The Lost Peter Amerman Grocery - 17 Carmine Street

 

image from the collection of the New York Public Library

The death rate of the yellow fever epidemic in New York City rose to 140 per day in 1822.  On August 24, J. Hardie wrote in his diary, "From daybreak till night one line of carts, containing boxes, merchandise, and effects, were seen moving towards 'Greenwich Village' and the upper parts of the city."  The population explosion of the formerly sleepy hamlet resulted in a flurry of construction of houses and stores.

Among the new buildings was 17 Carmine Street at the corner of Bleecker Street, completed around 1829.  (Both names were relatively new--Herring Street had been renamed Bleecker in 1828, and Carman Street had been corrupted to Carmine.)  A substantial two-and-a-half story structure, its Federal-style design included two dormers in the peaked roof, and an arched opening flanked by two quarter-round windows in the attic.

Peter Amerman, Jr. opened his grocery store in the new building.  It was followed in 1836 by William Nixon's dry goods store and by A. B. Hall & Co. around 1844.  The proprietor and his family did not live upstairs as might have been expected.  An advertisement in The Sun in October 1845 offered, "To Let--The dwelling part of house No. 17 Carmine street, corner of Bleecker--a desirable situation.  Apply in the store."   

Later that year, A. B. Hall was faced with an uncomfortable decision.  An announcement in the New-York Tribune on December 16 explained that a "committee" of dry goods clerks (a precursor to labor unions) had pressed "to get the consent of the Merchants generally throughout the City," to close their stores at 8 p.m. during the winter months (except Saturday evenings, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve).  The move was generally agreed to and dozens of merchants signed the group's pact.  A. B. Hall & Co., however, did not sign the paper but gave "their word to the Committee, that if the Retail Merchants generally close they will do the same."

William R. McKimm took over the shop in 1850 for his men's clothing and tailoring shop.  (Neither he nor his clerk, William R. Greene, lived upstairs.  McKimm lived at 228 Bleecker and Greene at 43 Carmine.)  William McKimm devised a clever method of stirring interest in his new shop.  He told journalists of "mysterious knockings" and other supernatural incidents in the store.

On May 16, 1850, the New-York Tribune said that the "neighborhood of Bleecker and Carmine Streets was throw[n] into the utmost consternation last Saturday night."  The article said, 

In the clothing store of Wm. R. McKimm, 17 Carmine-st. at 8 o'clock, a number of persons being present, a large molasses cask crossed Bleecker st. from the store of C. S. Benson and rolled into the tailer's store about 45 feet, when it righted itself on one end.  At the same moment a tailor's goose [i.e., a cast iron pressing iron] flew like lightning through the store, carrying away the hat of Mr. Draper of 20 Madison-lane, and landing in the dry goods store of Mr. H. Hall on the opposite corner.

The article continued saying that a Mr. Peck, "a large fleshy man (weight 260 lbs)," stepped into the doorway to see what was happening and "was assailed in the rear by invisible feet and kicked...crying 'Och Hone! Tailor McKimm!'"  The lengthy article went on to describe fantastical details like "a strong smell of sulphur" and a Dr. Forrester who "saw the spirits frolicking while in a trance."  The new store owner's motive in publicizing the events was, perhaps, disclosed in the last line.  "The curious in these matters will be more fully informed by calling on William R. McKimm, 17 Carmine-st."

McKimm expanded his floor space by adding a two-story addition to the rear of the house.  In April 1852, he advertised  his "styles of clothing for the Spring" in the Sunday Dispatch, saying that his garments were "equal if they do not surpass others in the same branch of trade."  He guaranteed, "one trial will convince the most incredulous."  The Gentleman's Department was located in the main store, while the Boys and Children's Department were in the annex.

Michael McKimm, presumably William's son or possibly a brother, joined the firm in 1853 and remained through 1856.  

Meyer Hoffman opened his dry goods store here in 1861.  Living upstairs was the family of Moses S. Meeker, a carpenter.  The following year, the building was threatened.  On October 14, 1862, the New-York Tribune reported, "Last evening at 7:55 o'clock a fire occurred in the dry goods store of Mr. Hoffman, No. 17 Commerce street."  Hoffman's store suffered damages equal to $45,000 in 2025.  The article said it was "fully insured."

More than a century before ATMs, it was common for merchants to cash checks, especially for known patrons.  On July 8, 1865, Benjamin Greenfield entered the store and asked Hoffman to cash a check for $35 (nearly $700 today).  The New York Times reported, "When the check was presented [to the bank], it was ascertained that Greenfield had no account there."  Hoffman had Greenfield arrested, but whether he ever recovered his money is unclear.

Although dry goods stores mostly dealt in fabrics and sewing notions, Hoffman offered an interesting item in 1865.  In October that year, he advertised, "Wanted--Women to manufacture bed comfortables.  Come ready to work.  Apply to M. Hoffman, 17 Carmine street, corner of Bleecker."

On May 8, 1866, Hoffman advertised the season's "grand opening of novelties in dry goods" at "M. Hoffman's Dry Goods Emporium."  Among the fabrics he touted were "all-wool cassimeres for boys' and men's wear and cloakings to satisfy most any customer."  His "comfortables" were priced at "only $3" (about $60 today), and "white Marseilles quilts from $2.50 upwards."

Meyer Hoffman may have decided to change his professional course--from dry goods to real estate--in 1869.  On April 26, he advertised an 11-room house at 69 East 52nd Street for rent.  The ad noted, "Apply to M. Hoffman, 17 Carmine street."  Within months, the Solinger Brothers dry goods business had taken over the store here.

Operated by David, Isaac and Leopold Solinger, the store's significant business was reflected in a help-wanted ad on April 11, 1870:  "Wanted--Three first class dry goods salesmen; also one good window dresser.  Inquire at Solinger's, 17 Carmine st., corner Bleecker."

For some reason, Leopold Solinger dropped out of the business in 1872.  An announcement on August 5 explained that David and Isaac "will continued the business of dry goods at 17 Carmine street, under the style and firm of Solinger Brothers."  It may have been a hint of tensions among the siblings.  An advertisement for D. Solinger & Co. on February 9, 1873 suggests that Isaac had dropped out as well.  Among the items highlighted in the ad included, "A lot of French woven Corsets at 70c., and Thompson's improved glove-fitting Corset, $1.50, Mrs. Moody's Improved Corset, $2.75."  (The most expensive of those items would translate to $75 today.)

In the meantime, renters continued to occupy the upper floors.  Among the residents in 1875 were a Mrs. Pine, on the second floor, and John Lynch.  On December 18, The Evening Telegram reported that a "sneak thief" had entered Mrs. Pine's rooms "and stole $50 worth of clothing."  And a month later, on January 22, 1876, The New York Times reported that John Lynch had been arrested "for selling lottery tickets."

Lynch's surname reflected the increasing Irish presence in the neighborhood.  Another Irish-born resident here was John Kelleher, whose opinions on Irish rule differed from those of the New York Herald.  But when the newspaper initiated its Relief for Ireland fund in 1880, to relieve "the terrible suffering, actual and impending" of what it called the "cry of famine," Kelleher set his differences aside.  He wrote to the editor on February 5:

Ireland, always grateful, will ever remember you for your munificent gift and great effort to relieve the wants of her unfortunate children.  Although lately differing with you in your course on Irish affairs your generosity obliterates all grievances.  Please find enclosed $25 for the fund.  -- John Kelleher

The donation was a generous one, equaling nearly $800 today.

John B. Quinlan's grocery store replaced Meyer Hoffman's dry goods store around that time.  In 1884, C. L. Schnetzel owned 17 Carmine Street and the two-story building behind it (originally the boys' department of William McKimm).  Abram Levy operated his tailor shop in the latter building.  The New York Times explained the "six rooms above the first floor of No. 17 Carmine-street" were rented to six families.

At 8:00 on July 13, 1884, a fire broke out in Levy's store.  The New York Times said "the flames spread with remarkable rapidity in every direction, and speedily destroyed a partition between Levy's store and Quinlan's."  By the time firefighters arrived, flames were "bursting out into both Carmine and Bleecker streets."  Living "in the garret room" of 17 Carmine Street was Mary E. Lane, "an aged seamstress."  The old woman "lost her presence of mind," according to the article, and after escaping to the roof, ran back into the house and tried to get down the stairs.  She fell, overcome by smoke, on the third floor landing.  Happily, firefighter Charles Front found her and carried her out.  The other families "escaped to the street helter skelter."  Both proprietors suffered heavy damage, Quinlan's amounting to between $6,000 to $6,500.

Less than two years later, early on the morning of January 4, 1886, fire broke out in Quinlan's grocery store.  The janitor of the upper floors, John Toney, and his family lived on the second floor.  The New York Times reported that Toney and his sons, John and Maurice, "easily escaped to the street," but his young daughters, Britannia and Coralissa, 16 and 10 years old respectively, were confused.  Eventually, they "recovered their presence of mind" and "wrapped sheets around their heads and groped down the middle of the stairs." 

The family of Italian-born Angelo Cuneo was trapped.  (Cuneo's fruit stand was on the sidewalk at the front of the building.)  When Hook and Ladder Company No. 5 arrived, an extension ladder was raised to the window.  Cuneo passed his children--Maria, Carlo, Rosa, Giuseppe and Francesca--out the window before he followed.  The Times said, "a fireman took Mrs. Cuneo and her infant down stairs."  Once again, John B. Quinlan's store suffered significant damage, this time about $1,200 (about $41,300 today).

(Interestingly, Angelo Cuneo would develop his sidewalk stand into a fortune, earning the name The Banana King and establishing an Italian language bank, Banca Italia, at 28 Mulberry Street.)

In 1893, 25-year-old Charles Gengenbach worked as a delivery driver for John B. Quinlan.  "Then," said The New York Evening Telegram, "he was promoted to a clerkship."  At around the same time, Gengenbach "became enamored of a pretty blonde."  He told her that she could have "anything in the store she wanted."  He then provided an apartment for her.  The young man's romantic bent did not stop with that.  The Evening Telegram said, "Subsequently a pretty brunette took his fancy and he established her in a furnished room in West Thirty-third Street.  Soon another blonde captured his fickle heart and he supported her."

Obviously, Gengenbach's clerk's salary was severely taxed.  In May 1895, Quinlan suspected that his clerk "was living too fast."  He marked a few bills and placed them in the cash drawer.  They soon disappeared.  Quinlan had Gengenbach arrested and the marked money was found on him.  Gengenbach was charged on two counts of theft and he confessed that over a two year period he had stolen between $1,500 and $2,000.

John B. Quinlan operated his grocery store through the turn of the century.  By 1916, Leibowitz & Son, a novelty store, occupied the space and remained throughout the World War I years.

In the meantime, the congregation of Our Lady of Pompeii acquired the Greek Revival-style Third Universalist Church at 214 Bleecker Street in 1898.  In 1923, the city notified the church that its venerable structure sat squarely in the path of the coming extension of Sixth Avenue.  The congregation purchased the properties at 17 through 25 Carmine Street as the site of a new structure.  Ground was broken for the Matthew W. Del Gaudio-designed Church of Our Lady of Pompeii in 1926.

photograph by Jim Henderson

many thanks to historian Anthony Bellov for prompting this post