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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Storefront Addition: California Do-Nut Company

Yes, the much-mourned California Do-Nut Co. at 2924 S. Jefferson in Benton Park sports a storefront addition. The 1909 Sanborn fire insurance map shows the two-story building as a black smith shop, and building permits suggest that the addition dates to 1920. Here the addition seems to become part of a larger, mid-twentieth-century remodel. The parent building received a coat of stucco, the addition is clad in a Permastone-type material and the enameled neon sign board has an unmistakable modern swagger. The white and green color scheme is also sporty and simple, the hallmark of good mid-century design.

If the donut stands are doing well on Hampton and Watson road, why not Jefferson? Obviously, a little remodeling of that old store is needed, but the end result is an urban version of the roadside snack stand. Alas, a fabled reopening only led to plywood being hung on the storefront.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The subject is sad, but this photo is beautiful.

Grace A. Woodard said...

every time i drive by this (which is several times a week), i half-expect to see someone inside, tearing down the plywood and installing new neon tubes. i would think a broad variety of businesses would be happy to occupy such an eye-grabbing storefront.

Anonymous said...

that place is so classic