E.M. Kahn & Co.

Main and Elm at Lamar, Dallas

Founder Emanuel Meyer Kahn, a Jewish immigrant from Alsace-Lorraine, France, founded the E.M. Kahn Company in Dallas in 1872. E.M. Kahn's was a retailer of classy (i.e. expensive) menswear, and thrived for 92 years as a family owned business. It was the oldest retail store in Dallas, as well as the first air-conditioned one. In 1969 the business was sold to Eagle Clothes, who through poor management and bad business practices eventually caused E.M. Kahn to declare bankruptcy. Eagle fell, too, soon after. For more on E.M. Kahn's demise see this post (a few paragraphs up from the bottom of the page).

Here's a photo from "Lost Dallas" of the E.M. Kahn store in the 1960s at the southeast corner of Elm and Lamar, across the street from where El Centro College is today (scroll down a bit to see).

The whole thread about E.M. Kahn at the Dallas History Phorum is pretty interesting.

Olla Podrida

Located at 12215 Coit Road just off LBJ Freeway, Olla Podrida billed itself as "The Working Artists Place." It was more or less a craft mall, although during the mid 1970s it occasionally featured exhibits by well known photographers or folk artists. It closed about 1996 and was demolished some ten years later.

See Best Repurposing of a Crap Mall from 2006.

Many thanks to reader Josh, for the scan of the above brochure, circa 1994. You should be able to click on the images to see them full size.

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I found an ad from 1976 listing a number of shops and some of the things you could see, do, or buy at Olla Podrida back then:

1912 Stained Glass Studio - leaded glass lampshade $65
A-B Interior Gallery - a batik painting for $10
Adobe House - a party kit sampler of Mexican snacks $5
A Lot of Racquet - 3 hrs of tennis lessons $19
Antojitos - Mexican hot dogs 75¢ each
The Apple Tree - fresh strawberry parfait 85¢
The Artist - oil portrait $75
The Assayers - a Buffalo nickel 1919-D $6
The Artist’s Eye - eight 2-hour drawing lessons $45
Bebus - gauze blouse withe eyelet lace insets from India $15.95
The Blue Anvil - sterling heart pendant on chain $11
Boogie Bear’s Toy & Friend Factory - stuffed Teddy Bear with your message embroidered on a heart-shaped collar $7.50
Buckle & Abetta Jewelers - 14 kt. gond pendant with cloisonné heart $60
The Busy Needle - custom designed needlepoint canvas from $8
Candy Art, Inc. - big red lollipop for 89 cents
China Belle - handpainted personalized mug $10
The Clock Shop - 100-year-old one-of-a-kind French marble clock, $50
The Copper Kiln - heart-shaped enamel on copper pendant, $4.50
The Copy Shop - old photos copied & restored, from $17
Debacle’s Wine Cellar - wine making kit $12.95
Dos Escultores - handmade jewelry
Eureka / Paper Tiger - baby dragon kite, 25 feet long $5
Final Touch - chambered nautilus shell $7.50
The Front Porch - sand cast candle $6
Geppetto’s - Snoopy hand puppet $6
Gourmet Junction - one lb. mocha java coffee $3.95
Gypsies, Beggars & Thieves - antique type tray $15
Handcrafted Crystal - crystal Cupid’s heart $20
Handmade and Co. - handmade quilt $50
The Hobbit House - handprinted rock with your message $7
Karat Top - one-of-a-kind ruby and diamond ring $600
Kathy Burks Marionettes - puppet show 75¢ on special occasions
Las Manos - four macrame lessons $18
Leather Loft - woman’s all-leather clutch wallet with checkfold $4
The Muffin Tin - fresh baked heart shaped cake $3.95
Olla Pod Gallery - Paolo Soleri bronze bell $5
Originalla - hand embroidered one of a kind cotton dress starting at $49
Patchworks - appliqued work shirts from $35
Pins and Bobbins - white linen handkerchief trimmed in handmade Belgian lace $7.50
The Poet’s Niche - a book of poems $4.75
Portraits by Mary Ann - pastel portraits starting at $15
The Poster Place - framed silkscreen of Robert Indiana’s “Love” graphic $16
Pottery Workshop - eight weeks potter lessons $75
Practical Drawing - a Valentine’s card for 35¢
Put It Together - clam shell music box $16
Rare Things - melon shell heart pendant $17
Reflection Gallery - mirror necklace $10
Shades of Green - a bromeliad (aechmea fasciata purpurea) $12.95
Sounds and Strums - one half hour guitar lesson $6.50
The Silver Mine - sterling silver graduated heist necklace with obsidian, shell, turquoise & ivory $118
Through the Keyhole - handmade doll house $25
Upper Crust - homemade strawberry shortcake 75¢ for big serving
The Woodshed - paintings on wood $150