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Washington, D.C., 1919. "McCrory's 5 and 10 Cent Store, Seventh Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
Below is the same view from July of 2017.
I do believe Rule 292 is correct on the identification. Must have been a hoot to ride in the snow.
The Woolworth store mostly out of the shot on the left is still there, and now hosts a Hill Country Bar-B-Q. The Keppler Building, however, is gone. Replaced by a highrise with a China Chilcano restaurant on the ground floor.
Now THAT looks like fun - looks like some type of HD - perhaps a model J with a sidecar and knobby tires. Sixty one cubes (1000 CC's) of fun.
I sense a little ambivalence on Mr. McCrory's part regarding the family name -- was dropping the "e" a marketing move? And did it make him a renegade, or bring shame on the family? At least the cornice markings remain clear about the "McCrorey" legacy.
[It's all explained here. - Dave]
To light the kerosene tail light on Reisinger's Ford truck takes a tall person. Cars and trucks wore winter outfits, qv.
This store 10 years later was posted 2 years ago on Shorpy www.shorpy.com/node/15005. As noted in that posting, in 1929, the boiler in the basement exploded which demolished the first floor and killed six people.
[Also the place was gutted by fire on Feb. 13, 1912. - Dave]
Driving in snow must have been quite an adventure back then, I seriously doubt the tires could provide anywhere near the traction modern tires can. Not to mention the creature comforts of trying to keep warm.
Based on the shape of the gas tank, I'm thinking that's an Indian motorcycle with the side car. The square tiles between the store front and the sign were black glass. My wife and I did some remodeling to her store front years ago and found that the same black glass tile had been covered up by T11 siding years before. Would have liked to uncover it but too many pieces were broken and couldn't afford to replace them. Is there someone in last window on the right on the second floor?
This store was the scene of a horrific explosion a decade later.
Three (visible) "McCrorey's" vs. two "McCrory's". Only the Big Guy himself can straighten this one out.
On Shorpy:
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