Help Needed! 1940s - 1960s Vintage Comic Shop Inspo 0

[Bammoman]

Hey guys, I'm wanting to get a custom mini store built by an artist that I follow for my Birthday this year, and wanting to re-create a vintage comic shop from the early days. It doesn't have to be super accurate, as I don't think the perfect shop really existed back in those days, so will be more of an artist rendition - however, I need to gather as many reference photos as possible so that he can create something as accurate as possible for the era. The main things I want to focus on is the building architecture, 3D signage (although I don't imagine many if any stores back then had this, but inspo from other retailers could still work), vintage comic ads, wall graffiti, sales signs and general advertising signs for things like milk / cigarettes / cigars / ice cream, etc..

Here are some reference photos that the artist has made to give you an idea of what I'm dealing with as far as attention to detail goes. He's amazing.. I personally love the Discolandia signage, so that's probably the direction I want to go for this. But maybe doing more of a corner block store?

Hoping to have it finished up around September for my bday, so hopefully can share some photo's of the final build with everyone around then. 

Anyways, any inspo photo's you guys have, please send this way! All the help much appreciated 

 

[Randall Dowling]

These are super cool!  I started my career building architectural scale presentation models and so I've always had a love for the detail that goes in to these. Good luck with your project!  

[Bammoman]

1 hour ago, Randall Dowling said:

These are super cool!  I started my career building architectural scale presentation models and so I've always had a love for the detail that goes in to these. Good luck with your project!  

Oh sweet, that's awesome. Yeh the attention to detail with these are amazing.. and thanks man

[telerites]

8 hours ago, Bammoman said:

Hey guys, I'm wanting to get a custom mini store built by an artist that I follow for my Birthday this year, and wanting to re-create a vintage comic shop from the early days. It doesn't have to be super accurate, as I don't think the perfect shop really existed back in those days, so will be more of an artist rendition - however, I need to gather as many reference photos as possible so that he can create something as accurate as possible for the era. The main things I want to focus on is the building architecture, 3D signage (although I don't imagine many if any stores back then had this, but inspo from other retailers could still work), vintage comic ads, wall graffiti, sales signs and general advertising signs for things like milk / cigarettes / cigars / ice cream, etc..

Here are some reference photos that the artist has made to give you an idea of what I'm dealing with as far as attention to detail goes. He's amazing.. I personally love the Discolandia signage, so that's probably the direction I want to go for this. But maybe doing more of a corner block store?

Hoping to have it finished up around September for my bday, so hopefully can share some photo's of the final build with everyone around then. 

Anyways, any inspo photo's you guys have, please send this way! All the help much appreciated 

I am either too old, too naive, too ignorant, all of the above etc. to know what inspo meant.  I had to look it up  

Super cool images.  I assume you know about this thread.  It is massive since it was started in 2008 but lots of great images.  I am still not even sure if that is what you are looking and again, you may already be aware of the thread if it is.  

Best of luck. Happy Early Birthday and post pics when finished 

 

[BitterOldMan]

Discolandia was located in the Mission District in San Francisco.

Here is a old Comics & Comix flyer.  Siding was a dark brown.  Store was located on Telegraph by Dwight in Berkeley.  I was a customer during my college days.

 

[Jayman]

[jpepx78]

I recognize Discolandia Records in San Francisco since I walked by it many times. Discolandia closed in 2011 and the space is now a restaurant.
In the old days there were no dedicated comic stores but only stores that happen to sell comics. Most of the time comics were sold inside with the exception of exterior newsstands. Not many of these stores are still around with vintage or 3D signage due to modernization and gentrification so the best examples would be photos from the 20s to 40s. Since your main focus is on the building architecture, here are some examples that might be of interest. However your choice would depend on the artist’s willingness for detail, work timeframe and price.

See if you can spot any comics.

If the artist resides in the San Francisco area, there is a building in downtown SF that is still around that could be examined. Marquard’s newsstand closed in 2004 and is now a baseball cap store. The neon sign is still there but the building exterior has been altered.

Pics in order: New York City Oct 1935, New York Harlem June 1939, Long Beach CA 30s, Toronto Canada 20s, Marquard’s 2004, Marquard’s 2014

 

[Bammoman]

9 hours ago, BitterOldMan said:

Discolandia was located in the Mission District in San Francisco.

Here is a old Comics & Comix flyer.  Siding was a dark brown.  Store was located on Telegraph by Dwight in Berkeley.  I was a customer during my college days.

 

Thank you mate, this is awesome!

[Bammoman]

5 hours ago, jpepx78 said:

I recognize Discolandia Records in San Francisco since I walked by it many times. Discolandia closed in 2011 and the space is now a restaurant.
In the old days there were no dedicated comic stores but only stores that happen to sell comics. Most of the time comics were sold inside with the exception of exterior newsstands. Not many of these stores are still around with vintage or 3D signage due to modernization and gentrification so the best examples would be photos from the 20s to 40s. Since your main focus is on the building architecture, here are some examples that might be of interest. However your choice would depend on the artist’s willingness for detail, work timeframe and price.

See if you can spot any comics.

If the artist resides in the San Francisco area, there is a building in downtown SF that is still around that could be examined. Marquard’s newsstand closed in 2004 and is now a baseball cap store. The neon sign is still there but the building exterior has been altered.

Pics in order: New York City Oct 1935, New York Harlem June 1939, Long Beach CA 30s, Toronto Canada 20s, Marquard’s 2004, Marquard’s 2014

 

Yes 100% right! Majority of comic stores back in those years seem to have primarily been corner stores or curb side magazine / newspaper shops that just happened to sell comics. I think i'll definitely need the artist to do a bit of a modern rendition of what a vintage inspired comic store would look like in today's world. So more of an updated, over-the-top Las Vegas inspired signage, but on more of a traditional Heritage building that you would find in New York for example. And then just use old poster etc to make it feel as if we're back in the early 50's.. Thanks for the photos! One thing I have been picking up from some of these older photos is the mesh-like wire (as seen in your photo in front of the Coca-Cola / Drugs signage - definitely something I think I should have him integrate).

[Bammoman]

11 hours ago, telerites said:

I am either too old, too naive, too ignorant, all of the above etc. to know what inspo meant.  I had to look it up  

Super cool images.  I assume you know about this thread.  It is massive since it was started in 2008 but lots of great images.  I am still not even sure if that is what you are looking and again, you may already be aware of the thread if it is.  

Best of luck. Happy Early Birthday and post pics when finished 

 

Oh man, that link is great - I actually hadn't come across it - this will be a big help! Thank you!

[Bammoman]

This was a really cool custom vintage themed news stand created last year that I actually got to see in person. It was created as part of the exhibition install for the 80 years of Marvel exhibition, in Melbourne Australia. Love the old newspapers in the meshed framing. Reminds me of something you would almost see in an old Superman or Spiderman movie

[BitterOldMan]

The late Gary Arlington’s San Francisco Comic Book Company was located on 23rd Street between Mission St and Valencia. Gary collected multiple copies of ECs off the newsstand and decided to open a comic book store in 1968.  I was a customer from January 1971 until the shop closed.  At one time, Gary had a box of IH181 that nobody wanted.  Truly, the ageless hippie, I miss him and his entertaining comic book stories.

 

[Bammoman]

1 hour ago, BitterOldMan said:

The late Gary Arlington’s San Francisco Comic Book Company was located on 23rd Street between Mission St and Valencia. Gary collected multiple copies of ECs off the newsstand and decided to open a comic book store in 1968.  I was a customer from January 1971 until the shop closed.  At one time, Gary had a box of IH181 that nobody wanted.  Truly, the ageless hippie, I miss him and his entertaining comic book stories.

 

Sensational.. love this

[jpepx78]

One thing I have been picking up from some of these older photos is the mesh-like wire (as seen in your photo in front of the Coca-Cola / Drugs signage - definitely something I think I should have him integrate).

The wire mesh signage you believe to see in the Long Beach drugstore pic is actually paint on square clay tiles. Wall tiles were typical American exterior building decor from that period and they can be seen at the base of the Arlington store.

If you like signage, it can be seen at Shinders newsstand in Minneapolis Minnesota in the late 40s. Comics are in the metal wire racks at right. The second pic is a street level view of Shinders. I couldn't find a bigger pic.