By James Lomuscio
With most of the store’s inventory gone and a closing date set for Aug. 31 after 59 years in Westport, owner Shirley Mellor sat at her desk today in the rear of Max’s Art Supplies, 68 Post Road East, and thought about the past and her future.
Shirley Mellor (c) earlier this year with longtime employees Jay Cimbak and Nina Royce. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
Well wishes, nostalgia and raw sentiment from the few customers near the the register echoed off the pressed-tin ceiling to where Mellor sat surrounded by tangible memories, most of them framed.
One was a stately painting her her late husband Max Kaplan who founded the store, once an iconic meeting place for scores of nationally known artists. Also surrounding Mellor’s office was original artwork from syndicated cartoonists who 1979 wished Kaplan a happy 65th birthday, “Max’s coming of age party,” Mellor said.
And there was the huge 1981 black and white photograph of the once famed arts community’s legends in front of the store for its 25th anniversary.
Among those featured are the late Stevan Dohanos, Stan Drake and Leonard Starr, as well as today’s few remaining legends—Dick Hodgins, Howard Munce and Miggs Burroughs. A similar huge photo taken 25 years later is now positioned near Max’s front door.
“What do you think I should do?” Mellor responded to a question of how she will spend her time once Max’s closes.
Max’s Art Supply has been a downtown mainstay since the mid 1950s. It is located next to Restoration Hardware, the former Fine Arts Theatres, and was originally called Fine Arts Stationery. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
“You could work for the Westport Historical Society (WHS),” longtime employee Nina Royce said, touting Mellor’s encyclopedic knowledge of the town’s arts history.
“If they’ll take me,” Mellor said, adding that, even as a volunteer, her lack of computer skills might be a liability.
Royce assured Mellor the WHS would surely take her, as well as the Westport Arts Center where she has also expressed an interest in volunteering
Mellor turned toward the framed photo behind her.
“When that picture was taken, it was at the height of this place,” she said about the 1981 group photo. “In fact, 1975 to 1990 was the height. And then, the computer took over in every way in creating art.”
So, too, did Internet sales, hurting the retailer’s bottom line, she said.
“It got to the point where I couldn’t do it anymore,” Mellor said, adding that for years she has been subsidizing the business. “It’s impossible to make a living here.
A 1981 photo marking Max’s 25th anniversary brought together many noted local artists. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
“I’ve been thinking about that possibility (of closing) for the last 20 years, but did not for the love of the place,” she added.
Now Mellor, who co-owns the building with Jim Randel, principal of 58-68 Post Road East LLC, has accepted her fiscal reality.
“Officially we’re closing in two more weeks, but I don’t know what will be left by the end of the week,” said Royce scanning at the empty shelves once filled with art pads, paints, charcoals and brushes, and floor space that have been jammed with easels and drafting tables.
Royce said she did not know what type of business would take over the space, but she said it was certain that the one-story building, with its old fashioned, factory-style, wire mesh skylights, overhead pipes and antiquated, massive air conditioning unit, would have to be remodeled.
On this day, John Hartwell, chairman of the Democratic Town Committee (DTC), was making a pitch for the DTC to use the space as Democratic headquarters up until Election Day.
Mellor, a lifelong Democrat, seemed amenable, though she later noted the DTC would not bring in any rent, and that she did not want to offend longtime Republican friends. She then acknowledged that even if the DTC used the space, memories of Max’s would be about art not politics.
On Max’s 50th anniversary in 2006, local artists gathered to replicate the 1981 shot that featured Shirley Mellow and her late husband Max Kaplan on their 25th anniversary. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo
With two weeks to go, Jay Cimbak, who has done custom framing for 28 years at Max’s, was as busy as ever, only now he brandished an electric screwdriver, taking tables and cabinets apart.
“I’ll be relocating up the street to Rockwell Art & Framing,” Cimbak said about his new job at 236 Post Road East.
Among the few remaining store items were colored pencils, frames, poster board, matting and Pantone paper used in offset color printing.
Peggy Reiner, an artist who has lived in town 20 years, was scooping up frames that had been reduced to a little as $1.
“I got some very good deals,” said a bittersweet Reiner.
“This was one of my favorite stores in Westport,” she added.
Royce, for one, was trying to be upbeat, looking forward to the in-store, closing party set for Aug. 31.
“We will say our fond farewell to Westport with cakes and balloons, and if we get our act together, there will be music,” she said.
And possibly dancing, she noted, since there will be space.
