Spags Department Store

                     No Bags at Spags

                                          1934-2004

A trip down memory lane of No bags at Spags art print from an original watercolor painting by William B. MacGregor Jr., who is known in the New England area as the Junkyard Artist.

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Spags was a discount department store on Route 9 in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. The store was considered an early pioneer of discount retailing and was notable for its longtime resistance to accepting charge cards, shopping bags and even shopping carts. Spags was founded in 1934 by Anthony “Spag” Borgatti who was famous for roaming around the store in his iconic cowboy hat and badge. Many items were stored in trailer trucks which were scattered all over the parking lot. Do you remember parking between the trailers and that’s where you would get your larger items? Things were not keep in an organized manner for example; if you wanted a hammer it would be with the socks and nails would be with the toothpaste. You were excited when you found a box to put your items. You were proud of yourself when you learned how to find things throughout the store. That was the charm, and great bargains and that created great memories of Spags.




     Art Print of Spags Department Store in Shrewsbury, MA

       Free shipping (USA only)


Art Print

       Art print is printed on Canson Fine Art-Photo Rag Paper or equivalent.

       Mounted in a beveled double mat.

       Matted Art Print is ready for a standard 8”x10” , 11”x14” or 16"x20" frame.

       Mat will be signed by the artist.

       Note: Mat size is the outside dimension. The double matted print will fit into a
standard frame that can be purchased at your local craft/department store.
No need for custom framing!
The image/print size is smaller than the size of the mat.


Magnet

  • Magnet is approximately 2 1/2” x 3 1/2” in size.

  • Acrylic Plastic Refrigerator Magnet.


Original Painting

  • SOLD




William. B. MacGregor Jr. Watercolors       the Junkyard Artist

William B. MacGregor, Jr. was born in Medfield, MA, the son and grandson of Norfolk Hunt Club kennel masters. Many of his family members were self taught artists, woodcarvers, automobile mechanics and veterans of foreign wars including his father a WW1 US Army veteran. Bill is a graduate of Medfield High School, Wentworth Institute, and Northeastern University. His engineering career, from which he is now retired, included working for military and aerospace companies in industrial engineering and IR optics. His painting incorporates “old skool” mechanical and civil drafting tools and he uses a mixed medium of watercolors, acrylics and inks. Two rabbits are often in quite a few of his paintings. Look for them. He is frequently commissioned by United States Naval officers to create paintings of their ships and aircraft carriers on nautical charts. In May,2018, and for one year, four of Bill’s automotive related paintings were on display at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, MA

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