Then & Now: Do you know where this is?
Shack's. Kennedy's. Lujon's. House of Doherty.
The landscape was once dotted with independent clothing stores, when dressing up was common, close to the norm. Proper dress was expected in the workplace, the doctor's office and the pew.
Wardrobes went beyond casual.
And at some clothing stores, the man measuring waistlines was the same person whose name lined the front of the building.
That was the case for Al Vuona, who as a young man in the early 1950s made the switch from clothing-store worker to clothing-store owner.
Eventually he opened multiple stores in the region, anchored by the store shown in this week's Then photo. Vuona kept with the trends, adding tuxedos and uniforms to his offerings.
Nearby were independent shoe, jewelry and sporting goods stores.
For a time, in addition to selling clothes, Al Vuona's store was a regional claims center for the Massachusetts State Lottery.
By the mid-1980s, after more than three decades making others look good, Al Vuona sold his business. He had enough. He wouldn't miss the long hours, but he'd miss his loyal customers.
"I might have rented a tuxedo years ago to a guy getting marred. Now his kid come to me to rent something for his prom," he told a Telegram reporter at the time.
See tomorrow's Telegram & Gazette, and telegram.com, for the answer.
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This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Then & Now: Do you know where this is?
