Oh, This? I Made It In My Shop.
My dad was a carpenter.
Then a cabinetmaker.
For a long time he retro-fitted drug stores and then he built bars.
Charleston was officially "dry" in the 1950s but Dad created a LOT of backbars, curved bars with "nosing"* and even padded banquettes.In his "illegal" wood working shop.
Ansonborough was a bit run down in those days and money was tight.The fact that my Dad was cutting wood, hammering and then sticking finished products out the front window to get them to his truck was sorta overlooked.
My younger brother is shown helping Dad because he didn't scoot away in time.
All three boys knew the sound of that truck and it usually meant unloading many, many long pieces of wood or sheets of splintery plywood.
My older brother is totally absent on this particular "Delivery" day.
As soon as I set down my camera, I joined my brother in the back of the truck to hold on to things as we delivered this piece over the old Cooper River Bridge. The very narrow 2-lane Grace Memorial.
Haven't seen shots like this in any coffee table books about Charleston.
(*Nosing is the raised portion along the front of a bar top that keeps your sleeves off anything spilled on the bar.)
Labels: backbar, banquette, cabinetmaker, carpenter, coffee table books, Grace Memorial Bridge, lumber, plywood, splinters
posted by chucker @ 12:28 PM
3 Comments:
Those are great shots! Not being native to he area, I find shots of Charleston life in simpler days to be fascinating. And that's a neat-looking bar; I've never seen one shaped like that.
Do you remember to which place over the Grace Bridge this was delivered? Is it still in place today?
Great story!
Thanks Steve. I'm curious ..did you know about "nosing?"
Sherry - that was 50 years ago so I do not remember where. It was well made but I doubt it still exists.
Earlier I posted about Dad making magazine racks. He was a wonder with wood!
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home