Schafer's Coffee Shop, Phoenix 1960s

This cute little elf advertises the food on offer at Schafer’s Coffee Shop in Phoenix, Arizona, in this 1950s menu cover. He also appears inside the menu, sampling some of the dishes. With his big ears and sharp nose, pointed hat, rosy cheeks and oversized boots, this cartoonish character was probably created to show Schafer’s was a family-friendly place to eat. So far, we’ve been unable to find out more about Schafer’s, but it was located on the ‘Miracle Mile’, a booming, pedestrian-friendly shopping and dining district that defined Phoenix in the 1950s. Following World War II, Phoenix business owners fled the cramped downtown area to establish what became the Valley's first major shopping district outside of downtown and the ‘Miracle Mile’, at its peak in 1956 held more than 50 stores, including Schafer’s. This was not to last. In 1957 the Park Central Mall opened, taking business away from this area, and we assume Schafer’s became one of those commercial casualties. Subsequent road-widening projects in the 1980s eliminated street parking and turned the area into a fast commuter thoroughfare. There is now a 24-hour McDonalds at the site of Schafer’s. Gallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson Ultrachrome HD archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing. Each order includes a print of the interior menu. All printed in USA.