King Bros. Motel, ca. 1955

From the Boston Public Library Flickr photostream is this postcard of the King Bros. Motel at the junction of Routes 40, 61, 66, and 67. Today the intersection is better known as Lindbergh Boulevard and Clayton Road ( next to the Interstate 64. The motel also was known as the Smith Bros. Motel for a time, but has since been replaced by upscale retail establishments.

An aerial view of the motel:

4 comments:

jackie100 said...

How interesting, that location is actually just north of our dealership; we are on S. Lindbergh. What an amazing postcard!

Used Cars St Louis

David Block said...

My name is David Block. My father was Al Block. He and Les Nieman bought the old Smith bros. Motel and renamed it King Bros.On a previous web page there is a color picture of King Bros. with a white 1957 Cadillac parked out front. That was my father's car. My nickname for him was'Cadillac Al' and I rode in that car remembering it well. There are several intersting stories about my dad's and my old hangout.If interested, my e-mail is kingbluesmusicco@aol.com.

The name of my musicco is after king bros.

Anonymous said...

I worked at king brothers motel in the mid 70s for Mr Block and Mr Nieman. I was a night week end front desk clerk and PBX operator. I will never forget the night cook. She was a great lady!!! She asked me one night if I wanted a hamburger and fries. I said sure! She said to come down to the dining room in about 15minutes. I told her that I could not leave the desk. She told me that tho previous night clerk would just put a little sign by the front desk phone to just lift the receiver and dial zero for the clerk. Then she told me to place the motel p a system right by the buzzer of the switchboard and then come on down to the dining room and relax. If anyone came to the desk or called on the phone the buzzer was heard all over the complex. That way I would be notified wherever??????? What a trip!!!! We did have some fun even though the complex had no idea of what that buzzer sound was !!! I thought that you would like my memory of a cool old employer, thanks, dave

Broken legs said...

Our family stayed here on a "family vacation" (remember THOSE?) in the 70's, and I will always remember the gentile and truly kind service we received while staying there. Far more polite and sincere interaction than we ever had with any "chain" motel outfit like Holiday Inn or Marriot. I was totally impressed, tho I must have been a pre-teen at that time. Dinner was an elegant experience, so my brothers were told to wear ties and jackets, The wait-staff very attentive, which made it more impressive than what I had ever experienced back in my home town! When Mom drew out a cigarette at the table, there was an eager waiter who stepped in to light it FOR her! That was an amazing thing to me! Equally amazing was a buss-boy who's sole job it seemed was to keep everyone's water glasses topped off, and I would have bet cash-money that he was docked pay for every minute that glasses were not filled to the TOP. It makes a very clear image in my mind of a family vacation who's other details I have readily forgotten. I believe it included the St Louis Zoo, but that is also a faded memory.
Ya's did a good job!