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The Tamale
Montebello, CA |
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The Tamale has been here since at least the 1920s. The tamale-shaped building was originally a Mexican Restaurant. I believe it was still used as a restaurant until at least the 1980s. The building now houses Charley's Beauty Salon.
I don't know if this vehicle of a similar design from the 1920s was ever built.
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The Clam Box
Ipswich, MA |
Pizza Slice
Boston, MA |
Mammoth Cheese
Perth, ON |
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The Clam Box is a seafood restaurant in the shape of a take-out container. It was built in 1938 by Dick Greenleaf. The sign says "since 1935" so I assume there was either a different building or location for three years. Originally, it was just the Box itself which contained the kitchen and had takeout windows. The upper floor was used for storage. In 1961, the dining room addition was made. The walls inside are covered with articles about and photos of the place. There was a second location built in 1980 in Salisbury but I don't think it's there anymore and don't believe it was built in this style. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Pizza Slice was created for Jessica's Deli. The business is now Sam & Anne's Deli.
The Mammoth Cheese is a monumental tribute to the giant cheese that was produced in Perth for the Chicago Fair of 1893. The original, real cheddar cheese wheel was 6' tall, 28' around, and weighed 22,000 pounds. This full-sized monument was produced in 1943. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
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Cheese House
Wells, ME |
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Cheese House
Arlington, VT |
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The Wells Cheese House (now "Wine and Cheese Shop") was part of the Cheese House chain which had 18 cheese-shaped locations in New England. Apparently, there are only these two buildings left. The stores were built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were constructed of wood with a cut-out wedge for the entrance and windows. They are 9' tall and 40' in diameter. In the late 1970s, the chain disbanded due to financial problems. The Wells store became "The Cheese Wheel". New owners added a kitchen in 1982 and it became known as "Sparky's Take Out."
The Wells store now sells gourmet food, cheese and wine. It still has "Chucky" (another source says his name is/was "Tony" and another says "Chunky"), the 6' tall original mouse that held a wedge of cheese, on the roof as shown in the top photo from about 2002. In 2003, he lost an ear in a storm. In 2004, he was "roughed up badly" (legs broken) by some vandals. He is being repaired and will go back up on the roof soon.
The Arlington Cheese House, the first built of the chain, now barely resembles a wheel of cheese with its roof and add-on building. It appears from the postcard that Chucky, now gone, possibly had a bluebird on his right shoulder.
For more giant mice, see this page.
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Loaf of Bread
Urbana, OH |
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This giant Loaf of Bread is made of fiberglass. It is around the side of the American Pan building. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
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The Loaf
Elysburg, PA |
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The Loaf appears to be a former concession stand at Knoebels Amusement Park. The building looks like it is used only for storage now but there seems to be bread-making equipment inside as well.
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