The Seven Arts Shop, is a one-story, wood-frame Tudor Storybook retail shop in

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California Carmel-by-the-Sea (), often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated on October 31, 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is known for its natural scenery and ric ...

. During the 1930s, the building served as the reading room for the

Christian Science Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes informally know ...

organization. It has been designated as a significant commercial building in the city's ''Downtown Historic District Property Survey,'' and was recorded with the Department of Parks and Recreation on January 23, 2002. The building is occupied in 2022 by the beauty supply company Body Frenzy.

History

The Seven Arts Shop is a one-story, cement stucco, wood-frame

Tudor Revival Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...

Storybook retail shop. It has a steep pitched side-gabled roof, circular turrets, a chimney, colorful tiles placed in the stucco above the windows, and a front Dutch door. The building is in front of the Court of the Golden Bough on Ocean Avenue and Monte Verde Street, and next to the

Carmel Weavers Studio The Carmel Weavers Studio, also known as Cottage of Sweets, was Ruth Kuster's weavers studio, that was in front of the Theatre of the Golden Bough in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Ruth Kuster was the wife of lawyer and theatrical producer Edward ...

, also known as Cottage of Sweets. It was designed by theatrical producer

Edward G. Kuster Edward Gerhard Kuster (August 15, 1878 – September 1961) was a musician and attorney from Los Angeles for twenty-one years before coming to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California in 1921. He became involved in theater and establish his own theatre and s ...

. Kuster's design is based on inspiration from illustrations of Swedish folk tales of

Edmund Dulac Edmund Dulac (born Edmond Dulac; 22 October 1882 – 25 May 1953) was a French-British naturalised magazine illustrator, book illustrator and stamp designer. Born in Toulouse he studied law but later turned to the study of art at the École ...

. He commissioned Michael J. Murphy to build in September 1923. Originally, the shop was constructed as "The Seven Arts" book and art store for Helena Conger and Herbert Heron. Ads appeared for books, artwork, typewriters, ornamental iron works and lamp fixtures were produced by the Santa Cruz artist, “Otar the Lampmaker." In September 1925, The Seven Arts store moved to the Seven Arts Building on Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Street. The Seven Arts Shop became the

reading room in 1936, and then Robert Talbot Ties in 1987. Heron commissioned shops and offices around the courtyard. The businesses were associated with the "Seven Arts," which included: music, dancing, literature, painting, sculpture, and architecture. The Seven Arts Shop was Heron's bookshop and printing press, the Seven Arts Press, and ''The Carmelite'' (1928-1932) newspaper, which published about art, music, and culture. The building qualifies for inclusion in the ''Downtown Historic District Property Survey'' because it is one of the early commercial "Old Europe" shops in the Golden Bough Court, designed and funded by theatrical producer and lawyer Edward G. Kuster, and built to compliment the

Theatre of the Golden Bough The Theatre of the Golden Bough was located on Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. This "Golden Bough" was one of two in Carmel's history. It was destroyed by fire on May 19, 1935. History The theatre was designed and built by Edwa ...

. It continues to contribute to the character of the downtown historic district. Carmel writer Daisy Bostick noted in an April 4, 1924 article for the ''

Carmel Pine Cone The ''Carmel Pine Cone'' is a weekly newspaper serving the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea and the surrounding Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Valley and Big Sur region of Monterey County in central California. Despite not having a digital presence, a PDF of t ...

'' that, "In Carmel-by-the-Sea, on Ocean avenue, there is a group of little shops that might well be transferred to an artist's canvas and labeled, ''A Bit of Old Europe.''" A Bit Of Carmel

In 1926,

Tirey L. Ford Tirey Lafayette Ford (December 29, 1857 – June 26, 1928) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who served as a California State Senator and the 18th Attorney-General of California. He acted as General Counsel for the United Railroa ...

wrote a book about

Monterey Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under both ...

and talked about "A Bit Of Carmel," where he described Carmel's "Main Street," as:

References

External links

Downtown Conservation District Historic Property Survey

Office of Historic Preservation

Mr. Bunt, published by Seven Arts Press
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seven Arts Shop 1923 establishments in California Carmel-by-the-Sea, California Buildings and structures in Monterey County, California

History

See also

References

External links