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Vape Trails: 12 Hot Vape Shops & E-Cigarette Retailers

31 Jul

[ By Steve in Design & Graphics & Branding. ]

E-cigarette and vaping supply shops have sprouted up like mushrooms in recent years but when it comes to branding, this youthful industry is still in a fog.

The electronic cigarette was invented in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist and since then vaping, supplies shops and lounges catering to vapers have grown by leaps and bounds. As with any new type of business, however, vape shops have had to grapple with branding, advertising and generally making a good first impression on (in many cases) first-time customers. Take “Generation V”, an e-cigarette and vape bar in Lincoln, Nebraska. We have to assume Gen V has some deep-pocketed backers as the biz has hit the ground running with a good location, a spacious interior and signage that just oozes professionalism.

Flickr member Loren Rye (eL Bz) visited Generation V at its official grand opening on January 30th of 2016. Note the thick haze subsuming the interior – London’s infamous pea-soup fog’s got nuthin’ on a packed vape lounge hosting a creative cloud competition on a frosty winter’s night!

Make ‘Murica Vape Again

Stay classy, vape shops… and if you can’t be classy, be AWESOME! That appears to be the route taken by the above garish-as-can-be “Drive-Thru Vape & Smoke Outlet” shop in New Church, Virginia. One wonders whether the convenient drive-thru format allows customers to browse the shop’s boasted “biggest selection” of vaping supplies but hey – check out that patriotic banner out front. Kudos to Flickr member Judy Gallagher (judygva) for capturing the shop in all its glory – or Old Glory – on January 17th of 2016.

E Din’t Do Dat, Diddy?

Leave it to the Brits (home of The Daily Mail) to push the envelope when it comes to punny shop names… and “Puff Dad E” is about as punny as it gets. Flickr member Matt Brown (Matt From London) just couldn’t resist snapping two store locations: in Waltham Abbey on March 14th of 2016 and in Osidge, London on May 18th of 2017. Time will tell if Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs can resist siccing his lawyers on the shop owners, whose website was still up and running at press time.

Come Up To The Lab

According to photographer ans Flickr member Ewan Munro (Ewan-M), the former Duke of Wellington pub in Shoreditch, London is now “The Vape Lab” e-cigarette and coffee shop. Munro visited The Vape Lab on March 29th of 2014 and the shop’s clean storefront, signage and spiffied-up exterior alludes to ongoing gentrification and social shifts in Shoreditch, an historic district in London’s East End.

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Vape Trails 12 Hot Vape Shops E Cigarette Retailers

[ By Steve in Design & Graphics & Branding. ]

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Battered: 15 Closed And Abandoned Fish & Chip Shops

04 Jun

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

Fish & Chips are famed the world over as THE quintessential English food so why are there so many closed and abandoned “Chippies” in their home country?

American fish & chip shops have suffered a decline as well, especially fast food seafood restaurant chains like Arthur Treacher’s and H. Salt Esquire – both the chains and the affordable stocks of cod that sustained them are pale shadows of what they used to be. Family-run chippies linger on, however, though the once-charming Porto Restaurant in Edinburgh, Scotland’s seaside Portobello neighborhood is no longer them. Flickr users Dave Sinclair and Fabio Menna snapped the shop in long-abandoned and newly-abandoned states, respectively.

Dog’s Breakfast

One would hope “Helen” was able to retire from retail fish-frying with a modicum of grace when her self-titled chippie in Maidstone (a suburb of Melbourne) went belly-up. Then again, maybe Australians just aren’t that into fish & chips, what with all that “throw another shrimp on the barbie” stuff. Flickr user Warren Kirk (Westographer) captured the closed, abandoned, boarded-up and unlamented (save for a disappointed-looking dog) “Helen’s Fish ~ Chips” on a sunny December morning in 2011.

Parson’s Nose Best

As if a chippie on the High Street wasn’t Brit enough, the owners named the place “The New Parson’s Nose”… wonder what happened to the OLD one? Regardless, the sign on the window states the shop is “closed for refurbishment” and you know what that means: it’s gone like last night’s last pint of ale. Kudos to Flickr user leon S-D (littleweed1950) who snapped this pub-like former fish & chips shop in June of 2016.

Taken Away

“Over the last 40 years or so (in Australia at least) the traditional old style strip of shops in the suburbs has come under pressure from large shopping malls,” states urbex blogger David Taylor. Just wait, Dave, those large shopping malls have begun to feel a similar sort of pressure from online retailers. There’s nothing like the unique ambiance and the sit-sown dining experience of a classic Chippie, mind you. Taylor snapped the above faded Seafood Take Away in Mt Gravatt, a suburb of Brisbane.

Over, The Rainbow

Fish & Chips, Burgers, Southern Fried Chicken and so much more… how could Rainbow Spicy Kebabs, snapped in the summer of 2013 by Flickr user Robby Virus, possibly go under? Well, they COULD have prepared all of those things poorly, for one thing. It just goes to show you, a prime location in the heart of London offers no guarantee your fish & chips (& more) shop will achieve lasting success. Also, rainbows aren’t colored that way. Just sayin’.

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Battered 15 Closed And Abandoned Fish Chip Shops

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Fading To Black: 13 Abandoned TV Repair Shops

22 May

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

TV repair shops, once fixtures of our tuned-in society, have faded away as televisions became more reliable and the broadcast medium itself lost its relevance.

Take Milbee Radio & TV, a tiny TV repair shop supposedly operating out of Elizabethtown, PA. We say “supposedly” because neither Flickr user Katie Burkey (StarPhotographs) nor Wendyvee of RoadsideWonders have been able to find anyone actually working there – “I think this shop might be abandoned, but I never knew for sure,” stated Burkey in March of 2011.

Aside from the minuscule size of the shop (and its queasy two-tone green paint job), the gloriously retro sign tells a story all on its own. Does anyone remember brand names like Admiral, Zenith, Philco and Quasar? How long since the word “RADIO” on a sign attracted customers? Last but not least, “COLOR” television was once a feature worthy of note.

Don’t Give A Hoot

The latest entry in the Anti-Zombie Fortress sweepstakes is the former Hoots TV Service on Highway 80 West, Fort Worth, Texas. According to Joan Carroll, the glass block-enhanced blockhouse dates from 1964 and was the third (and final) location of Hoots TV.

Screen Thy Last Screen

This Japanese TV and monitor repair, assembly and distribution center seems to have soldiered on until 2008, according to calendars found within by Florian and friends from the Abandoned Kansai urbex blog.

Like many Japanese abandonments, the business appears to have been closed in a hurry with much equipment and stock left in place and on shelves. Towards the end, the business serviced Sega arcade machines and monochrome computer monitors but couldn’t afford to retool when ponderous CRT screens gave way to flat-screen LCD and TFT-LCD displays.

Bad Dreams

Odd that microwave ovens were once categorized as electronic devices instead of kitchen appliances but hey, those were the days! Dream Lovers T.V. Shop (why the periods between T and V?) once sold and serviced televisions – and presumably microwaves – from this gritty shop in Nottingham, UK. Flickr user Rust Never Sleeps captured the shop’s well-aged storefront in late July of 2014.

Rough In The Dimond

This ultra-rustic TV Sales & Service shop languishes unlamented in the cold heart of East Oakland’s Dimond (pronounced “diamond”) district. Flickr user Billy (misterbigidea) snapped the shop’s weary weathered facade in late January of 2014.

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Fading To Black 13 Abandoned Tv Repair Shops

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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AnonyMouse: Tiny Rodent-Sized Shops Installed Along Swedish Sidewalks

15 Dec

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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It would be easy to miss this incredibly tiny rodent-sized shop set into a wall in Malmö, Sweden, if not for the lights advertising its red-and-white-striped awning and the miniature foods in its window. Crouch down, peer beyond the glass and you’l see an enticing array of nuts displayed like bread and meat. Then, all of the other details start to register, and you realize just how complex this installation really is.

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The miniature intervention is the work of AnonyMouse, an anonymous art collective posting images of the scene on Instagram. It features the ‘Noix de Vie’ (Nuts of Life) bakery alongside an Italian bistro called ‘Il Topolino,’ with a cafe table, picnic blanket and planter set up outside.

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The walls outside the businesses are plastered with tiny posters that say things like “peace, love & polar bears” and advertise a movie called “Night of the Were-Rat.” The bakery and restaurant are both full of minuscule framed photos and a tiny menu is posted outside the door. A spray-painted Guy Fawkes face bears mouse ears in a twist on classic Anonymous imagery.

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The gritty details of the scene really drive home its realism, from the peeling paint and tiny weeds in the sidewalk cracks to the weathered, padlocked utility box. The installation is a hit with passersby, and the creators say people have been bringing their pet rodents to visit.

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“Without spoiling too much we can tell you that we’re working on a new scene, and in 2017 you’re going to be able to see plenty more!”

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Installation & Sound. ]

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Silk & Sadden: 15 Closed & Abandoned Lingerie Shops

01 May

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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The thrill is gone and so are the thongs! These 15 closed & abandoned lingerie shops have nobody else to blame for their sagging level of support.

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Cue “Thunderstruck”… but whether you’re AC or DC, Thunder Lingerie and More is, er, no more. Located at 100 Greenwich Street in NYC’s Financial District, this boldly named ex-lingerie store was open as late as early April of 2011 as can be seen by the last of three images above. Kudos to Flickr users H Y (Haruko16), Scott Lynch (Scoboco), and Andy (ho_hokus) for capturing the late and lamented lingerie (and more) retailer in all of its Old Glory.

Secret Garden of Delights

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Lingerie AND flowers? Shoot, a fella’ could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff. But enough about strange love, The Secret Garden in Hamilton Square, NJ closed shop some time before Flickr user Brian McGann came across it on January 1st of 2009. “ASK ABOUT R HOT RESS”… nope, in this case ignorance really is bliss.

We Had Everything

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It would seem that even having everything (including “Bras Of All Sizes”) wasn’t enough to stave off retail oblivion for We Have Everything, a quaint and charming now-abandoned lingerie shop on Chicago’s gritty north side. Flickr user John W. Iwanski (Chicago Man) snapped the sad state of the screened & shuttered store on January 25th of 2011.

The Writing’s on the Wall

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Netherlands-based lingerie retailer Lindessa is still going strong but the outlet above, according to Flickr user oerendhard1, is closed tighter than the clasps of an outgrown brassiere. The photographer snapped the shop’s graffiti-encrusted exterior on a gloomy, overcast day in December of 2008.

Lead Us Into Temptation

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Jesus, what lovely knickers! You knew the Germans always make good stuff but were you aware their shop signs often fill viewers with shock and awe? Take CHRIST, for example, a lingerie shop whose mission it was to make perfect angels look their devilish best. One might’ve called it the best lingerie shop in Berlin, bar nun. Flickr user Squiggly Diggums captured the semi-sacrilegious storefront in Berlin’s central Mitte district on December 8th of 2005.

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Silk Sadden 15 Closed Abandoned Lingerie Shops

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Baker’s Doesn’t: 13 Sweet Abandoned Donut Shops

26 Oct

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Sorry Homer (and countless men in blue), these closed and abandoned donut shops have served their last sprinkled, frosted and/or creme-filled delicacy. DOH!

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An abandoned donut shop in Crown Heights? That ain’t kosher… and maybe that was the problem. Flickr user Anthony Fine (pop archaeologist) snapped the sad state of this boarded-up former Dunkin Donuts store on May 19th, 2014. At least a tree grows in Brooklyn; donut shops, not so much.

Panned Out

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How good was the food at Peter Pan Donuts & Restaurant? Since the owners put “Donuts” before “Restaurant” on their sign, you can probably draw your own conclusions. We’re sure Spinal Tap felt the same way after getting second-billing to a Puppet Show. Nice sign, though. Flickr users Randy Fox (congoeels) and Scott (scottamus) captured the abandoned and deteriorating Cleveland, Ohio “landmark” on various occasions between 2009 and 2013.

The King Is Dead

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Winchell’s Donuts couldn’t make a go of it at this Norwalk, CA location so “Donut King Croissant – Muffin” took a stab at it… and saw history repeat. Don’t people learn from the mistakes of others? Mind you, offering the “wholesale” option was a stroke of genius. Mmmm, wholesale donuts. Flickr user ozfan22 snapped the deposed Donut King on March 29th of 2009.

Unhappy

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Flickr user Lindsay Blair Brown Instagram captured Happy Donuts in all its abandoned glory on May 6th, 2012. She didn’t say where the colorful shop was but maybe sharp-eyed readers can make an educated guess based on its offerings: kolaches, croissants, biscuits, and breakfast tacos. Serving up these delicacies 7 days a week, how could this place ever close?

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Bakers Doesnt 13 Sweet Abandoned Donut Shops

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Hot Pop-Up Shops: 14 Imaginatively Risky Retail Designs

24 Sep

[ By Steph in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

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The temporary nature of pop-up shops seems to inspire a bolder, braver, more experimental approach to retail design, encouraging architects to make use of unexpected materials and play with shoppers’ perception. The resulting spaces are undeniably dynamic and often interactive, grabbing our attention so effectively, it’s wonder we don’t often see permanent stores this creative.

Minimalist COS Shop by Bonsoir Paris

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A simple framework system of joints and rods comes together into a geometric installation that serves both as racks for the clothing being sold, and a visual contrast within the stark space. The fuss-free yet graphic style by Bonsoir complements the simple lines of Swedish fashion label COS.

MOMO Recycled Pop-Up By Andy Tong

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Made entirely from recycled and reclaimed materials like wood, windows, bubble wrap and mirrors, this pop-up by Andy Tong for MOMO attracts attention in the center of a Hong Kong mall. The designer wanted a temporary space that would stand out against the comparatively sterile corporate identities of the mall brands.

Modular Wood Pop-Up Shop for COS

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A series of modular wooden elements come together to form a room-within-a-room reminiscent of studio apartment pods where everything you need is cleverly packed into one tiny space. Another creation for Swedish retailer COS, this pop-up for the Salone del Mobile furniture fair has a cozy feel, drawing in passersby without overshadowing the goods themselves.

Mirrored Philip Lim Pop-Up by Schemata Architects

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Schemata Architects play with reflection and symmetry to create a disorienting environment where you’re not sure what’s real and what’s illusion. Designed for fashion label Philip Lim, the space features needle-like pendant lights dripping down from the ceiling, glass-topped illuminated plinths and large mirrors facing each other.

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Hot Pop Up Shops 14 Imaginatively Risky Retail Designs

[ By Steph in Design & Fixtures & Interiors. ]

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Fender Bender Menders: 15 Abandoned Auto Body Shops

06 Sep

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Auto body repair requires extensive training and expensive tooling these days, setting classic independent auto body shops squarely on the road to ruins.

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Automotive innovations such as aluminum body panels and self-cleaning paint are cutting-edge today but they’ll be commonplace tomorrow, so if you’re thinking of taking the family ride down to (insert folksy name here) Auto Body next time you dent a door, fuggeddaboutit! End result: hundreds of abandoned auto body shops across the nation, from big cities to tiny towns like Keeler, California (population 66).

Post No Bills

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Indeed, neighborhood auto body shops are fading away… and so are their signs. Flickr user suism1 captured the rough and weathered “labelscar” above on January 13th of 2010.

Unclean Sweep

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“I doubt the Liberty Broom Works or the Kustom Paint & Body Shop have been at this location for quite a while,” comments Barbara Hullett of Hullett Photography about the gritty abandoned edifice above. Located in Liberty, North Carolina, the curious conjunction of defunct businesses begs the question: which one was abandoned first, the broom works or the body shop?

Them’s The Brakes

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Small auto body and car repair shops of a certain age typically share a similar style and structure – cheap, practical, and plenty of garage doors. Though modern quick-lube and oil change shops are often built on this type of plan, it’s rare that one of the chain stores takes over a closed or abandoned body shop. Flickr user Justin Wolfe managed to find two similar-looking abandoned auto body shops within a stone’s throw of each other in Newport News, Virginia, on September 20th of 2013.

Import Expired

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Owners of Ferrari, Porsche, Aston Martin and other exotic foreign makes must be scratching their heads, wiping their monocles and driving veddy cawefuwy since the Cutler Import Body Shop threw in the grimy, oil-stained towel. The Grandview Heights, Ohio establishment was captured in all its letter-shedding glory on February 7th, 2009 by Flickr user brew127.

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Fender Bender Menders 15 Abandoned Auto Body Shops

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

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Fender Bender Menders: 15 Abandoned Auto Body Shops

06 Sep

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

abandoned-auto-body-1
Auto body repair requires extensive training and expensive tooling these days, setting classic independent auto body shops squarely on the road to ruins.

abandoned-auto-body-1b