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Main Street Flower Market on West Center Street “The world’s finest natural flowers not grown by nature” |
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Photo by Marion Caswell, 1975, courtesy Dennis Caswell |
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As you walk up Yesterland’s Main Street, U.S.A., spend some time at the Main Street Flower Market. It fills West Center Street, the narrow side street between Main Street’s Upjohn Pharmacy and Carnation Company Ice Cream Parlor. All the flowers are perfect. There’s not a wilted petal anywhere. The flowers aren’t just for show. They’re for sale. Buy a bouquet and carry it around Yesterland Park the rest of the day. Don’t worry about damage. The flowers are made of durable plastic. |
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Photo by Marion Caswell, 1975, courtesy Dennis Caswell Flowers and ice cream |
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Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1960, courtesy of Robin Runck Asphalt sales floor |
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Photo by Roger J. Runck, 1961, courtesy of Robin Runck Red, white, and blue blooms |
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The Flower Market is so colorful, it ought to be sponsored by GAF or Kodak. |
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Ever since Disneyland opened in 1955, Center Street—West and East—has intersected Main Street at the halfway point. The resulting city blocks make Main Street feel more like a real town. In 1955, the streets were mostly empty asphalt streets with sidewalks. You could imagine a horseless carriage driving around the corner—although both were short dead-end streets. West Center Street had restrooms and pay phones at its end. There were side doors to the Crystal Arcade and the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor. The Carnation Company truck was parked in front of the parlor. |
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Excerpt from 1968 Disneyland souvenir map © Disney “FLOWER MARKET” on the 1968 souvenir map |
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The Main Street Flower Market opened in 1957 on West Center Street—where it remained for 20 years. |
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Photo by Dennis Caswell, 1977 Flower Market on East Center Street |
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In 1977, the Carnation Ice Cream Parlor’s outdoor dining area expanded to fill all of West Center Street. The Flower Market moved across Main Street to East Center Street, where the 1977 photograph above was taken. Over the years, the Flower Market faded away. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2017 Wast Center Street, the orignal site of the Flower Mart, 40 years after it moved |
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West Center Street, the original site of the Flower Market, has been the Carnation Café since 1997. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2017 East Center Street at Disneyland |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2016 Seating for the Main Street Fruit Cart and Market House, featuring Starbucks |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2017 Pots with fresh flowers |
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East Center Street, the second home of the Flower Market, still maintains the story of an outdoor street market. The flowers are now just decor—but the flowers are real. Although not a colorful as the massive display of bogus blooms, the more recent market provides pleasant outdoor seating, while adding charm to Main Street, U.S.A. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2006 Former West Center Street at Magic Kingdom Park |
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The Magic Kingdom in Florida also had a Flower Market on West Center Street. Now, for all practical purposes, the park no longer even has a West Center Street. A 2001 expansion of the Emporium left only the slightest remnant of it. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013 An outdoor flower market in Dublin, Ireland |
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If you want an outdoor flower market with real flowers that you can buy, you’ll have to go to a real city. |
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© 1996-2020 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated July 24, 2020 |
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