Smitten

I'm a bit behind in my blog posts because I'm smitten.... with our new fabulous counter. It is around a hundred years old and came from Harveys, a Melbourne institution for all things haberdashery that recently closed. Harveys opened for business around 1895 in Bourke street and traded there until about thirty years ago, then they moved into the Nicholas building, on the floor directly above l'uccello. We wish Mr and Mrs Harvey a lovely retirement and hope they have time for all the things you don't have time for when you have a business. So many of us that sew will miss them, where will we go for so many supplies? Stay tuned for the new drop off for scissor sharpening, rumour has it, it may be another business in the Nicholas building, how convenient! A quick tour around the new lay out at l'uccello.

This wonderful old counter comes with so much history, there are grooves worn in the wood from the  measuring of various lengths along the old yard ruler. There is this little hole and groove for the string, and a little wooden box underneath the counter for the ball of string. I can't help but think of all the supplies sold over the years and the wonderful garments they were used to produce. Mr Harvey has been kind enough to share some of his memories of the industry over the years, of delivering supplies as a young man to Melbourne's couture houses and of the tables of ladies doing all the hand finishing, how much things have changed in such a short time. So thank you Mr. Harvey, we will take very good care of your counter and hopefully add a little history of our own.