Theme: Mom and Pops' bane - The start to the theme entries, taken together, put a lot of little stores out of business.
17. 1962 hit by The 4 Seasons : BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY
25. Underpass drainage channels : BOX CULVERTS
43. Products with "Walgreens" on the label, say : STORE BRANDS
55. Target convenience, and a hint to the first words of 17-, 25- and 43-Across : ONE STOP SHOPPING
Argyle here. The reveal was a help today getting the theme. Some interesting fill makes this a good start to the week.
Update: I didn't realize CROSS TIE and BOX CULVERT would be so unknown.
Across:
1. Arctic hazards : BERGS. Not so much a hazard...if they stay out of the shipping lanes.
6. Artist Chagall : MARC
10. Washington MLB team : NATS. Nats Insider.
14. To no __: useless : AVAIL
15. Monkey see, monkey do sort : APER
16. "Law & Order: SVU" actor : ICE T
20. Bar pint : ALE
21. Need for an Olympic vault : POLE
22. Additional assessment : SURTAX
23. Note after fa : SOL
24. In the matter of : AS TO
30. Dramatic unit divided into scenes : ACT
33. Dizzying painting genre : OP ART
34. Childlike sci-fi people : ELOI. from "The Time Machine".
35. __ Lee: dessert brand : SARA
36. Ankle-length skirt : MAXI. Doesn't necessarily mean demure.
37. Provide, as with a quality : ENDUE. If you want to ENDUE a maxi with sexuality, add a slit.
38. "Star Trek: T.N.G." counselor : TROI
39. Radar image : BLIP
40. Sidewalk stand drinks : ADES
41. Empty stomach sound : GROWL
42. Sizzling sound : SSS
45. Marquee name : STAR
46. Like veggies served with dip : RAW
47. How-to handbook : MANUAL
50. Ballroom blunder : TRIP
52. Key lime __ : PIE
58. Against : ANTI
59. "In your dreams" : "NOPE"
60. Turn loose : LET GO
61. Zap with a stun gun : TASE
62. Designer Schiaparelli : ELSA. "Along with Coco Chanel, her greatest rival, she is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in fashion between the two World Wars. Wikipedia" But is she Monday suitable? I think not.
63. Makes simpler : EASES
Down:
1. Ali __ : BABA. He was not a thief.
2. Rotten to the core : EVIL
3. Extreme anger : RAGE
4. Band booking : GIG
5. Exit without fanfare : SLIP OUT. "Elvis has left the building."
6. Retail complex : MALL
7. Cathedral section : APSE
8. Wine list heading : RED
9. Transverse railroad timber : CROSS TIE
10. The "N" in TNT : NITRO
11. Money in the bank: Abbr. : ACCT.
12. Trillion: Pref. : TERA
13. Underworld river : STYX
18. Throw of the dice : ROLL
19. "Darn it!" : "NUTS!". After rolling snake eyes.
23. Direction to a pharmacist, briefly : SCRIP. A shortening of prescription.
24. Stir up : AROUSE
25. Total failures : BOMBS
26. October birthstones : OPALS
27. Horizontal graph line : X AXIS
28. Ballpark hot dog seller, e.g. : VENDOR
29. Church leader : ELDER
30. Vice President Burr : AARON
31. Ballpark throng : CROWD. Can we get a picture of a ballpark thong?
32. Coin toss call : TAILS
35. Soda-sipping aid : STRAW
37. What bachelors often do at mealtime : EAT ALONE
41. Struggle (with) : GRAPPLE
43. Sports page datum : STAT. Singular.
44. Vigor : BRIO
45. "Wake Up, Little __": Everly Brothers hit : SUSIE
47. Protective trench : MOAT
48. "The King and I" role : ANNA
49. Acrobat catchers : NETS
50. Cookbook amts. : TSPs
51. Perlman of "Cheers" : RHEA
52. La Brea Tar __ : PITS
53. "Picnic" playwright : INGE. I never knew his full name, William Motter Inge.
54. They may clash on a set : EGOs
56. D.C. regular : POL. A shortening of politician.
57. Podded plant : PEA. A play on potted plant.
Argyle
Note from C.C.:
I goofed again! Belated Happy Birthday to River Doc, originally Vegas Doc, then later on Doha Doc. I mis-remembered his birthday as August 18 rather than August 16. Sorry, Doc, blame the pickles! By the way, Dave/Irish Miss, click here for the recipe I like. Similar to the Claussen raw pickles. But not so garlicky.