Most people don't remember (or believe!) that there was once a Tobacconist shop on Main Street, USA!

Most people don't remember (or believe!) that there was once a Tobacconist shop on Main Street, USA!

Under the doorway with the address of 209, and across from the oval sign that stands alongside the curb, it sold a variety of cigars, hand-carved pipes and tobacco by the pouch. It was somewhat ironic to see this store on MSU or in WDW at all, considering that smoking led to Walt Disney contracting lung cancer, leading to his death on December 15, 1966, just a few years before WDW opened. Since the late 80’s no cigarettes or tobacco products have been sold in any of the WDW theme parks.

And here’s a quick Did You Know – do you know what other two items are not sold in any of the theme parks? They are gum (to avoid the mess and cleanup), and newspapers, to keep the real word from intruding on the fantasy one created here.

The Tobacconist closed in 1985 and was replaced by the Main Street Stationers, which sold cards, and stationary and was sponsored by Gibson Greeting Cards. The Stationers closed just 4 years later when it became the Main Street Book Store. In 1995, like the other stores around it, it became part of the Main Street Athletic Company.