"spa" = 'neighborhood grocery store', aka 'convenience store'?

[Joel S. Berson]

At 3/1/2011 10:22 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:
>When I was searching yesterday, I did get via Google some hits that
>looked like business directory listings --  a la "Smith's Spa" classified
>as "grocery".  I'll see if I can reconstruct that.

Searching Google Books 1900--1959 for spa + grocery +
directory:  only 20 hits, but three directories.  (Apparently nothing
helpful before 1900 or 1950--1969.)

In Boston register and business directory, issue 83, allegedly 1918,
14 hits for businesses with "spa".in their names.  Some have the
description "confectioners/ery", "restaurant", or "lunch".  One is
"variety", my guess equivalent to "sundries" and so a "convenience
store" rather than a place to eat or to drink (sodas).

In The Providence directory and Rhode Island business directory,
allegedly 1935: 11 hits for "spa": a "variety", a "Luncheonette & Spa".

In Directory of directors in the city of New York, allegedly
1916:  Springstead, Charles A, is Sec'y and Dir. of "Spa Buffet Lunch
Co, Incorporated".  Perhaps only a buffet at the spa.

Joel

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