Through the everyday act of picking up a matchbook and striking a match, one is transported to another place and time; the past is remembered through an ordinary interaction with a tangible object.

The Match Book resurrects the Tenderloin’s overlooked history of restaurants, bars, hotels and other business establishments through these daily objects. In many cases, the matchbooks are the only evidence we have that the businesses—and the character they lent to the community—existed. From their welcoming attitude to quality design style, these matchbooks return us to the days when people came together on nearly every block of the Tenderloin for food, drinks and fun. Featuring history and artwork of over 150 matchbooks from the historic Tenderloin, 1920-50's.