Currin’s Drugs was located in St. Johns at 105 Philadelphia in this 1932 image; the photo is identified as being 7334 N. Philadelphia by today’s street numbering. An unknown itinerant photographer captured this scene and the era and photo style leads me to think this may be the same photographer who took the shots of our still unknown shops from a couple of weeks ago.
(City of Portland Archives)
Vintage Portland 
Ah, the memories I have of helping Mama saving and redeeming Green Stamps! That was something she could easily accomplish as we moved often due to Daddy’s job, building industrial-use water cooling towers. We lived in 26 states over seven and a half years, 1950-1958.
I never noticed it before, the current day drug stores we shop in at Osco, Walgreens and CVS don’t have any inviting window displays of merchandise for sale.
Notice the huge display in the right hand show window of thermos bottles … probably a big seller in the area with all the dock and river workers . Also note the phonograph 78 speed record in the same window with a small note ” records ” ………. Currins was still operating on a large scale, including a lunch counter, when I worked at U.S. National Bank across Lombard from the drug store.
Bud:
I was looking at that bank and wondering if it had been built around the time of this picture. The bank has some art deco elements in it. http://goo.gl/maps/rlHL What happened to the building Currins was in? Can you tell us about the other buildings that are reflected in the windows?
Dave,
I think the three story building across the street is the Central Hotel. It’s unrecognizable today in its current incarnation as Johns Tavern, but there are plans to completely restore it.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/02/st_johns_tavern_could_be_resto.html
Pocket knives $1.49, 98 cents, or 64 cents, whisk broom 49 cents, wallet 50 cents, curling iron 98 cents.
Tom Jones…your comment regarding store displays…the photograph immediately reminded me of all the shops in Multnomah, back in the 50’s! That was part of the lure to get you to come inside…and they even “displayed” the prices! I do miss that. It sure beats the hell out of today’s facades of cement blocks and outdoor stalls for shopping carts! Not a very welcoming image!
And Lynette…S & H Green Stamps! I can remember when my parents would get home from shopping, haul out the books, lick & paste and get all upset if some of the stamps stuck on anything cold or frozen in the grocery bags!
Dave …….. I think the bank was built in late 1920’s for the old independent ” St’ Johns National Bank ” , was an oldtimer who had worked at the bank as a ” runner ” , who was still a regular customer and had lived in the neighborhood his whole life … Once a year @ Xmas a trip to ” Portland ” he used to say ………. As with a lot of the old regional & area banking houses the depression forced mergers, closures, etc. as was the ” forced ” merger of St. Johns into Portland for debt service, etc. with the Depression …….. If you ever see the movie ” Mr. Holland’s Opus ” the bus scene was filmed in front of ” Currins ” near the films end ………. I think the building is still there but has since become an assortment of retail stores, etc. ….. Old St. Johns had it’s own ” feel ” about it that was much like some of the smaller Eastern Oregon towns and bank branches I worked at sometimes ….. One public high school meant most everyone knew everyone and lots of families occupied entire blocks of houses as kids married and settled close to family and friends
Great news about the plans for the Tavern… I really hope they work out.
I had no idea what was hidden under that facade!
Dose anyone know if there Is a website that will help me find the modern address of an old Portland area address?
Dennis – Here’s the official 1933 listing of old to new address conversions.
http://efiles.portlandoregon.gov/webdrawer/rec/2685610/
The priciest item in that window is $1.50. What is it? Looks like suspenders…maybe garters? It’s 3rd from the right along the bottom of the left window.
Any records in the store were probably Hit of the Week, which sold in newsstands and such places. They were 15c and pressed on laminated cardboard. There was also a celluloid disc called Flexo out of San Francisco.
Even these did not sell well in 1932 – no one bought records then unless you lived in the hills, where radio wouldn’t come in.