The Emporium has always held a special place for me. The little mall there that leads out to what is now the Carnation Cafe has always been charming. Thanks to Dave at davelandweb.com for posting the photograph above that shows the walkway, looking from north to south (i.e., from Carnation back toward the Emporium). The architectural details, inside and out, reflect the artistry and commitment of the builders, who wanted to capture the feeling of a turn of the century town.
As you walk out of the Emporium and down the corridor between the clock shop to your right and the toy shop to your left, you are immersed in a little slice of yesterday. Gingerbread carpentry details, high ceilings and crown molding create a feast for the eyes.
I particularly love the the old, curved glass awning that covers the doorway leading out onto West Center Street from the Emporium mall. The glass has criss-crossing lines of wire through it and the awning structure is capped with Main Street's famous light bulbs.
To your left are restrooms and behind those restrooms is the back stage walkway and the back side of the Jungle Cruise. As I recall, the dancing natives are near here, and, if you listen carefully, you can hear them chanting from over the Main Street rooftops.
The Emporium itself is a wonder of colors and Disneyana. Always has been.
Mugs, stuffed Mickeys, bumper stickers, plates, antenna balls, shirts, hats and related items fill the shelves and surround shoppers with Disneydom.
One should never pass up an opportunity to visit the Emporium while on Main Street.
It would be un-American!
---Mike
4 comments:
I will definitely make a stop here and try to hear the dancing natives on my next trip! 2 weeks away!
I love, love, love walking through here and just LOOKING. It is truly a marvel and a feast for the eyes. I am going to email you a picture I recently took. Hope you like it.
I guess you don't have an email link on your blog. Oh well, if you want the photo, feel free to email me.
This part of the Emporium was always the last stop on the way out in my youth.
The little storefront opening into the Flower Mart was a bookstore. Back then, it carried books other than pure Disney, although I got my share of cartoon storybooks here, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Bambi, etc. all still on the shelf at home.
But more importantly, as I grew up, there were books about science and the natural world that were not by Disney or about disney characters or movies, but had topical tie-ins to Nature's Wonderland, Primeval World or Tomorrowland. I still have those books too, The Living Desert, Life On Earth, The Golden Book of Physics (sounds like a joke, what sixth-grader would want a physics book?)
Anyway, I loved that physics book and it was a turning point in my life when i realized I was too dumb to be a particle physicist. I was sad, because the book made it sound like fun. Like living in the Adventure in Inner Space...in a House of the Future.
Now, the only books sold in the Emporium are cartoon movie tie-ins. That's even sadder than not ever being a physicist.
JG
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