Welcome back to Monochromes, a Friday mini-series wherein Curbed delves deep into the Library of Congress's photographic annals, resurfacing with an armful of old black-and-white photos of architecture and interior design of yesteryear. Have a find you want to share? Hit up the tipline; we'd love to hear from you.
Photos via "Library of Congress [LC-G613- 64691]
Today we take take a break from the regularly scheduled residential fare to have a look at the interiors of a department store in the 1950s. Burdines, the first of which opened in 1896, was known at times as "the Florida store" for its pink walls, blue ceilings, and large plastic palm trees. This particular outfit, photographed in 1953, seems to be lacking in the Florida kitsch, though it blessedly makes up for that with an abundance of authentic midcentury consumerist design. Every stick of furniture, every piece of lighting, and every scrap of signage is hopelessly 1950s—and that's saying nothing of the clothes.
· Burdine's department store [Gottscho-Schleisner Collection, Library of Congress]
· All Monochromes posts [Curbed National]
· All Dwelling posts [Curbed National]
· All 1950s posts [Curbed National]
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