Country store in Gordonton, 1939 - and the research behind the colorization.

There's a story behind every ad on the wall!

If there’s a photo I’ve been wanting to colorize since I started to explore the fascinating art of restoring historical photos (and therefore, the stories behind them), it’s this one. It has been done a few times by other artists, but I couldn’t let the chance to immerse myself in the research (notice all the banners and signs: that, to me, means “heaven” and “fun”) pass.

This is why I chose this photograph to be the first subscribers-only content of the newsletter. There’s so much to say about the research process and all the different stuff that I found along the way - and this is what I’m going to do.

Let’s get started!

(Prints are available here)

First, check the kerosene pump on the right and the gasoline pump on the left. Rough, unfinished timber posts have been used as supports for the porch’s roof. The brother of the store owner stands in the doorway.