1980s Flashback

Whether you were in Elementary or High School, in the workforce or you were not even born, we thought it would be fun to have an 80s flashback! Enjoy! (Hover over image to read caption)

When comedy clubs were a weekend staple.

Comedy was exploding around the nation and San Francisco was a major draw. The Punch Line, Holy City Zoo and Cobbs Comedy Club showcased comedic greats such as Robin Williams, Bob Goldthwait, Father Guido Sarducci, Dana Carver and Whoopi Goldberg.

When Chef Jeremiah Tower was the “Star” of the San Francisco restaurant scene.

No reservation? No chance! Stars was going on and the place to be scene. Some say Jeremiah Tower helped define California Cuisine.

When Dianne Feinstein became the first San Francisco female mayor.

While she served as the 38th Mayor of San Francisco, Feinstein gained the position following the assassination in which her predecessor, Mayor George Moscone was killed by Dan White. She won a term in her own right in 1979 survived a recall election and won reelection in 1983. 

When we couldn’t stop following Humphrey the whale.

Humphrey deviated twice during his Mexico to Alaska migration and entered the San Francisco Bay. This behavior is unusual for a humpback whale, and Humphrey attracted wide media attention when entering the bay in both 1985 and 1990. Both of his bay excursions resulted in a rescue by the Marine Mammal Center, based in Marin County and assisted by the United States Coast Guard as well as hundreds of other volunteers.

When we shopped at Esprit.

Getting a job at the Esprit Outlet was difficult and you had to be a certain size! Yes. Times are different now. Ultra-cool with no dressing rooms so you had to wear something under your clothes. You could grab lunch at the café right next door after hours of shopping.

When U2 performed a free concert at Justin Herman Plaza.

If you were lucky enough to be listening to the radio while not working on a weekday, you could do your best to get to Justin Herman Plaza and watch the very popular band U2 perform. A major uproar happened when Bono spray-painted Vaillancourt Fountain!

When we became a human gridlock chain on the Golden Gate Bridge

During the 50th anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, were you lucky enough to be trapped for hours with 800,000 of your closest friends? Thank goodness we didn’t have cell phones or the news of the bridge potentially collapsing would have created even more chaos!

When Apple goes public and technology is beginning to take shape.

However, the internet was extremely hard to access and nobody had mobile phones. Google who?

When the 49ers ruled football!

Who can forget this amazing cast! Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Jerry Rice, and Bill Walsh with Super Bowl wins in 1982, 1985, and 1989.

When the only place to buy music was Tower Records.

You could spend hours going through each aisle and all the latest cassettes were available. Diehard fans would sleep in line to get the best seats at a concert.

When you shopped at FAO Schwartz.

After Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia danced on the store’s extremely large piano in the movie “Big”, kids and grown-ups alike flocked to the magical store located at the old Joseph Magnin located at 48 Stockton Street.

When you drove on the never completed Embarcadero Freeway.

Battle ensued before the 1986 primary election. Some said traffic would be a mess while others thought the treelined promenade would revitalize the waterfront. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake damage reopened the debate and the results speak for themselves. Even Herb Caen debunked the idea and he still had the street named after him. Herb Caen Way.

When flying was fun!

Flights from San Francisco to Atlanta were $149.00, you could bring almost anything on the plane, you received three square edible meals, you needed to dress the part if you were in first class and there was more room to stretch. Air travel is definitely safer these days, but the romance has dissipated.

When Banana Republic was Safari Themed.

Partially due to the huge popularity of the Indian Jones movies, the Safari /1940s look had a big moment in the 1980s. You could buy anything from a Safari dress, Bush Vest, “Save the Tiger” belt, Amelia Earhart jacket, and straw hats from Australia. It made you want to grab your passport!