1960 – 1970

1961

In 1961, the famous chicken salad and tomato aspic cost $1.10, which in today’s money would be $10.96. In the early morning of July 15, 1963, the pantry of the Exchange building collapsed into the street exposing the chairs and tables of the lunch room. The police reported that a supporting pillar had been weakened by rain which caused the collapse.

Source:
“Pantry Collapses.” The Evening Sun, 15 Jul. 1963.

1969

In March of 1969, a hand-sewn christening dress made by an Exchange consignor that was purchased sixty-two years ago was brought back to the Exchange to be displayed in the shop window. Seventeen members of the one family were christened in this dress. The dress proved just how long the Exchange had been relevant to Baltimore culture and history. The 1969 shop still displays handcrafted items by consignors who set the price for their own products and receive 80 percent of the profits of each of their products. There were around 150 active consignors, many of them noted that they lost track on how long they have been making goods for Exchange. Furthermore, some of them were third and fourth-generation consignors. The lunch room had become a meeting place for professional people working downtown, shoppers, and out-of-town visitors. The store at the Exchange was open Monday through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and lunch was served between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. in 1969.

Source:
“Exchange Withstands Time.” The Evening Sun, 26 Mar. 1969.