All images from original photos by Ralph Simmons,
unless otherwise noted.

When you walk in the door, you know you're in Exile.

We're collectors of music...and of memorabilia. The store features everything from a '51 chevy and '49 gas pump, to old interstate signs and movie posters. We've got sheet music and old instruments on our antique ledge, along with telephone poles and an old typewriter. You never know what you might see looking around Exile On Main Street.

Immediately below is a center aisle shot taken from just inside the front door. That's the front end of the 1951 Chevy on the ledge back there... beautifully restored by Pete Zartin of PAZ Auto of Williamstown, Vermont. Beyond the Chevy is the movie marquee. To the right of the double-doors you'll find an old movie poster announcing a new movie, starring none other than Elvis Presley.

The inventory that you see on the retail floor of Exile is a small fraction of our total inventory. We've got tons of vinyl and CDs stashed everywhere. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for, by all means let us know!! We love "want lists" because we know what it's like to want something. We'll hunt, dig, and search to come up with that hard-to-find piece!

email us a want list

At right is our Tokheim Shell gas pump, circa 1949. Fred Hunt of Littleton, New Hampshire has turned pump restoration into an art form. This is an example of his fine work.

Currently our pump is in Exile's front window, reminding everyone of a day when gas used to be 33 cents a gallon.

Main Street bosts a barber,
and kids are always intrigued
by this spinning contraption.

Our rear entrance is a hallway that looks more like a Main Street than a hallway...and that's the whole point! Pictured at right are mock storefronts, old French lanterns, antique and collectible signage, telephone poles, and architectural salvage that comes alive!

One of our favorite pieces is the illuminated, leaded glass drug store sign. It's from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and dates back to 1915. Needless to say, it gets a lot of comments.

Another customer favorite is our operational barber pole. Children, especially, are fascinated by this red, white, and blue spinning cylinder. Many of them have never seen one before.

And one of the coolest elements to watch go into place is below your feet. The floor is tiled in with roughly textured gray tiles to simulate blacktop. We had a road crew come into Exile and paint the traditional double-yellow lines down the hallway. That way, as you make your way down the hallway, there's absolutely mistaking that you're on Main Street.

The contractor for our Main Street (and the rest of our store, for that matter) was John Barberi. As you can see, his work is first rate. It was wonderfully exciting to work with someone who could translate creative decor ideas into reality. It was John who would troubleshoot the ideas, and modify them so that they were technically possible to create. John is from Barre, Vermont.

A restored 1951 Chevy sits atop the ledge, with its history
and appropriate advertisements showcased below.