'The Liquor Store -- 1969' - Limited Edition 1 of 15 Photograph

Much has changed in the world and in retailing since this image was taken in downtown San Francisco in 1969. This image was captured just after a visit to Associated Press's office in San Francisco where I found new work as a newsman after (on advice of Henri Cartier-Bresson I had just turned down their offer of a staff photographer's job). They kept me on as a newsman. At that time liquor sales and sales of many day-to-day products were controlled by manufacturers and distributors who fixed prices and called almost always inflated prices 'fair trade'. Under 'Fair Trade' a small liquor store owner, such as this man, was price protected so no customer could find a lower price for any individual product than he offered, and sometimes though the market would bear a higher than 'fair trade' price too. Manufacturers and distributors protected their market and obtained special, high prices by preventing mass markets from selling their products at lower prices, protecting small businessmen like this man and ensuring their products were available in more locations. At the time,and before 'Fair Trade' laws and similar laws regarding liquor sales in each state were repealed, small retailers such as this man were price protected and earned greater profits than if they were fully exposed to competition. Fair Trade was a form of price fixing. Although liquor in 1969 in San Francisco and California could be bought in such 'package stores', in neighboring Oregon and Washington (farther north) liquor sales were confined to state owned and operated stores that also sold liquor at highest market price and then only at special hours. Special liquor price supports,such regulations and even state owned liquor stores in neighboring Oregon and Washington were a holdout from Prohibition times. The retailing landscape has changed much since 1969. No longer are men such as this staring over more than a handful of private liquor store counters,,as supermarkets and other outlets are filled with lower priced bottles of spirits, and entire supermarket size stores sometimes are devoted exclusively to sales of liquor and other alcoholic beverages. Times have changed, and in that regard, this image is emblematic.

Photography:Black & White on Paper

Artist Produced Limited Edition of:1

Size:36 W x 24 H x 0.1 D in

Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.