Keene's Model Railroad Shop on G Place in downtown Washington, D.C.. Long gone.
After leaving the world of O3R behind for HO at the ripe old age of, oh say, 10 years (~1954) Keene's was my 'haunt'. Clark Keene's store...a literal hole-in-the-wall of a place...only purveyed for the benefit of the HO market. But he was probably the friendliest, most smiling guy behind the counter I remember. Even as a pre-teen, I was treated with the same respect that he gave the crowd of adults in their ubiquitous Fedora's, white shirts, ties, smell-of-smoke suits that invaded especially during their lunch hour.
I remember even WALKING to the store (with Mom's permission!) from our home in the NW corner of the city...about 3 blocks off the Maryland state line...about 4 miles by the crow's flight. Quite a hike for this "free-range" kid!
More ften it would be a combination bus/trolley ride...again: "free-range" (Times surely have changed!!)
My most memorable purchase from Clark was a pile of sticks...a bundle of basswood per the bill of material accompanying an article in Model Railroader magazine. It was nearly Christmas. The magazine's December issue had a neat 2-story Santa Fe station construction article. Dad noticed the article and commented something like...'That looks like a fun project!'...and, BINGO!...No socks, ties, handkerchiefs for Dad this Christmas! What ensued on that Christmas morning as Dad opened that weirdly shaped bundle in Christmas wrappings is a whole story in itself. It took the next 50+ years to complete the station...Dad started the article's project, I finished it about a dozen years ago. (He had carefully saved the wood bundle's remnants...including scraps!...in a special box...which I carried around with the building's shell he had erected...through college, marriage, several relocations, a million distractions of life, etc..)
Yepper. Keene's. Clark Keene. For a few years thereafter...until high school graduation and off to college...Clark would acknowledge me by name when I came through the door. Talk about a very special hobby-encouraging relationship...to supplement Dad's interest/involvement!
BTW, Merry Christmas and a healthy, happiest, prosperous New Year to all!
KD
