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McPhee started out in the 80's as a dealer in novelty "distressed goods." Their old store on Stone Way was originally a warehouse that they slowly crammed full of things like barrels of old enamel false teeth, plastic toys from the 50's and Rotary Club ashtrays. As time went by, they decorated it in the inimatable McPhee style.
Their new place (actually they've been there over ten years) on Market St. in Ballard is much bigger, but I still prefer the look and feel of the old store.
I once tried to negotiate a case price on Groucho Marx glasses so I could get a group photo at a research meeting that was discussing possible Y2K political violence from the extreme right. Most of the people at the meeting prefered not to be photographed, so I thought the Grouch glasses would make a good compromise. But nobody in the store was empowered to negotiate quantity prices, so the deal went a-glimmering. I strongly feel that at the old store we would have been able to seal the bargain.
When I first lived in Seattle in 1990-1992 I lived just a few blocks from their original store on Stone Way and went there at least once a month. I've been there fewer times since they moved to Ballard, but I still get there about once a year. It's not as cool as it used to be, but it's still cool, and something that's unique to Seattle.
P.S. I have the sushi bandages in the glove compartment of my car.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
