The other day, I mentioned Il Pastificio — the great new Italian restaurant — to someone.
“It’s near Capuli, Finalmente, Jeera Thai — you know, across from the old post office,” I described.
She looked at me blankly.
“I mean, Design Within Reach,” I said.
Ah, yes.
The post office has been gone from Post Road East — well, on it — for over a decade.
Hundreds of Westporters have moved in since 2012. They think that dinky little 2,700-square foot Playhouse Square hole in the wall, with poor parking and even less ambience, is what we deserve for a post office. (Fun fact: Before opening in 2012, it was Derma Clinic. Even earlier, it was Friendly’s.)
Once upon a time, we had a real, 7,000-square foot post office. A WPA project, it was dedicated in 1936.
And it looked just like a post office should:
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50 Years Ago This Week:
The Remarkable Book Shop ran a full-page ad promoting, in part, “our new garden courtyard and our version of the Left Bank Stalls of Paris!”
The ad featured a rendering of the new setup by local artist Arthur Cady, whose career included more than a decade as art director at Young & Rubicam. (Hat tip: Fred Cantor)
And what did those stalls look like a few years later?
Here are two views:
(Photo/Fred Cantor)
(Photo/Gail Comden)
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Thank you Fred! Wonderful time to grow up in Westport. Mrs. Kramer and Mr Kramer two of the best!
Those were good days in Westport.
Dan – You’ve done it again – brought tears to my eyes. The bookstalls were my mother’s pride and joy. And yes, those were tWestport’s good old (much missed) days. Perhaps the courtyard is “haunted” by many literary memories. Best to all.
To know the Remarkable Bookstore was to love it. I breaks my heart to see the wonderful pictures you posted.
Nothing will ever equal the combo of Remarkable + Klein’s, but, I must say, the Westport Book Shop / Barnes & Noble (in its ‘new’ location) combo is not too shabby
Wonderful memories……. thank you.
Katie Chase, gone for years now too, and I were once talking about getting somewhere in town. Our route included so many “used to be” places, including the toy store and Winnie the Pooh and his balloon, that if someone could follow the directions they wouldn’t have needed them because they’d been in town so long.
Change is natural but it isn’t always welcome or good.
“Go past the Clam Box, Big Top and Grand Union. Take a left at Franklin Simon …”
i remember the sweet RBShop kitty cat!!!
I believe that is Roz Koether in the top photo of the Remarkable Book Shop. Also, a small correction about Friendly’s — it wasn’t where the post office is now, it was actually over to the left in the corner.
Patrick, I think you’re wrong about the location of Friendly’s.