Park and Shop (game)
A board game born from a downtown parking initiative.
Park and Shop is a board game originally created as a promotional tool for the "Park & Shop" parking-validation concept in Allentown, Pennsylvania. First produced in 1953 by Traffic Games Inc., it gained enough popularity to be acquired and modified by the Milton-Bradley Company in 1955. The game underwent several redesigns before being discontinued in the 1970s.
- year_introduced
- 1953
- original_publisher
- Traffic Games Inc.
- later_publisher
- Milton-Bradley Company
- designer
- Campe Euwer
- concept_originator
- Donald Miller
- based_on
- Allentown, Pennsylvania
- age_range
- 5 to adult
Quick Facts
- Other Names
- Park & Shop
- Designer
- Donald Miller
- Publisher
- Milton Bradley
- Years
- 1950–?
- Genre
- Board game
- Language
- English
- Players
- 2–6
- Playing Time
- 30'
- Ages
- 5+
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game's roots lie in the "Park & Shop" concept developed in Allentown after World War II by businessman Donald Miller and others. The idea allowed shoppers to park free at nearby lots if their ticket was validated by a store. Initially four lots, the system grew to 25, and during the 1950s it was known as the "Allentown Plan," copied by other cities.
Campe Euwer, an artist for The Morning Call newspaper, was commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce and Municipal Parking Authority to create a public awareness campaign. He designed the board game Park and Shop, with a stylized loop route rather than a literal map of Allentown. The board featured typical stores and services, and the object was to drive from home to a parking lot, complete shopping actions, and return home.
Milton-Bradley bought the rights in 1955 and made changes: a more symmetrical board, a "money version" with purchases and fines, and plastic playing pieces instead of metal (the switch to plastic occurred in 1955). The game underwent major redesigns in 1955 and 1970; the 1960 update is not well-documented. In the 1970s, the board was transformed into a shopping-mall layout and pieces became cardboard punch-outs. It was discontinued at some point in the 1970s.
Reader's Guide
Park and Shop is significant as an example of a board game directly tied to a real-world urban planning initiative. It began as a promotional novelty for the "Park & Shop" concept, which aimed to revitalize downtown Allentown after World War II by offering free validated parking. The game's success led to its acquisition by Milton-Bradley, a major game company, and its distribution in Australia. The multiple redesigns—from an asymmetrical downtown grid to a symmetrical layout and finally a shopping-mall theme—reflect changing retail and gaming trends. The game also illustrates how local civic campaigns could be translated into mass-market entertainment. Its legacy includes a documented history of four distinct versions, preserved online, and a set of player-created variant rules that show ongoing engagement with the game long after its discontinuation.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally created as a publicity stunt for the Park & Shop parking-validation concept in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
- The original Traffic Games board featured a stylized loop, not a literal map of the Allentown area.
- Milton-Bradley bought the rights to the game in 1955 and changed the playing pieces from metal to plastic that same year.
- In the 1970s, the game was completely modernized with a shopping-mall overlay and cardboard punch-out pieces before being discontinued.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designed Park and Shop?
Campe Euwer is credited as the game's designer, while Donald Miller originated the parking-validation concept that inspired it. The title was first produced in 1953 by Traffic Games Inc. in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
What is Park and Shop actually about?
It is a roll-and-move board game set in a downtown shopping district where players manage parking while moving around the board. The premise grew directly out of a real parking-validation program in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which the game was originally built to advertise.
Who published Park and Shop?
Traffic Games Inc. handled the initial 1953 release, but Milton-Bradley Company acquired the title in 1955 and took over production. Milton-Bradley oversaw several redesigns before the game was eventually dropped from their catalog.
How long was Park and Shop in print?
The game ran from its 1953 debut through the 1970s, spanning roughly two decades of active production. During that window it passed through multiple redesigns under Milton-Bradley before being discontinued.
Why was Park and Shop created in the first place?
It began as a promotional tool to market a parking-validation service in Allentown, Pennsylvania, rather than as a standalone entertainment product. Its popularity as a tabletop game quickly outgrew that advertising role, prompting a full commercial publishing deal.
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