31 October 2024
Not sure if this caused a stir in 2013 when I took the photos, but the sudden loss of two Edwardian shop houses in Burwood Road East Hawthorn, near the Tower Hotel looked bad. They were replaced by a small set of apartments completed in 2016 which sort of fit in, I think largely thanks to height controls. They were designed by Ola Studio, and promoted as recognising the heritage, by using recycled bricks (!), but also with that matching height timber veil. In 2013, I thought that there was a review that might list the remaining shops, but no, that never happened, so they will presumably be replaced one day too. Never mind, can’t keep them all. Just noticed the ghost sign that was exposed briefly; nice to know you could get bread that was unadulterated.
Storey of Melbourne 
The shop on the corner was Hawthorn Hobbies which we would go to as teenagers in the 70s to buy supplies for the model boats we constructed. I remember one of the staff that served us was Ron Blaskett, ventriloquist, but there was no sign of Gerry Gee!
LikeLike