Thursday, May 17, 2007
CVS's New Doo!
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, CVS has gotten nostalgic at the corner of North Pershing Drive and North Glebe Road. Hanging in the display windows where the cheap swim gear and small hibachis should be, are classic photos of Arlington and our very own Buckingham neighborhood.
The photos will hang for the "foreseeable future," said Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for corporate CVS. No more removing Santas for Easter Bunnies for diving fins.
Copies from the holdings of the Library of Congress and the Arlington Public Library’s Virginia Room, these black and white prints, about two feet by two feet, cover photos from the 1860s to the 1970s.
"I think it looks great," said Norma Garcia, the manager of the store.
One photo is of a rather bleak-looking Buckingham Garden Apartment, taken circa 1970 after the leaves had fallen. Foreground bushes hide the front doorways of the building, so the metal railing leading to the basement takes center stage a bit. Not the best photo of our historic buildings.
However other photos include the Buckingham Theatre in what is now the Buckingham Station Post Office, and the Buckingham Shopping Strip, which has not really changed all that much since 1970.
"This basically is the décor that we’ve chosen for these windows," Mr. DeAngelis said.
Most CVS stores do not have the display space like the store in Buckingham, and it is a “bit of a hassle” to change out the different displays for different seasons. The windows allowed the company to think of permanent display apropos for the neighborhood, he said.
"We thought it would be a nice touch," he said.
A store in Old Town Alexandria has a similar display, Mr. DeAngelis said.
The photos will hang for the "foreseeable future," said Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for corporate CVS. No more removing Santas for Easter Bunnies for diving fins.
Copies from the holdings of the Library of Congress and the Arlington Public Library’s Virginia Room, these black and white prints, about two feet by two feet, cover photos from the 1860s to the 1970s.
"I think it looks great," said Norma Garcia, the manager of the store.
One photo is of a rather bleak-looking Buckingham Garden Apartment, taken circa 1970 after the leaves had fallen. Foreground bushes hide the front doorways of the building, so the metal railing leading to the basement takes center stage a bit. Not the best photo of our historic buildings.
You'll notice in this photo (maybe, you can't see it--it's the best that I can do with a cell phone), how little has changed between the 1970 photo of the Buckingham Shopping "Strip" in the middle of the photo, and the same Buckingham Shopping "Center", reflected in the window on the upper left the other day.
However other photos include the Buckingham Theatre in what is now the Buckingham Station Post Office, and the Buckingham Shopping Strip, which has not really changed all that much since 1970.
"This basically is the décor that we’ve chosen for these windows," Mr. DeAngelis said.
Most CVS stores do not have the display space like the store in Buckingham, and it is a “bit of a hassle” to change out the different displays for different seasons. The windows allowed the company to think of permanent display apropos for the neighborhood, he said.
"We thought it would be a nice touch," he said.
A store in Old Town Alexandria has a similar display, Mr. DeAngelis said.
Labels: Buckingham CVS History
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