The Old London Hat Shop
p.1 #1The Old London Hat Shop
Way back in the mid-70s there was a little old hat shop in the downtown area and my wife heard it was going to close so she asked me to take a photo of it. She liked the shop and the little old lady who ran it and didn't want them to disappear without a trace. I managed to get in with my camera on the very last day and the lady agreed to let me photograph her in the shop and as she was leaving for the last time at the end of the day. The building was torn down shortly after I shot these and replaced with a very ugly State office building (recently sold to a developer and scheduled to be demolished. I just pulled the negatives out of my files for scanning a few days ago.
Brent
Hat Shop Owner
London Hat Shop, 1978
Brent
Hat Shop Owner
London Hat Shop, 1978
Sep 05, 2026 at 11:34 AM
p.1 #2The Old London Hat Shop
That reminds me of my Aunt's Millinery shop in downtown, in Celina, Ohio.(circa early to mid sixties) I used to go on Saturday mornings and sweep the old, old hardwood floors and the sidewalk outside,
Thanks for the reminder, Brent!
Douglas
Thanks for the reminder, Brent!
Douglas
Sep 06, 2026 at 08:03 AM
p.1 #3The Old London Hat Shop
The era ... your shopkeep reminds me of my Great Grandmother.
A nice record of history.
A nice record of history.
Sep 06, 2026 at 02:35 PM
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p.1 #5The Old London Hat Shop
Ah, the Good Old Days. The second picture is truly memorable.
Sep 09, 2026 at 06:57 AM
p.1 #6The Old London Hat Shop
Fantastic portrait Brent. Sadly, this is the same fate many old businesses are facing, especially in rural America. So many of these small, family owned businesses are disappearing, taking with them a piece of the history and character of the communities they served for generations.
I think it was a wonderful idea to photograph the lady and her business on its last day of service. That makes the portrait even more meaningful, it’s not just a photograph of a person, but a record of a place, a story, and a piece of local history that might otherwise be forgotten. A beautiful way to preserve that moment before it disappeared.
Marcelo
I think it was a wonderful idea to photograph the lady and her business on its last day of service. That makes the portrait even more meaningful, it’s not just a photograph of a person, but a record of a place, a story, and a piece of local history that might otherwise be forgotten. A beautiful way to preserve that moment before it disappeared.
Marcelo
Sep 09, 2026 at 07:01 PM