Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Is Square really dull or unfashionable? How old are you anyway?

I have always liked the look of this place. (I admit I have not yet ventured inside.) And the name, SQUARESVILLE, pretty much says it all to most every generation alive. If you were born a Boomer, it conjures up all kinds of scenes and memories in your head. If you're even older, you may remember back to trying to dress exactly like Elvis and swivel and sneer at the girls in poodle skirts as you ran a greasy comb through your pompadour. As the sixties picked up steam, the 50s knock-off group Sha-Na-Na, that performed at Woodstock, represented a more contemporary, acceptable Square music scene, attitude and dress. Now, with generation X, Y and probably zebra, Square is hip, cool and totally retro, dude. Very in, cachet and desirable. So your apartment can look just like the 1950s and mimic your grandparent's place without the scratches and dust and doileys. Squaresville is on South Tampa's popular South Howard Avenue, SoHo. It's been around quite a while and attracts a clientele of just about every age...except for some of our parent's generation who couldn't wait to unload their furniture and knickknacks from the 1950s because it was so dated (they moved to Scan design and never moved back.) On occasion there has been a really fine vintage car parked out front, a Ford Edsel or similar "cool" car of the era.

They carry all the things that you either remember from that time in American cultural history or think is representative of the period after the Korean Conflict (War) and before the Beatles invaded from England. Playboy shirts, wall clocks with Bettie Page and kidney-shaped coffee tables. Very vintage and of an era we celebrated on television from Dobie Gillis to Laverne and Shirley to the all-time classic, Happy Days. Apparently, everything we grew to associate with these TV shows and lovable characters is to be found in Squaresville. Clothes, furniture, poodle skirts and Go-Go boots. The funny thing is, the furniture you couldn't wait to have picked up and hauled away is for sale at places like this. The store attracts all sorts who hang out in SoHo. So you'll see folks on Vespas and the occasional Maserati coupe sharing the spaces out front. Open since 1998, it bills itself as Tampa Bay's Grooviest Store, and If it's out of style, it's in stock. That's really groovy, man.
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The Honest Scrap Award was given to this blog by Jacob of Creative Confections. This is a real honor and I am especially proud because it is given by a fellow blogger. Please check out Jacob’s really fine and creative blogs by clicking on the award at left (and visit Ocala Daily Photo, Cedar Key Daily Photo and The Villages Daily Photo, too) The award is bestowed upon Tampa Daily Photo because its content or design is, in the giver's opinion, brilliant. The Honest Scrap Award is for bloggers who post from their heart, who oftentimes put their heart on display as they write from the depths of their soul. In looking back at the origins of this award, I found that past recipients were all terrific bloggers and honestly gave of themselves. Every day they shared with us their special place in our larger world. I recognize and thank all who have come before me.

The Official Rules are as follows:

1. You must brag about the award.
2. You must include the name of the blogger who bestowed the award on you and link back to the blogger.
3. You must choose a minimum of six (6) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
4. Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog.
5. List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself. [This one I will attempt to comply with at a later date.]

So here, in no particular order, are the next recipients of the Honest Scrap Award, ones I think show brilliance in content or design (or both), but above all, honesty:


1. Avignon in Photos

2. The Skoog Farm Journal

3. Charleston Daily Photo

4. Livorno Daily Photo

5. Greenwich Village Daily Photo

6. Verona Daily Photo

Congratulations to each of my fellow bloggers. I hope you will decide to participate and find other blogs worthy of the award.

12 comments:

Lori Skoog said...

Frank...thank you so much for presenting me with the Honest Scrap Award...I'm honored to know that my Journal has been of interest to you!

Lowell said...

My kind of place, Frank! Congrats on the award...I think you deserve it!

Julie ScottsdaleDailyPhoto.com said...

great shot for today and funny too! I am glad you enjoyed the barrel cactus with the pineapple fruit on my site.

VP said...

You surely can't do this place in B&W, very good choice, I like even the reflections in the windows of the shop.

Thank you for the award, I really appreciate your intention, but please allow me to disregard these rules.

Laurent said...

Congratulations !

Lois said...

This place looks so interesting (and groovy)! I would be a frequent customer for sure! Congratulations on your award!

B SQUARED said...

Americana! Amazing stuff!

Small City Scenes said...

Only in the U S of A. LOL
"If it's out of style, it's in stock"
Too cool. I dig it, man. Oh Oh does that date me. Ha! MB

valeria said...

I love this shop... I wonder if it has a web site...I'll try to google it...

I am so very grateful for this important award you are giving to my blog! I really do appreciate it and congratulations for having received it yourself!
Please don't be offended if I will keep it all for me... I can't choose among my blogger friends and I dedicate it to all of them. What I usually do is is publish the award and the link to your blog.
THANK YOU!

Frank said...

Strangely, this wonderful and quirky little store does NOT have a website and it would be a place that I would bet would love social networking. Oh well. The store is just too cool.

valeria said...

Thank you for understanding Frank... I am so flattered by your appreciation. Ciao!

Ken Mac said...

thank you for the award Frank! much appreciated.