The Marina mystery has been solved! Thanks to a tip from Retro Richmond reader Barry and a little help from David, author of Old Richmond Grocery Stores, the history of this wonderful structure has been uncovered!

Here’s what David had to say:

The 20th Street store was built as a Siegel’s. It first appeared in the city directory in 1959. It remained a Siegel’s until 1989 when Siegel’s was acquired by Farm Fresh. Farm Fresh operated it for one year as a Nick’s Market and then sold it to Community Pride.

From what I’ve gathered, Charlie Siegel got into the grocery business in the 1940’s. There was a Siegel’s at 419 N. 6th in the 1941 directory and one at 426 N. 6th from 1950 to 1968. Siegel also operated at 1911 W. Main (last time I looked, it was a brewpub) from 1968 to 1986.

All of my dates are from the city directory and are approximate. Charlie Siegel’s brother “Hip” Siegel was the “S” in S&K Famous Brands.

Everyone wants to make the 20th & Hull store into a Safeway or something else, but it was Siegel’s from the beginning. The barrel roof style was popular for supermarket construction in it’s day, though not as much in Richmond as in other places. One thing it’s not, is a Marina. The best surviving example of a Marina Safeway still in Richmond is the Big Apple Market at Jeff Davis and Terminal.

So there you have it. The building formerly known as Community Pride had its humble beginnings as a Siegel’s SuperMarket in 1959.

The added bonus to this story: the roof style is NOT a Marina, but a Barrel roof (which I’m not 100 percent sold on since I think of Barrel roofs as more rounded, but David is probably correct. To me, it looks like a Barrel-Marina hybrid.)

Thanks to Barry for the Siegel’s tip and to David for the additional info! Now we just need to get this building a historic landmark designation so it can remain standing for all to see.

Built in 1935, the Lighthouse Diner was the front runner of modern design in the Manchester area. With its flat asphalt roof and aluminum marquee, the quaint diner — located at the corner of Hull and 13th streets — once was the place to go to grab a hamburger and a beer for about a $1.

Last year, CBS 6 did an uplifting story about the new owners’ plans to restore and reopen the diner in an effort to help the revitalization of the area. The newly renovated Lighthouse Diner — complete with rooftop seating — was slated to open Spring 2008.

As we make our way into Summer 2008, the diner doesn’t look much different. Dusty straw and napkin holders still sit on a dirty bar. The red-and-green flowered wallpaper still is peeling off the walls. Ovens wait to be turned on; coffee pots wait to be filled.

A “For Lease” sign now sits in the window, shattering hopes of enjoying greasy diner food and rooftop dining in the near future. On a positive note, the space currently is being used by Vacant Spaces, Artful Places, an art initiative that displays the work of local artists in vacant storefronts around the city.

(I apologize for the blurry photos. I had to shoot them through the window without a flash.)

Fortunately, the diner is included on the National Register of Historical Places so it won’t be turned into a Walgreens anytime soon. Still, it would be nice to see the lights back on in the Lighthouse one day.

I know I’d be willing to roll up my sleeves and put a little elbow grease into fixing this place up. It would be great if the whole community got involved to help restore a little piece of Richmond’s history.

One of the many things that made mid-century architecture so unique was roof design. During this period, America saw a change from the traditional Tudor- and cottage-style roofing to lower pitched, flat and hard-angled rooftops. Some popular styles included the gable roof, the shed roof, the flat roof and the zig-zag roof. Today, most people recognize mid-century architecture by its roofing style.

Perhaps my favorite roofing style of the period is the butterfly roof. This roofing style, which is still popular in Hawaii today, takes its inspiration from — you guessed it — the wingspan on a butterfly. Generally, you see these roofs with either one or two gables sloped toward the middle.

The butterfly roof is still alive in Richmond today. Though this style of roof is rarely, if ever, utilized in the area anymore, a few local rooftops have withstood the test of time:

Commonwealth Cleaners on Hermitage Road

Colony Cleaners on Staples Mill Road

And here’s a fun butterfly awning at Printing Department Inc. on Spencer Road

There’s something about mid-century modern design that excites me and puts a smile on my face. The bright colors, the sleek curves, the atomic patterns, the sharp-angled lines, I just can’t get enough.

The name mid-century is a bit of a misnomer since modern design began to flourish in the earlier part of the century around 1935. Following the end of World War II, the country was hit with a surge of commercial and residential building. This unbridled expansion pushed mid-century architecture to the forefront once more, which is where it remained until about 1965. Today, countless examples of mid-century design exist across the country as well as in the River City.

From a Charles and Ray Eames chair to a Russel Wright bowl to a Joseph Eichler home, mid-century modern design was organic and cutting edge. It was made with a quality of craftsmanship that’s unrivaled today. Many aspects of everyday life adopted this new modernism trend. Buildings and homes adopted open floor-plans with exposed beams and a plethora of windows. Rooftops morphed from their traditional pitch into butterfly wing shapes and zig-zag patterns. Cars came equip with tail fins.

It was also during this time that Scandinavian designers made their way onto the scene, making furniture makers Eero Saarinen, Hans Wegner and Arne Jacobsen household names.

My goal for this blog is to honor the beauty of mid-century design, architecture, style and life in Richmond. By showcasing buildings, rooftops, awnings, signs as well as homes and thrift-store furniture finds, I hope to once again bring the wonderment of mid-century modernism to the forefront in Richmond.

I want this blog to be a community effort. Part of the fun in learning the history of a place or an item is to hear the accompanying stories. If you have a great piece of mid-century furniture or live in a mid-century home, send me a picture. Tell me your story. I would love to feature your piece on this site.

Also, if you know any great architecture or designs you think should be discussed on this site, please let me know. I want this to be a place where everyone can tell their story and share their love for mid-century modern design.

Contact me at olivia@retrorichmond.com