I had to drive to Chicopee on Wednesday to get an insurance form stamped. I was not going to stop at the nearby Re-Store, because my Dear Husband would KILL ME if I rescued any more vintage and brought it into the house. But then you know what happened?
That darn expressway exit sign was all confusing and I got dumped RIGHT onto the street pointing toward the Re-Store.
It was just 5 minutes away. And I was going to have to Drive Right By. So I just had to stop.
Well, and I’m glad I did. Because it was just a Re-store BONANZA.
First of all, I need to clarify that my local Re-Store — which is about 50 minutes east of where I live, so I can only go there when I’m out that way for some reason anyway — isn’t called Re-Store anymore.
There must have been some sort of issue, because now they are called CET Eco-Building Bargains. Sorry CET Eco-Building Bargains, but that doesn’t really roll off my tongue like ReStore Habitat for Humanity, so I am going to continue to call you by the name I have always known you by.
Such are the difficulties of rebranding. I actually have had jobs where there have been Brand Meetings. And Brand Managers. And Brand Research. Gawd, I went to two separate weeks of Brand mega-training when I worked Ford.
Start talking about the “Brand” in a corporate meeting, and people run screaming.
But, now that I have my own brand — Retro Renovation — to protect and nurture, I actually understand all the brand stuff a lot better.
Like, the color of those petals around the “i” in Retro Renovation were very scrupulously chosen. To bring my brand to life. *angels start singing*
Retro Renovation® is now Registered, too, didja know? I have a piece of paper and a $350 cancelled check from important United States of America officials to prove it.
Mess with my brand, and I mess with you.
Oh, so what was I talking about?
The ReStore in Springfield. It was a Re-Store Bonanza.
There was a local plumbing store that was moving and they had “cleaned out their back room” and sent everything to ReStore.
Those are the words we love to hear: Cleaned out the back room.
There were about 300 bathroom and kitchen faucets, NOS, I am not exaggerating. 300. Yes: 300.
There were not any toilets NOS, as far as I could see.
But, in the tent there were a gazillion NOS Nutone and Miami Carey bathroom lights.
There were CHURCH TOILET SEATS.
Piles and piles and piles of pastel colored toilet seats NOS.
Now mind you, a lot of this vintage bathroom stock looked like… 1980s, or even early 1990s.
But I have a big heart for anything “cleaned out of the back room” of a big ole plumbing supply company in Springfield, Mass.
Why is it that this is such a fantastic Re-Store and that every time I visit there is more more more wonderfulness to ogle and to imagine renovating 37 more houses with?
Well, the biggest volumes of vintage stuff are in cities that were prosperous and growing during the post-war era. Places that, also, were pretty well-populated already before the war started. They woulda had a jump start over places like California, for example, where everyone was new new new.
Around Springfield, there were military installations built for the war… lots of factories that pre-dated the war… and of course, Massachusetts had been well-populated already for like 200 years. Those Church toilet seats: Originally made in Massachusetts.
During WWII, there was plenty of work in and around Springfield. All the citizesn saved their money, because they couldn’t spend it easily during the war and because that USED TO BE the American Way.
After the War ended, they remained employed, as American industry returned its armament production to production of domestic goods. The BOOM was ON, and the population was already in Springfield (and similar cities) to take advantage of it.
Springfielders started building, renovating, remodeling and otherwise spending… and this continued through, when? The 80s? When the manufacturing base started to move south and overseas.
There is A LOT of mid century stuff — mid century modest, especially — in cities like Springfield. Where an already large middle class exploded even further in the immediate aftermath of WWII.
Just look at ALL THIS STUFF. There was So Much Stuff that there was enough to let sit — in unopened boxes — for a couple of decades! Every week, readers send me more of these stories:
- Emily and her West Virginia stash of tile: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/02/04/gold-min-of-new-old-stock-tile-and-accessories-from-the-1930s1940s-1950s-1960s-1970s/
- Jason and Nikki drive hours to Emilys (more photos and color): https://retrorenovation.com/2011/02/27/where-to-find-vintage-bathroom-tile-follow-jason-and-his-wife-on-their-epic-trip-to-the-west-virginia-stash/
- Russ and Paula buy a huge stash of lighting (and more) from an old lumber store to sell online: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/04/22/vintage-nos-exterior-lights-for-your-ranch-cape-colonial-or-mediterranean-home/
- Sort of along the same lines…and, “All the best stuff’s in St. Louis”: https://retrorenovation.com/2011/04/04/wendy-buys-3-vintage-lights-at-a-time-capsule-lighting-store-in-st-louis/
Keep sending me these stories, readers — I love them!
Can you believe how many photos I took?
I have more, but I am going to wind down and show these: OH MY GOSH, FANTASTIC avocado kitchen sinks that held some kind of wacky faucet. I am pretty sure I have a photo of this design on my site somewhere. If anyone can find the story, can you add the link in a Comment? Thank you!
The double bowl had a hold on it, or else I woulda had to buy it. Although I wonder, does it need a hudee? Where’s the hudee. Be sure to get your hudees. this was NEW OLD STOCK MINT. Can you believe it???
I only spent $20 — about $10 on little somethings to make collages with and another $10 on a NOS Miami-Carey exhaust fan. nanananana. I will put it on ebay to help pay server costs.
I am glad I took a wrong turn.
Andrea says
I could just scream. I spent five days in West Springfield just a couple of weeks ago, and I think I knew about the Re-Store there from a previous post on RetroRenovation, but FORGOT about it while I was actually in Springfield for the first and probably only time in my life!
I DID remember about Osgood’s Fabrics, scoped them out and found the building, and then failed to notice they are closed on Saturdays, the only day I could get there. Another scream.
Our local Re-Store (Hagerstown, Md) is nowhere near what this one looks to be. It’s only a year old, so maybe there’s hope—but still, so mad at myself for forgetting about the Springfield store, and here I had a whole Saturday afternoon!
There are so many cool things to do up in that “neck of the woods,” maybe I’ll have to plan another trip! Thanks for the photos, Pam, they are great, and I loved the running commentary!
Ann-Marie Meyers (Skylark) says
I am stuck with the “Famous for being overly fond on greige” Re-Store in La Crosse, Wi, which actually TURNS AWAY mid century stuff, because the guys in charge don’t like it themselves.
I had one of the men literally backed into a corner last week while I chewed him out for their lack of taste.
He said, “Yeah, but if we took in a pink toilet, we’d be stuck with it forever. No one wants a pink toilet.”
I bet him a hundred bucks it would be gone within three days. He wouldn’t take the bet, and I think he just wished I would go away.
That’s okay. My new plumber is on the prowl for me. He says if he ever hears of someone “updating” their bathroom, he will give me a call.
Meanwhile, the La Crosse Re-Store remains the place for old tables, brown recliners and tan ceramic floor tile.
susan says
This might be a serious road trip for me.
Just another Pam says
Sweet! No doubt the retro gods adore you, Pam, and rightly so.
The restore near me isn’t that fond of mid-century outside of the odd lamp and frequently charges more for second hand than new on sale so they often don’t do that well. I suspect the problem is the people who work there are doing good deeds but don’t exactly understand how the market works or that customers are not always looking for things that were popular 5 to 10 years ago. We tried to give them mint original slab doors complete with hinges and door knobs when the walls came down and they were very bitter but you can go to a big box lumber store and buy repros which I had to do to put in closet doors as the house didn’t come with them.
Trouble says
Hey! I’ll be going to the Re-Store in springfield the end of this month. We are driving to Oneonta, NY to visit Nikki’s family, and will go on to Springfield. 😀 I’ll get to see it firsthand!
pam kueber says
Stop by and see me! Exit #2 on the Mass. Turnpike!
Trouble says
I really would love to, so would Nikki – she’s my new wife as of April 17! I will email you later so we can meet up 🙂 It would be really kool to meet THE Pam Lol
Gavin Hastings says
Trouble…stop and see me!
Springfield is my hometown and I love living here. Re-Store is a weekly trip!
Pam, the decline of Springfield, and so many other cities- really began during the early 60s with the birth of Interstate Route 91, the Massachusetts Turnpike and the closing of the United States Amory.
Gavin Hastings says
Armory…sorry . It’s late
Justin says
In regards to those avacado sinks with the funky faucet hole. We actually have one in our kitchen. Ours is white though but it has 3 bowls. Two large ones and one small one in the center. I bought it off of criaigslist. It didn’t come with the facuet. We almost thought were were going to have to get a different sink, because only a special type of faucet will fit it. We were lucky in finding the faucet for it. We went to an old plumbing store and talked to one of the older guys there. He remembered the sink and faucet, and said that he thought he still had one faucet left. Sure enought he had one in the back. Brand new still in the original box. It cost us more than the sink did, but it was well worth it. It originally had a place for a soap dispenser, as well as levers for the drains. Unfortuneatly those were purchased seperatly and thus we weren’t able to obtain those for our sink. I can send pics if you like. Justin
pam kueber says
Justin, can you send me a pic? Pretty please with sugar on top???? 🙂
Justin says
Just sent you an email with a pic of the sink and faucet.
Jana (Berniecat) says
OMG!!!! I am soooooo jealous! 🙂 I only wish our Re-Store here in Ocala (FL) was as good. I am a regular visitor, but NEVER find such a wonderful bounty of treasures! I would die for that yellow bathtub!!! It would be perfect for my bathroom! Thanks for the additional history lesson on the Re-stores. BTW: Pam, the “Bonanza” comment was not lost with the picture of the wagon wheel light fixture. 🙂 Wow, whatta store! Thanks for sharing with us!
Karen says
I love those pink sinks!!!
Jane / MulchMaid says
Cool pix, Pam! I liked your historic perspective on the bounty in some of the big city ReStores. Seems like in Portland it’s hard to find much worth having: not many “back rooms” to clean out, and mid-century dealers scooping up the few things that make it into the ReStore or The Rebuilding Center. But we can still dream of scoring!
rechercher says
Uh-huh, “rescuing,” I would have had to “rescue” at least one of those chandeliers in the second photo for sure…and at least one sink…and…
Just another Pam says
I’ll ‘rescue’ the other chandelier then. Aren’t we all just about the sacrifice ;o)