The Corner Store

It’s here! It’s here!

This old foghi has a fascination with old grocery stores and while searching the web one day found the site for the National Building Museum located in the other Washington (DC).

After ordering the book The Corner Store: An American Traditon Galveston Style and waiting patiently for it to arrive – it is finally here! I am not aware of any other books which outline the history of the corner store – but this little marvel sheds light on not only the architecture of the corner store but the culture that surrounds them. While this book concentrates on Galveston, TX, it could apply to any other US city.

“These frequently plain and simple buildings have served – and serve – as commercial venture, family residence, neighborhood parlor and physical anchor to a street and intersection. Few building types on the urban landscape have nourished such a melding of private and public uses as the corner store.”

The 21st century now has the supermarket– but these are now typical grab and go type of businesses – often with self-check out stands and credit card swipe machines to make the purchases go quickly and get more people in and out to maximize profits. The corner store had merchandise on shelves behind the counter and in bins and barrels, which had to be wrapped for each individual customer making the shopping experience more personal. Often you would find members of the community chatting near the entrance and children playing under the awning out front.

Old foghi has also been perusing the Puget Sound Regional Archives for old corner stores in Georgetown, and is anxiously waiting for the property details and photos to arrive by mail. (I went with another old foghi who also had a long list…. so there are quite a few on order) I hope to share those finds with you.

If you are interested the Friends of Georgetown History will have our monthly meeting on Sunday, April 13th at 2pm at 6601 Carleton Avenue South (and yes this was a former corner store). We will be reviewing a project to be featured in May for Preservation Month.