A 1920's/30's General Store

[Chas]

Messy Nessy Chic has the best artices for the 'vintage-minded'.

I hate that word....vintage.... however I think that "Retro" is even worse.

But enough about me. A restored 1920's/30's General Store

 

[Nobert]

Very nice. I have this occasional recurring fantasy about opening a neighborhood store that would be something between a convenience store, newsstand and five-and-dime, done up in a traditional "general store" motif.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

This is quite fantastic!

 

[1930artdeco]

Nice to know that the US was not a bigoted country back then:eusa_doh: I understand that was how people thought back then, but when you have shoved in your face it raises even my eyebrows.

Mike

 

[Gingerella72]

Wow, what a project! Reminds me of the store in The Waltons.

 

[Talbot]

Brilliant!

 

[Chas]

Nice to know that the US was not a bigoted country back then:eusa_doh: I understand that was how people thought back then, but when you have shoved in your face it raises even my eyebrows.

Mike

Interestingly enough, when I found a "Mammy" wall-mounted note pad in an antique mall, the vendor told me that she sold a lot of that old Afro-Americana antique stuff to African Americans. I'm not sure why, exactly but that is something worth looking into.

EDIT: Apparently, it's about claiming ownership of one's cultural heritage. Spike Lee and Oprah are big-time collectors of Afro-Americana antiques.http://antiques.about.com/cs/aroundtheworld1/a/aa052000.htm

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/mar/30/culture.features3

 

[LizzieMaine]

Very nice. I have this occasional recurring fantasy about opening a neighborhood store that would be something between a convenience store, newsstand and five-and-dime, done up in a traditional "general store" motif.

There was a very specific type of store like this that was common in New England from the thirties into the sixties -- they were called "Spas", and featured everything you describe, along with, occasionally, a small lunch counter/soda fountain. They were popular after-school gathering spots for school kids, in the same manner as the traditional Brooklyn "candy store" or the "malt shop" of Archie comics. Spas were extremely common in the residential neighborhoods of Boston, but we had them in Maine as well.

Nowadays a "spa" means something entirely different, but those of a certain age always think first of an after-school hangout whenever the word comes up. There are very few actual spas left in operation, which is a pity. They served a useful purpose.