Usually, a matchcover doesn't question you, it tells you: the place, the address, the phone number. It wants you to know exactly where you picked it up from.
Then there are the matchcovers that brazenly ask just where you got it- then make you look inside for the answer- each time you need a match.
Needless to say, there's a novelty to it though sometimes it's worded a little differently. "Now Where Did I Get This?" is the G-rated version, and readers may recall the KC Matchgirl featured the PG- rated version for her blog premiere titled "Where The Hell Did I Get This?" (July 2013). The answer inside is also G-rated: from Clay Widener of Moore Reality Co. in Denver, CO, who has probably gone to that real estate listing in the sky by now.
The flipside of this stylish punctuation mark asks "Why Not?" then just gets silly by stating "We Never Close, Open 24 days a week, 7 hours a day" across the saddle. "Why Not" what? When are they open? When do they close?
Well, let's flip it open and find out! "It's Top's for HOT APPLE PIE", "Denver's Quality Drive-In Restaurants", 2 addresses listed... So "Why Not?" eat at Top's? or "Why Not?" eat HOT APPLE PIE?
The KC Matchgirl just doesn't know-
Are they open 24/7 or 7/24? Are customers expected to eat HOT APPLE PIE in their cars? Because the KC Matchgirl remembers the drive-ins of the 1960's (where you ordered your food then ate it in the car) and her parents constant harping about spilling ketchup, soda, or ice cream inside the car, much less HOT APPLE PIE!
They would be sure to tell you "Why Not?"
Come on, kids! Hop in the car! We're going on a road trip to search for the cutest matchbook EVER. And, if we're lucky, it will have a petting zoo, pony cart rides, a candy shop, AND a toy shop, for a full day of family fun.
Here's the place, Honey Bear Farm, at the shore of Powers Lake, Wisconsin. Once a bucolic family farm, it was purchased by Julia Kraft, founder of Mrs. Steven's Candies, in 1953. The original farm buildings were converted into shops and a restaurant, featuring "grandma-style" cooking with signature menu items: honey bread and honey salad dressing. The Honey Bear mascot appeared on mugs, T-shirts, and other gift items.
After nearly 20 successful years, the 18-acre spread was sold to Carson Pirie Scott, better known as the big Chicago department store founded in 1858.
Of course, changes were made and not always for the better, then the popular restaurant burned down in 1977. Even though it was re-built, business continued to falter and the whole operation eventually was shuttered.
The farm where Honey Bear and the children of Wisconsin used to frolic and play is no more. The only trace of what used to be is a place on the lake called "Honey Bear Bay".
Matchbook Circa 1974
The Inside Story: Honey Bear Beckons You Spend a dozy day of leisure at Honey Bear Farm. 18 acres of rolling meadows on the shore of Powers Lake. Fun for the whole family...pony-cart rides to penny candy for the kids...luncheon (or dinner) like grandmother used to serve...gift cottages filled to brimming with home-made bread and pastries, hostess whimsies, countrified casual-wear and more. Carson Pirie Scott & Co. credit cards honored.
The early collection of the KC Matchgirl centered solely on the local places she had been. All that changed when an uncle gave her The Sack. This plain brown paper grocery sack, which was found in the trash pile, had wondrous items inside- matchbooks from other places! From hotels, motels, restaurants, bowling alleys, to lounges & coffee shops. All used, from a man who obviously smoked everywhere he went, from city to city, especially in Denver.
Sorting through the contents was like an archaeological dig, discovering the unknown smoker's life through matchbooks: where he ate, had a few beers, cashed his paycheck, even where he worked- United States Air Force.
After a visit to the SAC Museum in Ashland, NE, it finally dawned on the KC Matchgirl there was a matchbook from that sack with the same logo displayed there...
The Strategic Air Command shield logo features an armored fist gripping lightening bolts, which represent speed and power, and olive branches to symbolize peace. The shield was designed by Airman 2nd Class Robert T. Barnes during a contest in 1951, which netted him a $100 savings bond for the winning design.
Using the personnel and facilities developed during World War II, it was first established as the Continental Air Force in 1944. 2 years later the unit was re-designated as the Strategic Air Command. Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO was home to the 703rd Strategic Missile Wing and the 451st Strategic Missile Wing Titan 1 units from 1958 to 1965, when the Titan ICBMs were removed.
In 1992, a united command was renamed US Strategic Command and the shield logo was retired.
This 40- count matchbook dates to the late 1950's to early 1960's.
The show just started, let's take our seats. Just look at the pianist, pounding out those chords. Now the trumpeter leans back to hit those high notes- and the drummer beats the cymbal on his head!
So glad you could make it tonight, and join the KC Matchgirl at Taylor's Supper Club in Lakewood, Colorado. From 1948 through 1982 ,
owner Sammy Toole booked the best musical comedy performers to his famous venue and served 500 dinners on a busy Saturday night.
The regular house band, The Taylors, represented on the matchcover, were popular enough to make recordings that were autographed and sold at the club so patrons could play the album on their hi-fi (stereo) back home. Through the magic of today's internet, the recordings can be found on eBay and a home-movie band performance can be viewed on YouTube.
The marque at Taylor's went dark when the owner decided he didn't like the performing acts that were available in the early 80's. The building was sold and later operated as various discos and nightclubs before becoming vacant.
In 2001, the building was remodeled and reopened as the Rocky Mountain Endoscopy Center, housing multiple physicians and specialists. Many a patient, while sitting in the gastroenterologist's office, can reminisce back to the days when the building was filled with diners, drinkers, and dancers instead of doctors.
Taylor's Supper Club, 7000 W. Colfax Ave. circa early 1960's
Las Vegas is a happening place, but what's not happening is the preservation of old structures, such as the one pictured on this matchbook from the Hickory Wood Bar-B-Q. The first thing the KC Matchgirl thought when she noticed the address was, "Bet that building isn't there any more!"
In fact, 315-17 Fremont is not an actual address any more either. The whole block has been consolidated as one address, 301 Fremont, where The D Las Vegas, a 638 room hotel/casino now stands. Prior to 2012, the hotel was known as Fitzgerald's, and prior to 1987, was known as Sundance. How long Hickory Wood was in business has been hard to pinpoint, but its fate as a small business was probably sealed when the Golden Nugget Casino opened two blocks away in 1946, which lead to the Fremont Hotel opening in 1956 a mere block away.
Meat smoking on a grill has since been replaced by neon and blinking lights. Fremont, one of Las Vegas' original platted streets dating to 1905, now boasts the Fremont Street Experience, a canopy that stretches four blocks, from Main to 4th street. This 90 ft. barrel-vaulted structure cost $70 million to build in 1995. The pedestrian walkway's highlight is a nightly music-enhanced light show that runs hourly from 6 pm to midnight. Originally, the technology used incandescent bulbs, but a $17 million upgrade in 2004 switched to a LED system.
It all sounds like quite an experience, unless you just want to sit down in a small joint and chomp on some tasty looking "Q"...
Matchbook timeframe: 1940's, due to the 4 digit telephone number and artwork style.
The KC Matchgirl knows that you think she's made a major typo in her title for this blog, but in this case "Cupple" and not "couple" is correct.
This unassuming little matchbook actually has quite a tale to tell, and the first clue comes from the part of the matchbook called the saddle (not pictured) which reads "Top Quality Since 1851". The second clue is in the address, St. Louis 2, MO. The "2" is a postal code used prior to the current 5-digit Zip code, which dates the matchbook at more than 50 years old. So by the time this matchbook was produced, the company had already been in business for more than 100 years!
But "Good Housekeepers" is not not the name of the company, nor does it have anything to
do with the well-known "Goodhousekeeping Seal of Approval".
As the matchbook implies, we're going to start in 1851, when a young Samuel Cupples (1831-1912) arrived by steamboat to St. Louis to sell a shipment of wooden buckets, churns, and utensils. He was so successful that he decided to stay and build his business. By 1882, he had incorporated his business as Samuel Cupples Woodenware Co., distributing 1,000 items from 200 suppliers of household products. Over the years, he built a complex of warehouses (Cupples Station) of 23 warehouses in downtown St. Louis, connected by rail lines at the riverfront to facilitate loading goods.
In 1900,
Cupples expanded his product line to include paper products when he purchased an envelope company. By then he had joined the Board of Directors at Washington University, donated company assets worth 4 million dollars and funded the construction of 3 campus buildings. His 1890 Richardsonian Romanesque mansion was purchased by St. Louis University and stands today as a well-known landmark.
The company expanded once more in 1917 to include rubber and charcoal products, becoming the Cupples Manufacturing Co. A short list of products includes napkins, toilet paper, waxpaper, paper towels, brooms, clothespins, clotheslines, Mason Jar lids, and matches.
Since none of us have any of these products on our shelves under this company name these days, it is safe to assume the company has gone out of business. Even after consulting historians at the St. Louis Public Library, there is no clue what year the company ceased being a viable business. By 1965, portions of his warehouse complex were coming down to make way for Busch Stadium and I-64. Some warehouses still stand and several have been transformed into hotels and lofts. While there are businesses located in St. Louis bearing the Cupples name, it is unknown if or how they are related to the original business started in 1851.
Note: While the Cupples Company manufactured matches and matchboxes, the matchbook pictured was made by a different company.
Come on over and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and join the KC Matchgirl at the fireside for a chat.
While we relax and enjoy the warmth of the flickering flames and gaze at the towering pine festooned with baubles and beads, I will tell you a story of a Christmas matchbook from long ago...
It all began with a little girl who was charmed by the cozy fireside scene on the cover and the size of it. She had never seen a matchbook so big and it held 10 large wooden matchsticks. Her father had gotten it from the bank and yes, she could have it once the adults had the chance to use all the matches inside. One by one, the matches were used and the little girl got her prize- an empty matchbook to add to her growing collection. And when she grew up, she became the KC Matchgirl. The End.
Anyway, this giant matchbook is 4 times the size of a regular matchbook. The fact that it contained wooden matches probably meant they could be used to light a fireplace, such as pictured on the cover, but alas, our home did not have one. Despite the traditional American scene on the cover, this giant was actually Made In Italy. Inside, the imprint reads "Compliments of North Kansas City State Bank". Also known as Norbank- "Let Norbank Be Your Bank", it was located in what we called downtown Northtown. Since it's Christmas time and you've got a lot to do, I'll not delve into explaining Kansas City geography. It's so cozy here I'll just put another log on the fire and stay a while longer. Thanks for stopping by!
Time frame: 1970
Matchbook dimensions: 3 1/4 X 4 1/4 inches
Business information: Norbank, 401 Armour Rd., North Kansas City, MO. Currently a Country Club Bank branch location.
