The Tuck Box

The Tuck Box is a historic Craftsman Storybook style commercial building in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, United States. It was built in 1926, by master builder Hugh W. Comstock. The building was 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 October 8, 2002.

History


In 1926, Hugh W. Comstock designed and built what would be later called the Tuck Box, located on Dolores Street between Ocean & 7th Avenue. The Tuck Box is a one-and-one-half-story, steep-gabled shingled roofed, wood-framed Fairy tale Craftsman style commercial building in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The exterior walls are rough textured stucco with exposed faux-timber frame posts and beams. There is a main door entry in the front with a irregular multi-pane 8-pane French style wood door, and a three-sided bay window with overhang candy-stripe awning. It has a Clinker brick uneven chimney that Comstock used in his Hansel Doll House of 1924. Carmel stone is used below the front bay window and a gate, on the right, leads to a central courtyard.

Comstock erected the Art Shop for Bonnie Lee in 1926, for $1,200. She used it as an art shop that sold everything from antiques to opera glasses.

Pedro Joseph de Lemos (1882-1954), also known as Pedro J. Lemos, director of Stanford Museum and Art Galleries, bought the building and adjacent property from Ray C. De Yoe in 1927. The space became known as the "Early Bird" and his vision was to fill it with unique shops and studios reminiscent of medieval shops in the "old world cities." In 1927, an addition was done for $500, by Lewis Anderson.

At different times, the art shop was known as the "Mona Mona" building or Mona Mona Tea Room that served breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. In the early 1930s, the shop was known as "Sally's" tea room, and was also known as the "Lark."

Historic evaluation
The Tuck Box qualifies for inclusion in the Downtown Historic District Property Survey because it is a landmark "Fairy tale" Storybook style commercial building designed by Hugh Comstock in 1926, that is internationally associated with the city of Carme-by-the-Sea.