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Cork Shop
1883
I bet you weren’t expecting two shops in our museum! Just have a look at what’s on offer in the window. Are you tempted by any of it?
So how come this shop existed just exclusively selling cork? Cork that had to make the long journey from Spain and Portugal to here at 51 Gardner Street?
In 1883 Tom Beall set up his cork merchant business. They produced items like bottle stoppers, placemats and quirky items like doll’s furniture and 3D pictures.
When plastics came into being, the shop became almost redundant. It did keep going though to reach its centenary before closing in October 1993.
Think of some of the shops you know now. Which ones do
you think might last the next 100 years? Are there any that you think might even end up in a museum?