Silberstein Skirt Co., etc., 3-5 E. 28th St. (2003)

The sign at the top here reads Silberstein Skirt Co. William Morris Silberstein (1881-?) appears in the US Census of 1910, age 27, manufacturer of skirts, wholesale, living in Harlem (108 W. 141st St.). In 1910 the business was located downtown on Mercer St., moved several times, then finally reached 3 E. 28th St. in 1920. By 1922 this business had closed.

Next is Pritchard & Collins / Petticoats. The partners were Joseph L. Pritchard and John F. Collins. The business began as Pritchard, Collins & Hirschberg on W. 27th St. in 1911. (Hirschberg was James Hirschberg, 38 in 1910, an immigrant from Germany in 1895.) The name was changed to Pritchard & Collins, Petticoats in 1913. They moved to 3 E. 28th St. in 1916, and stayed in business here until around 1924.

Next is Samuel R. Parnes / Dresses. Samuel R. Parnes (1895-1964) was the son of Louis Parnes, a clothing manufacturer, born Oct. 1869, Russia, immigrated 1890/92. They appear in the U. S. Census of 1900 living at 66 Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn. Samuel was 5 years old at the time. Louis Parnes is listed to Trow's New York City Directory of 1902 as engaged in the manufacture of "wrappers" at 438 Broome St. A year later the listing is for Parnes & Goldfader at this address. The partner was George Goldfader (also spelled Goldfeder), who in 1900 lived at 582 Grand St. Goldfader began making wrappers around 1897 and continued until at least 1910. His partnership with Louis Parnes ran only until 1904. Louis Parnes was in the business until around 1915. His wife, Clara Parnes, was also listed as manufacturing dresses at 69 W. Houston St. and 570 W. Broadway from around 1911 to 1914. Samuel R. Parnes was still only 15 at the time of the 1910 U. S. Census, but had entered his father's business by 1915, when he appears as "manager" at Louis Parnes, Dresses, 570 W. Broadway. Samuel Parnes registered for the World War I draft in 1917 when in business for himself (55 W. 16th St.) but still single and still living at home on Stuyvesant Ave., Brooklyn. His business was located at 3 E. 28th St. from 1921 to 1923. He was still in business for himself (now located 1400 Broadway) in 1942 when he registered, age 46, for the World War II draft. He lived at that time on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn.

Then R. H. B. Garment / Coats & Suits

At the bottom of this stack, still faintly readable, is Palace / Restaurant / And / Lunchroom. The Palace Restaurant was located here from around 1915 until 1931. The original owner was Harry Eneman (1889-?), an immigrant from Jaslo, Austria (now Poland), who filed for naturalization in 1919. Around 1918 ownership passed to Theodore Kahn, who had been active in the restaurant business for some 8 to 10 years earlier. Kahn appears in the US Census of 1920 as "Kahn Theodore, 47, born Germany, Proprietor Restaurant, living with his wife Lena, 50 at 24 Manhattan Ave." By 1930 the entry had become "Kahn Theodore, 60 [!], born Germany, no profession, living with wife Lena, 60, 2 daughters and a son-in-law at 529 W. 112th St."

Also on this wall:

Getskay & Dann (Click for image.) When Isaac Morris Getskay (1868-?) filed an application for a passport in Jan. 1925 he gave his occupation as retired merchant. And he had, indeed, recently retired from the business of cloaks & suits manufacture. His partnership with William Dann (1865-?) ran from around 1910 to 1924. The firm name, Getskay & Dann, was adopted in 1914, a year after they moved here to 3 E. 28th St. They remained at this location until 1922. Isaac Getskay was born in Toledo, Ohio and opened his own business on New York's 5th Ave. in 1909. He lived at two prominent New York apartment building addresses: The Ansonia at 2109 Broadway (1912-1914) and the Belnord at 225 W. 86th St. (1914-1925). William Dann had his own cloaks manufacturing business on Broadway as early as 1893. This business moved several times to addresses on Broadway, 5th Ave. and Union Square until 1910 when he joined Getskay & Co., 110 5th Ave. He is found in the U. S. Census of 1880 as a 15-year-old boy living with his family on E. 35th St. His father, Adolph Dann, an immigrant from Germany, kept a restaurant or "eating house" at the foot of E. 34th St. (420 E. 34th) from around 1876 until his death in the early 1890s. Dann next appeared in the U. S. Census of 1900 living on W. 138th St. with his widowed mother, Rosalia, his sister, Leah, and her husband, William O. Long, a photographer.

This ad for Getskay & Dann appeared in The American Cloak & Suit Review, Jan. 1914. Notice that 3-5 E. 28th St. is referred to as "the new Getskay Building."

Stewart Good / Fine / Dresses (Click for image.) The dressmaking firm of Steward Good was located at 256 W. 23rd St. from 1905 until 1913. In 1906 a fire at this address started on the third floor where Solar Pyrographic Co. was located. Stewart Good was on the floor above. About thirty women employed by Stewart Good were rescued by firemen in dramatic fashion (New York Times, 18 Feb. 1906, p. 20). Prior to W. 23rd St., Good was located on Prince St. (1895-1898), E. 4th St. (1901), and 5th Ave. (1901-1903). Stewart Good moved to 3 E. 28th St. in 1913, but seems to have gone out of business the following year. Company founder, Stewart Good, can be found in the U. S. Census of 1910 living at 26 West Pierrepont Ave., Rutherford, N. J. The entry is dimly written, but his age appears to be 41. He was living with his wife, Annie F., and a brother, Alfred E. Good. The same three are found in the 1930 census living on Butler St., East Elmhurst, Queens, N. Y. In 1930 Stewart Good gave his occupation as "Bookkeeper, Plumbing Co." His brother is still living with him, now employed at an Auto Service Shop. The couple have an adopted daughter, Sally Donner, age 12. Mary Moore, a sister, is also living with them.

Sig Rosenthal / Co / Waists (Click for image.) Sig Rosenthal was Siegfried Rosenthal (1874-1944). He was related to Herman and Max Rosenthal (possibly a nephew) and worked for their company, Rosenthal Bros., from around 1904 until founding his own company in 1913. (More on Rosenthal Bros. can found found at 44 W. 28th St.) Siegfried Rosenthal was born in Bad Nauheim, Germany, and immigrated to the U. S. in 1891. The company was located here at 3-5 E. 28th St. from 1913 to 1917, then at 8 W. 30th St. until 1923. In 1923 the business began manufacturing ladies undergarments, and they stayed in business until 1952.

Hyman Sherd? / Mfr Of / Suits & Coats

Harrell / Leather Goods Co (Click for image.) This sign is extremely difficult to make out, and Harrell Leather Goods seem to have spent only a single year here (1914). Trow's New York City Directory, 1887, listed Harrell Leather Goods Co. "manufacturers of leather small wares & leather specialties." President of the company was Simeon L. Harrell. Simeon Harrell was listed in Trow only in the three issues dated 1887 to 1889. In the last two of these he lived at 18 Washington Place (on Washington Square). Otherwise, Simeon Harrell does not appear to have lived in New York City, and he may be the Simeon Harrell who was recorded in several U. S. Census reports living in Syracuse, N. Y. In 1870 he was 30 years old and a hardware manufacturer. In 1900 he was 60 and an advertising agent. In 1910 he was 71 and his occupation was "advertising medicines." And in 1920 he was 81 and a "salesman, vacuum cleaners." In 1865 the same Simeon L. Harrell was taxed $19 on an income consisting of $380. Harrell Leather Goods were in business at several locations on Broadway from 1887 to 1913/14 when they finished their final year on E. 28th St.

This the east wall of 3-5 E. 28th St. The west wall duplicates many of the same signs seen here, but in smaller size and in a different arangement. Click here for west wall.

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