This fascinating photo of Bill’s Smoke Shop shows its original kiosk location on the southeast corner of Main and Elm Streets — where the condos next to Vineyard Vines are now.
(Photo courtesy of Christopher Maroc, via Facebook)
It subsequently moved across Main Street, to what later became Westport Pizzeria, then ultimately to Brooks Corner, on the ground floor next to the stairs.
For those under a certain age who never heard the term, a “smoke shop” offered — along with cigarettes and cigars — candy, sodas, ice cream, newspapers, magazines and the like.
As the sign says, this one also sold hot dogs.
When Bill’s expanded into its final location, there was a full lunch counter — and arcade games and pinball machines in the basement.
Carmine’s was another popular smoke shop. It was located on Post Road East, not far from Main Street — between the Fine Arts movie theater (now Barnes & Noble) and Colgan’s (later Thompson’s) Drug Store (today, Tiffany).
Is Westport better or worse without a smoke shop today? Click “Comments” below.
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Watch any TCM movie from the 1930s through the 1950s and everyone is smoking! Bank tellers used to smoke in banks. Nowadays there’s vaping. My suggestion is don’t smoke and don’t vape.
And they used to let you sit on the floor and read the comic books and MAD Magazine.
I certainly have wonderful memories of riding the Minnybus downtown, withdrawing $2 from my shiny new County Federal Savings Bank account, and then walking to Carmine’s, where I’d spend it on candy which I would then devour at Jesup Green while I waited for the next Minnybus home.
If I am recalling correctly, I recall Carmine was a thin man, had a high pitched squeaky voice with an accent. Sold me Marlboros (and Mad Magazine) when I was in Jr. High back in the early 70’s.
It sold Brooklyn egg creams too at the counter! My Dad loved them! I bought my Young Miss, Tiger Beat & then Seventeen Magazines there as well as my beads to make necklaces. My brother bought rolling papers. 🙂 Loved that store!!!
My uncle carmine ran that store he was great with kids and was a good man.
adding circa dates would make these photo’s much more interesting and historical
I’ve been looking for a photo of “The Original Bill’s Smoke Shop” for years. In the late 40’s and early 50’s this was the place everyone stopped for penny candy (or 5 cent Hershey Bars), the Norwalk Hour (at 5 cents until it went up to 7 cents) and cigarettes (25 cents/pack), etc. Kids from Weston that were visiting Westport for the day would wait for a neighbor to stop by and ask for a ride home (I did that often). There were only 2 or 3 parking spaces available in the street but they cycled quickly.
How did I get this old?
When Bills was on the corner of the Oaks Automotive property, Westport was a “small town.” You knew the owners/shopkeepers by first name when you walked down Main Street. There was a closeness of extended family… It felt like home.
I will always live in that old westport. The new westport is like living in a simulation. Its like a dream where you wake up and its the future. Same place ….only the charm is gone…. however smoking was very popular among small children. Smoking at staples was very popular. Everybody smoked…. so the smoke shops were busy centers of the community. Bars also. I loved smoking and drinking from a very young age… yes it was better back then. Obviously smoking and alcohol are killers the only reason im alive now is that my parents forced me to go to rehab at 16. That picture is amazing. It would be cool to have ai pictures of westports past.. you know ..westport deep fakes