Spinach Can Collectibles and Museum, Chester, Illinois - Summer Road Trip 2009 - Lomostop #13
written by dirklancer
on October 31st, 2009
, one comment
(1 vote)
By now you know my story: July 2009, 8000 km road trip, 3 generations, 1 van. Crazy? Yes. Lomographically limited? In no way whatsoever! I took along 10 cameras and 40 rolls of film. We passed through 10 American states and 3 Canadian provinces, and only drove slightly out of our way to find out where Popeye was born…
Elzie Crisler Segar was born in Chester, Illinois in 1894. That probably doesn’t mean anything to you. But the residents of Chester are fully aware of the importance of Segar’s cartoon creation…Popeye the sailor man! Many of the characters in the Popeye comic strip were actually based on real people who were living in Chester, and that is a big deal in these parts.
The shop is in the 1875 Opera House that was once owned by the man who was the inspiration for the character, “Wimpy”. Segar actually worked here when it was an Opera House.The lady working behind the counter at Spinach Can Collectibles is quite eager to tell you EVERYTHING she knows about Popeye…and it’s quite possible that she is the most knowledgable person on the subject…anywhere. Ever. If you’re short on time it might be best to stay out of the shop if no one else is around, otherwise you might never be able to get away ;)
The back of the shop is a mini museum with different display cabinets and shelving units dedicated to different decades of Popeye paraphernalia. It reminds me a little of an antique mall with obsessive compulsive disorder…but in a good way.
The couple that owns the shop is also very much involved in a community project that is building large statues of characters from the comic strip all over this little town…
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