This is the F. G. Lindsay grocery store, as it appeared in 1925. The location is 2215 Nichols Avenue, in Washington, DC. Interesting window display that includes a hanging side of meat :)
Today, there is no longer a "Nichols Avenue" in Washington. The name was changed to Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd at some point. This is the approximate location of Lindsay's Grocery as it appears today:
Yawn.
Let's try to tear ourselves away from that stimulating scene, and go back to 1925 for a moment. You also get the chance to see what it looked like inside the little grocery store.
If you view the picture full sized at Shorpy or the Library of Congress website, you'll see stuff that you can still find in stores today. Lava Soap, Cream of Wheat, Jello, Argo Cornstarch, are among the familiar brand names. Also of interest is a contraption that you might miss in the lower left hand corner of the picture:
That's a Cestor Peanut/Popcorn Cart. A Model 1, I believe. Its steam powered and the little steam engines that ran the carts made by Cestor are highly sought after by Steam engine collectors today. Looking closer still, you can see the trademark feature of Cestor carts and wagons:
The image is sort of squished due to the perspective of the old lens and glass plate negative, but you can make out the little animatronic clown that turned the crank for the peanut roasting hopper.
Here's an illustration of this type/model of cart from a catalog:
And here's one that is restored showing the beautiful colors of the original carts:
2 comments:
Too bad - if the shop were there and looked like that today, it would be mobbed. Very SWPL.
I liked it much better the way it was. One of my favorite pictures of my Mom is a large one, probably 8 x 10 and taken in a grocers she worked at as a teen, probably 1936. The organization and array of things was quite intriguing. A way of life we've all lost and will never get back.
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