For many years, the building had been a little store, up until about the late 1950s. Perhaps that's why it had the large window facing Olive Street. There had also been two other small stores nearby in the North Olive community. One was on the northeast corner of 5th & Olive Streets owned by Ms. Jessie Randolph, and a Mr. Butler before her. And another on the southwest corner of Third & Plum Streets, roughly up until the same time.
Just wanted to add...I asked my 98 year old aunt, and she told me the owner of the store was a family named Knopf, and they may have had it for 15 or 20 years between the 1930s and 1950s. But there was another owner before that, whose name she couldn't remember.
Did a little more digging on this story and found an obituary in the Chester Times for Tuesday, June 9, 1944. "Solomon Knopf, well-known Delaware County merchant died Wednesday night at Media Hospital after an illness of two years. His home was at Fourth and Olive streets, Media.
"Born in Austria, Mr. Knopf came to this country as a young boy and settled in Wilmington. In 1898, he moved to Chester, and had resided in Delaware County since that time. Until 1925, he was the proprietor of a bake shop in this city [Chester] and for the past 15 years had conducted a grocery business in Media.
"He was a member and ex-president of Congregation Ohev Shalom, Chester; and of B'nai B'rith. Mr. Knopf was active in community affairs until his illness, and was a contributor to numerous charitable organizations.
"He is survived by his widow, the former Miss Mary Askins of Philadelphia, and a son, Aaron, at home. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. at the Quinby Funeral Home in Media, with internment in Brookhaven Cemetery."
Son Aaron graduated from Media High School, Class of 1949. I have not found a picture of the former store, but it's possible there is one in the late Frank Lees' archives in the Media-Upper Providence Free Library.
I walk my dogs by that house every day and have watched the renovations roll along. MANY dumpsters have been filled in emptying the house of its contents, and it looks like the entire insides were gutted... But you can still smell the house a block away. I wonder if the buyers really knew what they were getting into? Definitely looking forward to seeing the finished product, though.
I remember this place very well and the old guy that sat there every day :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder what happened to all the plants in the front window?
ReplyDeleteIs this Trusty's house?
ReplyDeleteThe large window facing east was great for growing plants.
ReplyDeleteFor many years, the building had been a little store, up until about the late 1950s. Perhaps that's why it had the large window facing Olive Street. There had also been two other small stores nearby in the North Olive community. One was on the northeast corner of 5th & Olive Streets owned by Ms. Jessie Randolph, and a Mr. Butler before her. And another on the southwest corner of Third & Plum Streets, roughly up until the same time.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add...I asked my 98 year old aunt, and she told me the owner of the store was a family named Knopf, and they may have had it for 15 or 20 years between the 1930s and 1950s. But there was another owner before that, whose name she couldn't remember.
DeleteDid a little more digging on this story and found an obituary in the Chester Times for Tuesday, June 9, 1944. "Solomon Knopf, well-known Delaware County merchant died Wednesday night at Media Hospital after an illness of two years. His home was at Fourth and Olive streets, Media.
ReplyDelete"Born in Austria, Mr. Knopf came to this country as a young boy and settled in Wilmington. In 1898, he moved to Chester, and had resided in Delaware County since that time. Until 1925, he was the proprietor of a bake shop in this city [Chester] and for the past 15 years had conducted a grocery business in Media.
"He was a member and ex-president of Congregation Ohev Shalom, Chester; and of B'nai B'rith. Mr. Knopf was active in community affairs until his illness, and was a contributor to numerous charitable organizations.
"He is survived by his widow, the former Miss Mary Askins of Philadelphia, and a son, Aaron, at home. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. at the Quinby Funeral Home in Media, with internment in Brookhaven Cemetery."
Son Aaron graduated from Media High School, Class of 1949. I have not found a picture of the former store, but it's possible there is one in the late Frank Lees' archives in the Media-Upper Providence Free Library.
I walk my dogs by that house every day and have watched the renovations roll along. MANY dumpsters have been filled in emptying the house of its contents, and it looks like the entire insides were gutted... But you can still smell the house a block away. I wonder if the buyers really knew what they were getting into? Definitely looking forward to seeing the finished product, though.
ReplyDelete