Vintage professions you'd like to see come back.....

[Blackjack]

Being that I myself am a piano tuner also I would consider that a pretty vintage profession, not much has changed in that field, but what other jobs would you like to see around these days?
Myself I miss seeing the guy who rode around on his bike when I was a kid sharpening knives, he had this three wheel bike with a hand cranked sharpening wheel on it and would ring a bell on his bike as he was riding down the street. All the housewives would bring their kitchen knives out to be sharpened for a buck.

 

[CopperNY]

i see a small resurgence in the popularity of affordable automatic watches, so having a -good- horologist around would be nice. anyone can change a battery in a digital, and even i can regulate a mechanical/automatic with some patience. but having someone around that can build, repair and thoroughly clean a watch would be nice. locally there is one gentleman who is in his 80's that takes in watch repairs for the jewelry stores, with no heir in sight.

 

[LocktownDog]

I've been a graphic designer (since '89) and sign-maker since (since '93). I would like to get away from the digital-techno-4 color print that has become all too prevalent in the business and get back to hand-carved hand-painted signs. Elaborate and dimensional, gold leaf and flourishes. I just couldn't find enough of a client base or keep my costs low enough to compete with large format print companies. Nobody wants to wait a month for quality anymore.

I really love Shorpy for the photos of all the beautiful signs. Every once in a while, there will be a storefront of a signpainter and it makes me a bit wistful.

 

[Kahuna]

Although neon is still around to some extent, it is mostly in the form of bar signs for beer. I'd like to see more of the elaborate "moving" neon signs of old. I still clearly remember being taken to a neon sign shop of an acquaintance of my dad when I was a kid. It was mesmerizing to see that tubing being shaped and then come to life with brilliant colors when the gas was added and charged.

 

[ScionPI2005]

i see a small resurgence in the popularity of affordable automatic watches, so having a -good- horologist around would be nice. anyone can change a battery in a digital, and even i can regulate a mechanical/automatic with some patience. but having someone around that can build, repair and thoroughly clean a watch would be nice. locally there is one gentleman who is in his 80's that takes in watch repairs for the jewelry stores, with no heir in sight.

I think the demand for a good mechanical watch repair and service business is really big in some cities. Several years ago, I dropped off my Benrus to be serviced at a place here in Albuquerque, and they told me that it could take up to four months to get it back (because they were so busy). I even called a few months prior to that to ask about service, and they asked me to call back in the short future because they were too swamped with work, and trying to catch up.

 

[David Conwill]

Here in the Tri-Cities of Michigan, we have two horologists and a talented neon-sign repairman. What I would like to see around here is a small, high-quality grocer and butcher downtown.

-Dave

 

[Kahuna]

I know there are still a few around but good repair for shoes, small appliances & electronics are becoming harder to find. You used to be able to get such repair services in any small town. Now you often have to ship them by mail to get the job done. We have become such a throwaway society. Much better to build things that last and are repairable.

 

[Greyfox]

A full service cobbler.

 

[Shangas]

A good watchmaker, pen-repairman and jeweller who actually repair watches, pens and jewellery. Not many of those still around.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Journalist.

 

[Fletch]

I'll add "copyeditor." Most of them were stereotypical, highly predictable personalities, but it was one of the few 9-5 gigs I could do without going off my nut.

 

[MariantheLibrarian]

I'll second "copy editor," because SpellCheck is demonstrably not a substitute for a good set of eyes.

 

[Fletch]

query

SpellCheck, but copy editor?

 

[MariantheLibrarian]

Copy editor, copyeditor, or copy-editor, per MLA Handbook 10th edition. Spell Check is incorrect thanks to a sticky space bar

ETA: But, I should have quoted you as you spelled it and not done my own formatting. My apologies-- that was rude of me. Also, 7th edition, because I am not yet able to see into the future. Oy.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Journalist.

:arated:

 

[rue]

The delivery milkman
Butcher shops... I know they're in some cities, but not common anymore in most of america
The Singer sewing machine man... that used to go door to door
The homemaker...... sometimes I feel very alone in my 'profession'

 

[Blackjack]

We still have a milkman Rue! Oberwise dairy still delivers every Monday morning. One thing I find wistfull is the Iceman, I don't know why except stories from my mother from when she was a girl. I thought it would be fun to have an old fashioned icebox and get off the grid a bit but, where would I find block ice????

 

[Mr. Hallack]

Journalist.

A real Journalist, what is that??

I say there needs to be more radio repair people. I know of a few myself, but there should be more.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

A bank where they know you and you can walk in every couple of weeks and not find that "corporate" has done one of their quarterly or semi-annual reshuffling of employees in the region and now you know virtually nobody.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Ooooo - here's another! Board of directors members who are working for the betterment of their company, its shareholders, its staff, its community and its customers, instead of cooking the books to feather their own nests in the short-term, rather than set long term goals.