A legend my parents always told me that during the hungry post-war years the store shelves had nothing but caviar and people weren’t interested. They wanted the actual food – bread, butter, meat and there is only so much caviar a person can eat even if it’s a prized delicacy. The government even felt necessary to advertize the caviar as a tasty and nutritious product.
I’ve been meaning to use the word maven on this blog for a long time, so here goes:
Local antiquing maven and dealer Susan let me scan some of these random old photos before she puts them up for sale. Susan’s antiques can be found on Etsy, her Twitter, Facebook and blog, as well as at the River Market Antique Mall booth 622, but she highly recommends visiting the other 621 booths as well.
I need to credit my friend and local celebrity Dave from the Kansas City Lunch Spots for this idea – to collect or catalog the unique vintage signs that still can be found in many places around town. From the iconic sign atop the Western Auto Building to the vintage sign in front of Lobito’s Steakburger these historic relics are as important to the city as buildings, streets and parks. Unfortunately they are slowly disappearing from the landscape just like the famous White Haven Motor Lodge sign that used to welcome visitors to the old motel in Overland Park.
Dave writes:
Seriously, how great is it that this business chose to keep the original sign rather than tearing it down or covering it up with a modern one? It may have been purely a matter of cost, but it was also a good business decision because I will always stop at a lunch spot with a good old fashioned sign.
I don’t think even this awesome sign would make me want to stay at the Motel Capri on Admiral and Paseo, but the fact that it’s still standing calls for a show of respect.
As much as hate and avoid various meet-ups, tweet-ups, social events, flash-mobs, actions with noble goals and everything that comes with it, it’s totally different when I do it.
Instead of participating in anything, just stop by and have a donut at the John’s Space Age Donuts in Overland Park this Wednesday from 8 to 10 (or whatever time works for you).
Photo by Eric Cartner
This Wednesday, May 19th, wasn’t picked at random. It’s the Soviet Pioneer Day. On this day a certain chain opens another location just down the the street, so an old donut shop which has been around since 1967 can use a few more customers. John’s Space Age Donuts are better anyway and I am buying the first dozen.
Photo by Eric Cartner
Besides free donuts (if you are fast), there may be local celebrity sightings, and you will enjoy not being part of the herd stampeding to fill up on the mediocre East Coast pastries.
