Who doesn't dream of owning a second home at the beach? Well, in the early 1960s, it was a snap even for the working class. For as little as $590 down and $73 a month, you could walk into Macy's and leave with a fully furnished house. All you needed to move in was a key and some groceries. Each house came complete with furniture, appliances, a 45-piece Melmac dinner service, plastic glasses, and fifty pieces of stainless-steel flatware, plus towels, napkins, placemats, beds, pillows and sheets, even toothbrushes. The homes also promised low maintenance with redwood siding and interior paneling that never needed painting and had lifetime guarantees. In Leisurama, author Paul Sahre uncovers the mystery of this legendary slice of architectural Americana and lovingly documents its forty-year history with a treasure trove of text, photographs, historical documentation, and oral histories.
Two hundred and fifty Leisurama houses were built at Culloden Shores in Montauk, Long Island. Most of the homes have since been converted to year-round occupancy, and with very few exceptions, all have been enlarged and redecorated, while the once barren shore is now forested. In a sweet paradox, these once very affordable homes that were looked down upon by more well-to-do neighbors are now desirable and expensive, even "collectable." Their rich legacy lives on in the affordable pages of Leisurama.
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