Tuesday, September 27, 2005


Starship Records and Tapes
11th and Delaware

I'm sad to hear that due to a land grab by Tulsa University, Starship Records and Tapes at 11th and Delaware have been evicted and will be moving to 12th and Lewis. TU has plans for a grand entrance to the campus there at the intersection of 11th and Delaware and they don't include these two tiny blue and yellow cottages. There's detailed information on the move in a recent Urban Tulsa article. Some fantastic background history and pics were posted at Tulsa TV Memories. Starship's location has always been a part of their identity. Since I moved to Tulsa in May of 1980, I've heard the phrase "Starship Records and Tapes at 11th and Delaware" on numerous radio spots. I loved the Christmas pleas for your money (just put it on the credit card!). I always shopped here for those hard to find albums from Thin Lizzy, Frank Zappa and Pat Travers Band (man, I wish PT would come back and play T-town). I also purchased most of my concert tickets from them during the '80s. I'm sorry to see yet another Tulsa landmark targeted for demolition.

I only have a handful of external pics of the buildings here. The murals on the fronts used to be very detailed...now they're faded to the point that you can barely read them. I meant to get interior shots, assuming they'd let me take photos inside...but I doubt I'll make it back over there before they close. I'm sure by now it looks like a garage sale (oh, wait...it already did!! ;-)

permalink
Comments:
Honest John's. Rubicon Head Shop. Honest John's was the place to get music in its day. The birth of FM radio (KMOD) took me to the record stores. Honest John's was home-grown. Sound Warehouse came in and Big Bad John's (wonder where that store got its name?) deals 4 albums for 16 bucks.

Thanks for posting. It always amazes me the nostalgia people have for beloved Tulsa. I try to describe the 70s and Tulsa, but it's one of those places you have to have been there.

Regards,
Denise J. Padilla
Dejadilla@yahoo.com
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 9/27/2005 9:15 PM
 
I was in Tulsa this weekend and was looking for the new location for starship on 12th and lewis. Drove by there and nothing. Does anybody know the status of starship and the plans the possibly have for reopening.


music
music24hrs@yahoo.com
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 11/15/2005 4:36 PM
 
According to the article in Urban Tulsa Weekly:

"The university had been discussing expanding its front entrance along 11th Street between Delaware and Harvard for years, and Bunyan had slowly begun to prepare.

He purchased a commercial lumberyard near 12th and Lewis, had the redesign of a warehouse space professionally drafted, and was looking for a builder when legal wrangling with his current landlord reduced his potential eviction warning from three to six months to a matter of weeks."

Now, this was written a week before the 11th and Delaware location closed, so I'm not sure what's happened since then. I know of the former lumberyard that is mentioned. I'll go by there soon and see if I can get more info.
# posted by Blogger Tom : 11/15/2005 4:56 PM
 
I would like to inform everybody who shopped at Starship.

The New store will be open in about a couple of weeks,stay tunned for openning information.

It will be much bigger and better than before,despite the blue & yellow buildings are now history.

Those old buildings will be missed.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 11/23/2005 8:41 PM
 
do you have a number for the new starship or an email or some way to get a hold of those guys?
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 11/29/2005 4:03 PM
 
Before the internet brought endless selection to the world, there was Starship. This was the place where I always got the greatest rock and roll available. As far as I'm concerned, it's a Tulsa institution that will be missed at 11th and Delaware. I'm looking forward to visiting the new location when I visit Tulsa again. What are they going to try to kill next? Coney Islander maybe? I certainly hope not.
# posted by Anonymous G Man : 1/06/2006 3:54 PM
 
I was a star ship customer since my ole man took there when I was ten and he'd been going there since he was fourteen. Starship was and is the place to get that hard to find album be it KISS or SLAYER they had it or would find it. those two blue and yellow colages will be missed.
# posted by Anonymous Kyle and Rusty Upky : 6/21/2006 4:15 AM
 
We used to drive to 70+ Tulsa for concerts, we ALWAYS stopped at starship. My daughter just turned 17, was going to take her there and show her. How sad it is gone,along with Casa Bonita, the other must when going to Tulsa. I remember the "Zider Zee" seafood restaraunt shaped like a windmill. There used to be a tiny museum there too called I think "The World Museum.
# posted by Blogger Grendel : 7/25/2006 12:55 AM
 
Casa Bonita repoened in it's previous location at 21st and Sheridan. Same o'le food, lots of honey.
# posted by Anonymous JeffFromDenney's : 2/19/2007 2:46 PM
 
Post a Comment

<< Home