Perma-Bilt Relaxation Unit

Super props to reader Helen, who spotted our fourth brand of “Relaxation Unit” — the metal racks  recessed next to the bathroom toilet with spaces designed to hold toilet paper, cigarettes and reading material. Who knew there were so many different brands of Relaxation Units — this is now our fourth!

Helen hit a real a jackpot when she spotted three, New Old Stock Perma-Bilt Relaxation Units at a local ReStore. A true dream find for those of us who get excited about things like NOS bathroom gadgets!

Notes:

• On first photo above, there is protective tape on the front molding protecting the original chrome finish. That unit has a label.
• The second photos shows a unit all cleaned up and shiny bright!

If we study up, we should be able to identify each brand of relaxation unit by certain distinctive features — kind of like identifying all the 80 different brands of vintage steel and aluminum kitchen cabinets by sight. 

Helen has saved photos of various relaxation units she’s spotted over the years. Re the Perma-Bilt, she says:

Distinctive features of the Perma-Bilt: on the horizontal shelf below the TP roll there’s a strip of chrome.

They also had matching aluminum magazine rack bars stamped “Universal”.

She also says that Perma-Bilts were relatively common on southern California, because they were built in Torrance. 

I tend to believe that Hall-Mack units were marketed nationally, so we see them all around the country. But, it’s sure fascinating to see these regional variants!

Thank you, Helen, you rock my world!

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