Friday, May 6, 2011

Salvation Army Family Store, Leeton

Salvos Family Store, LeetonWednesday's post on the wonderfully named Leeton local newspaper, the Murrumbidgee Irrigator, drew some interest from Jason at Leeton Tourism so, since I'm on a roll, I decided to feature another building from this surprising NSW Riverina town.

This is 33 Pine Avenue. It was designed by George W A Welch, who seems to have designed a lot of the Art Deco buildings in Leeton. It was built 1935-36.

Obviously the main feature is the stepped roofline and the fin in the centre of the building but the stepping of the verandah at the entrance is unusual. I haven't seen it anywhere else.

Salvos Family Store, Leeton

Here is Robin Grow from the Art Deco & Modernist Society making that exact point. You can make out the people on the Art Deco walk reflected in the windows. At least I think that is what he was telling them. I was in the middle of the road taking photos.

Salvos Family Store, Leeton

Reference:
Art Deco Walking Tour Booklet, Leeton Art Deco Festival, April 1-3 2011, Prepared by Robin Grow, President, Art Deco and Modernism Society
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2 comments:

  1. HelsMay 6, 2011 at 8:08 PM

    The stepped roofline and the fin in the centre of the building are the factors that make this small shop typical of 1930s rural shops, picture theatres and religious outlets (if it was originally for the Salvos in the mid 1930s). The taste for Deco must have been so strong that it influenced everyone, regardless of what they were building. I love that concept :)

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  2. David ThompsonMay 6, 2011 at 11:05 PM

    Thanks for your comment Hels. Art Deco did influende everyone as you say in rural towns there are cinemas and shops in deco style and in places religious buildings too ... but not here. The building wasn't originally built for the Salvos. It was for local builders, Kinlock Bros.

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