Thread Number: 31454  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Vintage Photo: Central Vacuum Service, St. Petersburg Florida 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 347781   3/17/2016 at 02:10 (2,952 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        

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Here's a color slide that I won on eBay. Handwritten on the slide in pencil is "St. Petersburg" which, I assumed, referred to the location of the photo in St. Petersburg, Florida.

And sure enough, Googling came up with Central Vacuum Service, 2244 Central Ave Saint Petersburg, FL 33712. It must be the same store since the numerical street address matches, and it's apparently still in business.

It's really kind of an odd photo, with a gaggle of Shriners loitering about in front of the shop. I doubt they were all there for vacuum cleaners! They were probably getting ready for a Shriner's Parade -- or had just been in one -- as some of them are carrying musical instruments and flags.

If you look really closely, you can see a number of Kirbys in the left window, some with round belt lifters. One of them appears to be a Sanitronic -- you can just barely make out the pattern on the bag and the triangular belt lifter. There are also two of what appear to be those robins-egg blue Eureka uprights. I was a bit disappointed that there are no Electroluxes!

The date of the photo was not noted, so my best guess is around 1968-70 going by the cars although I am not a vintage car expert. They just look to me to be about that era.
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Post# 347782 , Reply# 1   3/17/2016 at 05:51 (2,952 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan)        
1965 or 66

 Oldsmobile Starfire. Porbably not brand new, as the banged in quarter panel shows.
A rare sight today, and very collectable. "Rocket V8 power" with the highest torque and horsepower offered. Probably the 425 cubic inch high compression with 4 barrel carburetor.
The early 60's Dodge Dart behind it has rust, so for a Florida car, I'd say your date is very close.

Post# 347788 , Reply# 2   3/17/2016 at 08:24 (2,952 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        

Photos like this are cool; I love looking to see what the place looks like in current day. Most often, the buildings aren't there, or are something completely different. Pulling up that address, it looks like the vacuum store is long gone and there have been some modifications to the building (painted, awning added, window on the side has been bricked over, windows on the front made smaller) and street (angle parking). It's still sort of recognizable though.

Thanks for sharing! I especially love the Hoover signage :-)

Post# 347790 , Reply# 3   3/17/2016 at 08:36 (2,952 days old) by rugsucker (Elizabethton TN)        
Parade Picture

 Great pictures.You often get scenes of downtown streets as background of Christmas or other parades.Often in high school annuals of 50s & later.
65 or 66 Oldsmobile is correct but this seems to be a more standard 88 and not the Starfire.I think the last I saw had wide lower trim with possibly exhaust coming out at lower rear sides.88s would include at different times-Delmont,Dynamic,Delta and maybe more.

Post# 347792 , Reply# 4   3/17/2016 at 09:32 (2,952 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        

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It's interesting [and saddening] that the building is an ice cream store now. That must have been a very recent change as that address still comes up as Central Vacuum Service in Google. See the screen shot below.

 

I wonder what happened to all those vacuum cleaners when the store was closed. Somewhere in a St. Petersburg landfill there's probably a mountain of old Kirbys, Hoovers, Eurekas, Electroluxes, Rexairs.......
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Post# 347793 , Reply# 5   3/17/2016 at 09:46 (2,952 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)        

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Interesting that the sign said "Rexair Branch", since Rexair branch offices were eliminated in 1960 when J.V.Sanders and T. Russ Hill bought Rexair back from the hateful Wards Industries (after leaving them with over 9 million dollars in uncollectable debt). If they were a Rexair branch office at one time, they couldn't have sold bojack cleaners.

Post# 347794 , Reply# 6   3/17/2016 at 09:50 (2,952 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

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I was thinking 66 Delmont or Delta 88

Post# 347797 , Reply# 7   3/17/2016 at 10:06 (2,952 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        

Well, then, not "long gone" I guess. :-) It is sad, and happens all too frequently.

Post# 347798 , Reply# 8   3/17/2016 at 10:07 (2,952 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)        

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if you look very closely you can see the front of what looks like maybe a model R Electrolux on the bottom left side

Post# 347799 , Reply# 9   3/17/2016 at 10:13 (2,952 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        

This picture, too, popped up when I did a google image search of the address.

Post# 347800 , Reply# 10   3/17/2016 at 10:18 (2,952 days old) by HooverCelebrity (Germany)        

And being in the mortgage industry - I know my way around a county tax assessor's website. LOL.

I found another query about older sales - looks like the building sold in 1992 and 1996 as well - rather, deeds were processed. I suppose that doesn't mean that the business in the building went away at those times.

Current sale data:



Post# 347802 , Reply# 11   3/17/2016 at 10:24 (2,952 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan)        
Do I see Kirby's, and or Royals in the window?

 sorry, I'm not able to see the LUX, but I believe you if you can.
As for the Oldsmobile, the roofline is unique to the Starfire for '65 and '66.
The Delomnt, and Delta 88's had a more swoopy fastback sail panel and rear quarter window. Also the Gill's in the lower front fenders.
I had an opportunity to drive a 1966 Olds 98 Luxury Sedan back in my twenties. It drove smoothly with so much low end torque.

Post# 347813 , Reply# 12   3/17/2016 at 13:50 (2,951 days old) by vacerator (Macomb Michigan)        
correction, Oldsmobile

 David, I did look it up, and you were correct after all. That is a Jetstar.
I thought the Starfire was the Olds sporty flag ship model before the Toronado.
It certainly was in 1964.
So they had the Dynamic 88, Delmont 88, and Delta 88. Subtle trim differences and engine horsepower.
I did love my 1976 Cutlass Supreme brougham. It was short lived. Stolen.

Post# 348045 , Reply# 13   3/20/2016 at 06:52 (2,949 days old) by magic-clean (FL-GA)        
Central

Vacuum continues in St. Petersburg with storefront and online sales.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO magic-clean's LINK
Post# 348049 , Reply# 14   3/20/2016 at 08:35 (2,949 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

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My grandparents had a 1965 Olds 98 the same color as that coupe and with the same wheel covers. You can clearly see the vertical rocket emblems on the rear quarter panel and the wheel covers. That iconic emblem made its debut in the 1965 model year and was used through 1996. Other Eighty-Eight sub-models included the Super 88 and Holiday 88 in the 1950s and 1960s and the Royale in the 1970s and '80s.

Post# 348117 , Reply# 15   3/20/2016 at 16:23 (2,948 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        

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To magic-clean : The link you referenced is for Central Vacuum Stores, Inc. in Clearwater, Florida -- not St. Petersburg. So I wonder if it's the same company.
Post# 348124 , Reply# 16   3/20/2016 at 20:48 (2,948 days old) by magic-clean (FL-GA)        
Yes

 it is the same company. Please see the link for information about the history of the store.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO magic-clean's LINK
Post# 348132 , Reply# 17   3/20/2016 at 22:32 (2,948 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)        

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Okay, great. Thanks for the detective work!!

 

I love the banner photo on their page. I'm going to post it here...
Post# 348348 , Reply# 18   3/23/2016 at 11:44 (2,946 days old) by electrikbroomgu (Rome, NY)        
Old photos

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Love seeing these older photos, especially of vac shops, hardware stores and car dealers. Everything has changed so much since 2001. It's as if they took most of Rome, NY( my home town) flattened it and started over all within the past 16 years. Even all the former grocery stores have re-located or built new stores leaving the old ones for Doctor's offices etc. Of course having Griffis Air force base close up during the late 90's had a lot to do with this.


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