Vintage Postcard – “The Shoppers Special”
“The Shoppers Special” St. Petersburg, Florida
SK. 10 – Sun News Co., St. Petersburg, Fla.
Curteicholor 3-D Natural Color Reproduction (REG U.S.A. Pat. Off.)
Okay, the title on the front of the card reads “The Shoppers Special” St. Petersburg, Florida. The wording, and the lack of an apostrophe, concerns me. I can’t figure it out. The back is no help, either; it also reads the same way. The shopper is special? I don’t get it.
This lovely vintage postcard was mailed March 2, 1968 using a grey 5 cent (I had to look it up, as it didn’t really look like a regular president I had seen, but in fact it is a Scott 1229 5 Cent Stamp George Washington Coil Stamp). It was mailed to Mr. Richard Geide, 35 Fenton Ave, Binghamton NY 13901. The handwriting looks like an old person’s handwriting. It reads:
March 1 1968
Its cold today, cold wind but nice sunshine. The flowers are very pretty. Had one shower its dry down here. We go round a lot. We got gas heat. We had heat on today all day for the first time. 53 Thurs 43 Friday. Earl & Gladys.
There’s a photo of a bit further down the shopping strip at this Tampa Bay Area History website. Central Plaza, this strip, was established sometime in the 1950s. It appears that a strip mall still stands at the corner of 34th Street North and Central Ave in St. Pete.
September 30, 2013
I believe you are the one who posted the vintage postcard of the Queens Crown Motel. I have been looking for a picture of that motel for a long time. I am 60 years old, but when I was 10 my mother worked at the front desk and my brother and I shared a hotel room with her. My father had left for Michigan looking for work and couldn’t support us, so my mom did the desk clerk job in exchange for a room and a little pay. I knew we were in a tight spot, but I have wonderful memories of playing and swimming on that beach. I’m so glad you posted this! We were there for the entire summer of 1960. I can remember there was a gas station across the street where I could get a bottle of coke for a nickel, and I could walk down the street to a number of small shops selling all kinds of stuff. Great memories!
September 30, 2013
Lakelady50, you’re right…I do have a postcard for the Queens Crown on the site here: https://www.catobear.com/queens-crown-motel/
Thank you so much for sharing your happy memories with me!