9 Things You Can’t Do In Rockford Anymore

Aladdin's Castle was THE place to going at Cherryvale Mall back in the yellow-brick-road days. I spent many hours there as a kid. I still never figured out how to beat that white projection screen game with the cowboys and Indians.

Remember when you could go buy a loaf of bread and go feed the ducks at Sinnissippi Garden's lagoon?

It wasn't around for very long but there was a time when you could race go kart's at Rev'd Up. Remember when it was inside the old Logli on N. 2nd, which is now a Good Will.

The Belford Drive-In was great for a night of two movies and a playground with monkey bars. That's pretty much all I remember about that outdoor theater.

For about a decade Elixur was the place to be, especially on Wednesday night for 'Ladies Night.' Remember how sticky the floor was? This was also, all be it briefly, a teen dance club.

I remember feeling defeated when my mom and dad had to pay a $.50 rewind fee because their lazy son couldn't wait long enough to rewind a VHS rented from Video Outlet on South Alpine. (Sigh.)

Back in the day, you could only stare at puppies and kittens through a little circular or octagon-shaped window at Petland when it was inside Cherryvale Mall.

Sure, it's Chuck E. Cheese now but it'll never compare to Showbiz. I loved that place, except for those creepy robotic bears.

You knew you would be walking 32 miles but you had to go so you wouldn't miss out on those E-RAB apple fritters. Those were the days.