The sign fragments in the photo are Berkshire Sausage and Charles B. Althoff, 620 O St. N.W., dealer of bread, pies and cakes. The faded sign is N. Auth Prov'n Co., Wholesale & Retail. Smaller signage includes Positively No Checks Cashed and These Stands Close Sat. at 6 P.M. During June, July & Aug.

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Washington Post, October 19, 1924

Ask For Auth's Always!

Steaming hot, crisp, tender, nutritious — just as good to your stomach as it is to your tongue. No wonder thousands of well-fed families start the day with Auth's Sausage Meat regularly.

Auth's Pure Pork Sausage Meat with hot cakes — is the ideal cold weather combination. Nourishing for breakfast. Satisfying at night. And popular with every appetite all winter long. Think how easy it is to prepare, too. In less than fifteen minutes, you can have a real meal.

Auth's Sausage Meat

Other Auth Products: Frankfurters, Pork Sausage, Scrapple, Smoked Ham, Bacon, Pure Lark, Pork Pudding, Cooked Ham, Royal Pork, Braunschweiger.

of old Leather Handbags please.

The block that Center Market occupied is now the home of the National Archives. D.C. still has markets like this. There is the more upscale Eastern Market, the oldest continuously operated fresh food market in the country.

When Center Market was torn down, it was to make way for something more "modern" -- the self-service supermarket, where all the the individuals vendors in stalls were replaced by "departments" under one brand name roof. The 1930s saw an explosion of the chain grocery system, and Center Market was simply too old-fashioned. Too bad the owners had no idea that 50 years later, that antique system would be a tourist attraction.

Eastern market in DC still has this feel. Of course, the bacon slabs are in coolers behind glass now.

I am not sure this photo was taken at Center Market. The "O" Street address in background suggests that it was actually taken at the Norrhern Market, which was also called the O Street market.

[Look again. The sign says "Branch of" the main store at 620 O Street. - Dave]

The wonderful, cahotic chaotic Center Market was located on Pennsylvania Avenue where the Natioanl National Archives is now. A breif brief histroy history of it can be found here.

does not seem part of his remit, given the state of his apron.

Notice the young man to the right of the hanging scales. Is this a young photo of George Burns, before he took up his alter ego as Harry Potter?

So when did they start producing the fat slabs they now call American bacon? Look at the bacon sold online at those ethnic grocers. Really like these old "market & store" type photos.

let us hope the temperature in there is a blistering 20 below.

Looks to be some tasty slabs of bacon he has his arm on. Possibly head cheese, salamis, and kolbas too.

Thankfully, these types of markets still exist.

Cleveland has one that closely resembles this photo. With many and varied vendors under one roof, each with their fresh specialty. It beats any supermarket, hands down.

http://www.westsidemarket.org/

Detroit has its Eastern Market. It's not under one roof -- it much too large. It's an enjoyable adventure on a Saturday morning.

http://www.detroiteasternmarket.com/

Any others out there?