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University Daily Kansan
City/Area
Wednesday, August 20, 1986
Everything but the kitchen sink
Shop owner uses his imagination to fill pipe store with curiosities
By Jacque Janssen Special to the Kansan
It could be the wooden Indian that stands at the door when the shop is open. Or it could be the small cardboard signs that hint at what is inside, such as a 'NOTICE': After 35 years in business in the same place, if 'George' does not have it, he will make it. Antiques made while you wait;" or "COME IN See A ZENITH Living Color TELEVISION with GOLDFISH in Picture Tube."
There is something about George's Pipe Shop. 727 Massachusetts St., that forces people to stop and take a look.
Curious shoppers find pipes of all sizes, colors, shapes and prices, from simple corncobs to the most elaborate $300 antiques. There really is a television with goldfish in it, and George also has one that contains a plastic skeleton to "scare you with."
George Wilson, 74, said that he had owned the shop since 1949. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in sociology, "a pud course," he said
But the most interesting thing that can be found in George's Pipe Shop is George himself.
"You don't have to be very smart to do that," he said.
After graduating, Wilson went to law school for a while.
"But then a little law is worse than none at all," he said with a laugh.
Wilson began the pipe shop in 1949 after getting the space from his father-in-law, who had a photography shop there. He said that he began the pipe shop because he had a collection of more than 125 pipes.
"I'm not operating the way I'd like to, you see," Wilson tells his customers. "You see, I've got three things going against me."
One of the things that is hurting his business is that he has been forced to limit his hours in the shop to care for his wife, who broke her hip three years ago.
Wilson tells his customers that the shop used to be a "ma and pa operation," but since his wife broke her hip, he's had to do all of the cooking and cleaning. The shop is open from
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"I just don't get the traffic anymore," he said.
During fishing season a red sign on the window warns, "Fishing Season Is Here — Closed on Monday."
Wilson also tells his customers that the anti-smoking campaign is also going against him.
"People can't smoke in airplanes on public buildings anymore," he said.
"And the third thing is half my regular customers have died off."
Even if many of Wilson's regular customers have died, he still has many loyal ones.
— George Wison Pipeshop owner
'I'm kind of out of character today, or I guess you'd say I'm not in character. I've got the reputation of the oldest hippie and the most relaxed businessman in Lawrence.'
George Wilson proudly displays the most expensive pipe he sells. The $300 hand-carved pipe is one of his favorites. Wilson is the owner of George's Pipe Shop, 727 Massachusetts St.
One customer is David Dary, KU professor of journalism. Dary said he had known Wilson for about 17 years. He stops by the shop every five or six weeks to pick up a pipe or just to talk
Dary said that the shop's shortened hours didn't really affect Wilson's business because the customers adjusted and scheduled their visits accordingly.
"He's learned how to live a fascinating life." Dary said. "He does pretty much what he wants to." Another loyal customer teased Wilson about not wearing any crazy clothes.
"How come you're dressed so respectfully today George?" he said.
"Where's your crazy hat or crazy tie?"
Wilson automatically pulled out his collection of summer hats, which included a big green, foam hat shaped like a frog and a huge blue-and-white umbrella hat.
Jacque Janssen/special to the KANSAN
day, or I guess you'd say I'm not in character," Wilson said. "I've got the reputation of the oldest hippie and the most relaxed businessman in Lawrence."
"I'm kind of out of character to-
He then pulled out a yellow newspaper from 1969 that had a picture of a man with long hair walking by a barbershop.
The man in the picture was Wilson, and he didn't really have long hair. He was wearing a wig that his wife had given him for Christmas. He said he had a lot of fun with it.
The same customer tried to get George to talk about his business. The man talked about an article published in a magazine about Wilson's pipe-repairing ability.
Wilson may not talk much about his pipe-repairing abilities or his success as a businessman. What he did like to talk about was all of the other hobbies he had.
Wilson avoided the subject as well as he could. The conversation ended when Wilson said that modesty was one of his greatest virtues.
"I've had a lot of fun," he said.
"I've got enough equipment to start a machine shop and build a house."
Wilson doesn't hesitate to flaunt his crafts. The goldfish in the television seem to attract the most customers.
After all the customers had left, Wilson said he had his own philosophy about life: A person can't be happy just running a business, a person has to have different interests and must work with his hands.
"You can get burned out and not be as effective as you would be other-
*
One thing Wilson does with his hands is gardening. He talked about his favorite crops and inventions. He grows papaw trees in his backyard. Papaw, he said, used to grow wild in Kansas and their fruit tastes like bananas.
Wilson is prepared with old, color snapshots of one of his pawpaw trees and a wheelbarrow filled with pawpaws, which look like oval, medium-sized stones.
Wilson also showed a snapshot series of his "sick-a-mare" tree. He said that "sick-a-mare" trees are made by taking a regular sycamore tree and attaching marigolds to it.
In the final snapshot of the series, Wilson showed his special watering system, which he claimed had also helped him to develop a burpless cucumber.
"Regular cucumbers make you
He said he had built a lily pond to water all of his plants.
"That city water isn't too good for plants, you know — too much chlorine," he said.
"All I try to do is grow old gracefully. I've had a lot of fun," he said.
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