Thursday, July 5, 2012

Happy July 4th, Plus One!

Yes, my friends, it’s that time again! The day after America’s birthday comes Pleasant Family Shopping’s birthday, number 5 this year. It’s the day I go scrambling through my files for a nice summer scene and try to come up with something clever to say about it.

The scene is certainly nice enough  - a good old Piggly Wiggly, in this case a Texas location operated by Shop Rite Foods of Texas (not affiliated with the Shop-Rite of the Northeast), circa 1965. The sun is shining, the lady is well-coiffed (shoot, hair spray is even advertised on the wall!), and the store employees are courteous and nattily dressed.  The Cokes are in glass, as they should be - 6 1/2 ounce size in the thrifty 12-pack.

As far as the “clever” part goes, I’m at a loss this time around. My best idea for a post title, “Gettin’ piggy wit it”, might not make sense to some folks (something that usually doesn’t stop me), and besides, it’s already been used on a bumper sticker. Oh, well!
Thanks so much for your support. I hope to earn your continued readership.

Dave

24 comments:

  1. Nice pic...nice Coke...nice car...nice caption. Congrats, you've done it again!!

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  2. Hoping your 4th was a pleasant one. I love the old Piggly Wiggly! Great in the moment shot!

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  3. She bought Duz. Probably collecting a set of glasses, don't you think? Thrifty gal.
    And is that the new Green Stamps catalog I spy? Or merely a stamp saving book?

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    1. Thrift was the name of the game back then, abetted by a slew of great supermarket promotions!

      Looks like an S&H "Ideabook" to me. The covers on those changed frequently (at least yearly, as I recall), while the Saver Book covers remained unchanged for years.

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  4. That 12-pack of Coke...an early version of a Fridge Pack, perhaps?

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    1. Yup, but it tasted so much better in glass! :)

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  5. Based on the car and the outfits, I assume this shot was taken in the '50s. I remember the '50s and I don't think I've ever seen a cart like the ones shown in the photo. Were they specifically used for boxboys to carry bagged groceries out to a customer's car? I don't recall ever seeing anything like that in California, where I grew up. If the boxboys helped you out to your car, they used the same shopping cart that the customer used.

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    1. It's from the 60's, although possibly older than 1965. The Coke carton (I'm a recovering Coca-Cola collecting addict)was 60's design.

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    2. The cart shown in the photo is a take out cart. Several companies in and around Texas used them; some as late as the 90's.

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  6. I hope to earn your continued readership.

    I wouldn't shop for pleasant memories anywhere else! :-D

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  7. As for date..the car is a 1st generation Rambler American wagon, so it's a 1959 or 1960 model, and it has a little bit of patina. But since this is a posed promotional picture, the woman's hairstyle and dress don't say 1965 to me, thus it could be two or three years earlier.

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    1. Paul, "circa" in this case means plus or minus 15 years from the stated date.;)

      Seriously, I agree. The scene does look to be a few years prior to '65, although the Coke carton design was still current that year. And while I'm not sure where this photo was taken, I doubt wherever it was would have been anywhere near the cutting edge of style, and could easily have been behind a few paces.

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  8. This looks earlier than 1965 to me as well. Happy Anniversary, Dave! You certainly earned it.

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  9. Many thanks, Didi! Hope things are good with you!

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  10. A new pig on the block flies and talks. He's the Bottom Dollar Food "when piggybanks fly" talking pig spokesperson.
    I have fond memories of Piggly WIggly in WIsconsin, but times change.
    Happy 5th birthday. my visits to your site bring so much joy. Wishing you and the blog many, many more years

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    1. That's one of the nicest compliments I've ever received. Thanks so much!

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  11. Happy, happy birthday, PFS!! May there be countless more!!

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  12. Happy Birthday! "I wouldn't shop for pleasant memories anywhere else!" indeed.

    [and the photo is certainly 'circa'... couldnt be more than 2 or 3 years off. Cant read the license plate tho...]

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    1. John, much appreciated! I think Texas was one of those states that alternated back then between two plate colors (black/white/black/white) from year to year, so maybe that will help!

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  13. Congrats on five years, Dave. It's been five years on Blogger for me too. :-)

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