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Falmouth Village, Main Street

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This postcard of Main Street Falmouth dates to 1928 or 1929, based upon the Model A Ford parked on the right side of the street. On the left, we can see the tail end of a sign that reads, “Monroe Stores, Inc.” and its neighbor, “Famous Restaurant.” These two businesses made up the Morrison block, so named because businessman and postmaster, Charles E. Morrison, bought the property in 1924.


Prior to Morrison’s ownership, the property was known as the Crocker Block and housed a grocery store and a small movie theater, called the Empire Theater.
Monroe Stores, Inc was a department store with a soda fountain, and part of a chain of nearly a dozen in New England owned by George B. Monroe of Quincy. His son, Bruce F. Monroe, managed the Falmouth branch.


Famous Restaurant, owned by Mr. W. Velemesis, made the “Falmouth Locals” section in the Falmouth Enterprise for hosting large gatherings, including the Tataket Tribe. By December 1, 1929, Velemesis agreed to close down for good so Monroe’s could tear down the partition that separated the businesses and double their size. After three years in Falmouth, Velemesis, who came from Nantucket, went on to either Newark, NJ or Florida where he and his brother had a restaurant. His head waitress, Mrs. Harriet Robinson, opted to work in the Newark location.


Nowadays, this space houses Puritan Clothing, Lilly Pulitzer and Green Eyed Daisy at 199 Main Street.

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Sources: Frederick Turkington, “Moving Pictures,” The Book of Falmouth, edited by Mary Lou Smith, page 132. The Falmouth Enterprise, Feb. 21, 1929, p. 7; Nov. 14, 1929, p. 1; Nov. 28, 1929, p.1; June 5, 1930 p. 9; July 24, 1930 p. 10 and Nov. 20, 1930, p. 12.



Falmouth Village, Main Street