A visit to Phil's Fruit and Vegetable Market in the 1960s, Phoenix, Arizona

Time-travel with me, and let's go to Phil's Fruit and Vegetable Market, which was at 51st Street and McDowell, in Phoenix, Arizona. This photo is from the Duke University site ROAD (Resource of Outdoor Advertising Descriptions) because they're interested in studying advertising, but I'm just interested in looking around. Come on!

The first thing my eye goes to are the cars, especially that sweet little MGA there!

Looks like the station wagon back there is a Dodge, and there are a lot of great old cars there, some from the 1950s.


That's a Chrysler Imperial there. I wonder who owns it, the guy walking there? Or maybe he owns the MG?

I wasn't in Phoenix back then, I got there in 1977, and I remember that there were still lots of places like this. In fact, in Glendale, where I live now, there were fresh fruit stands next to farms right up through the '90s. I loved to stop at them and look around, and I usually bought oranges. I remember the wonderful smell of these places!

Anyway, for those of you who are familiar with this area, which has changed a lot, the mountains haven't. Those are the Papago Mountains, which you drive past on McDowell going to and from Scottsdale.


So much changes in Phoenix, but the mountains remain. And OK, you've been patient with me, so here's a word from our sponsor:

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Thank you for visiting Phil's Market in the 1960s with me! Did you get enough oranges?



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