On “Zang’s” Blvd. – what do you call it?

We’re finishing up the May Advocate this week, and with Gayla Kokel’s Back Story column, there is a picture of an old advertisement for the Wynnewood Hotel. The ad, which ran in the 1963 Kimball High School yearbook, describes the hotel’s location as "Zangs and Illinois".

So I asked Gayla: "Is that just a typo, or did people used to call it ‘Zang’s’ the way we sometimes say ‘Nordstrom’s’ or ‘Kroger’s’?"

Here’s what Gayla says: "You are correct. The name of the street is Zang Boulevard, but everyone did, and still does, call it Zangs."

In 23 years as a Dallasite, I’ve never heard anyone call it "Zangs". The boulevard was named for early Oak Cliff developer, John F. Zang. I wonder if the familiar name "Zang’s Blvd." is a throwback to when he was still around.