley Rd. so you’ll have to go there to get your Blast or Slush, even a Limeade.
Now leave the parking lot of Frost and head west to N32 38.982 W097 21.796. On the way you will pass Meineke Car Care Center which changed its sign in Feb. 2022 and Bank of America. You should be at 3012 Alta Mesa which is an empty building.
Number 2: When this was first built it was Gateway but changed to what USE TO BE _____________ (3 words). Now the closest one to get your parts is on E. Seminary Dr.
Continue west on Altamesa to Altamesa Village where the Discount Tire is. Park behind it so you can see the strip center. On the west side there use to be a Sack’ n Save. You can still see the letters. Going to the east was a Dr. Office and at one time and a 99 cent store among other businesses.
Number 3: One of the businesses USE TO BE ___________(2 words). They declared bankruptcy on March 4, 2014. You can still find about 400 stores and order your electronic parts on line.
Number 4: On the NE corner you will now find The Crab Trap (3401 Altamesa #166). This has been several different food places but it USE TO BE _____________ (2 words). You could either order a special made pie or eat off the buffet. My favorite thing was the dessert. You’ll have to travel over to S. Hulen to the shopping center where Half Price Books is to get one. I’ll have to go in there as I have always wondered what they did with the pool.
Got those figured out? Get yourself over to Altamesa McCart Center where the Kroger is located. Park facing the strip center. Starting at Kroger go west and until recently there was a Jewelry store among the businesses that are there now.
Number 5: Once there USE TO BE __________ (2 words) where you could go in and get a Roman with a spear to give you two carry out for cheap or get it delivered. Now you’ll have to go around the corner and get them on McCart
Number 6: On the very west end there is now an out of business LA Fitness but it USE TO BE ________ (1 word) where you could buy clothing and house hold goods. They initially filed bankruptcy Jan. 22, 2002. They merged with Sears which declared bankruptcy in Oct. 2018. As of Jan. 10, 2022 there were only 12 stores left. The last one in Texas in McAllen closed in 2000. You’d have to go to Hobbs, New Mexico for the closest one.
Since those probably took some time if you had to Google everything you could take a break at one of the many nearby eating establishments before heading west to the next shopping center, Wedgewood on the corner of Altamesa and Woodway. It really doesn’t matter how you park as long as you can find the places.
Number 7: On the west corner you will see Halton Thrift (3848 Altamesa) which USE TO BE __________ (2 words). You could buy food, clothing, household goods, a few years ago they added furniture and beds. They moved over on McCart behind the DQ which has only been there a couple of years.
Number 8: You see that building that is now Cash America Pawn ((3740 Altamesa)? Well it USE TO BE _______ ( 1 word) where you could rent VHSs, or DVDs, you could even rent a game and get snacks to go along with them. Now you have to go to a Red Box or just stream and get your games elsewhere. If you still have you first VHS player and tapes you’re old like me. They built a new building over on Sycamore School Rd by the Walgreens. They are no longer there. They went bankrupt in 2010 and Dish Network bought the company, but gave up trying to do anything with it. There is only one left in Bend, Oregon.
Number 9: Look across Altamesa and you can see what is now Rice Express (3767 Altamesa). This USE TO BE _________ (2 words). You couldn’t get your Cheesy Gordita Crunch then but you could get Nachos. There was a shooting here back in the 1990’s, I tried to find the date but was unsuccessful. Unfortunately history repeated itself at the new location on Sycamore School Rd. on Jan. 29, 2022.
Number 10: Just for fun- What was the original mascot of Southwest High School? They are now the Raiders but Use To Be ___________(1 word).
Once you think you have identified all the USE TO BE businesses go to Certitude.org and using CAPITOL LETTERS put in the first letter of each business.
Congratulations to 2Nutz for being FTF.
You can validate your puzzle solution with certitude.