What a Maniac!

Well, we've done it now ... we've got a little shop, where I'm partners with two other mid-century fanatics, who scour heaven and earth to keep the shop packed to the gills with one-of-a-kind finds for regular joes and janes like us -- people who appreciate great design and craftsmanship in furniture and housewares but can't pay an arm and a leg. The name, appropriately enough, is RetroMania. If you're in the neighborhood, stop in and get your goggle on. We're in Butler's Alley, an up-and-coming strip of shops behind Butler's Antiques at 2221 8th Ave. (south of Mexican Inn and north of Braum's).
Here's an idea of what you'll see.


This 9-foot midcentury sofa has the original fabric! (The cushions are sporting new foam.) The base is ebonized wood with curved-under Asian-style legs. Dunbar lines. Too lovely. It's $599, and there are 10% discount coupons at West and Clear and at Theater Jones.

Sigel's Sign Will Be Saved

The sign at the Sigel's Lemmon Avenue location in Dallas appears to be safe, the Dallas Observer reports. The sign, a long-time monument to googiness in Big D, will be soon leaving its current location due to the demolition of the Lemmonwood Shopping Center, but officials at the company are saying not to worry, the sign will find a new, yet-to-be-determined home. Whew.

R.I.P. Maurice Jarre

There are probably three movie themes that say the 1960s for me -- Goldfinger is one. The other two belong to three-time Academy Award winner Maurice Jarre, who died last week at age 84. Those are Lawrence of Arabia (above) and Doctor Zhivago (below).