photo by Carole Teller
In reporting on the "inventions and improvements" exhibited in the Annual Fair of the American Institute of New-York, the October 1833 issue of Mechanics' Magazine noted, "Mr. F. Murphy's exhibition of blacking will, if properly appreciated, make him a shining character...He makes it at 349 Grand street, and let it be remembered that it is American." Francis Murphy would soon have to find another spot to make his improved shoe polish. Within a few years, his vintage structure was replaced with a three-story house and store.
Faced in running bond red brick, its design most likely drew from the current Greek Revival or Italianate style. In 1840, Benjamin Stimpson, Jr., a hatter, and his family lived upstairs while he ran his store downstairs. Sharing the upper portion in 1847 were Gertrude Pearsall, the widow of Abijah Pearsall; and "segarmaker" William Fick. The commercial space was now home to the Tice & Abbott bakery, run by Peter Tice and Samuel P. Abbott.
Drastic change soon came when Joseph Ochs and his family moved in. He opened his "dining saloon" in the former bakery space. Ochs also operated another dining saloon at 3 Cedar Street. His venture here, however, was short-lived. In March 1853, he advertised:
A public house for sale--A barroom, with restaurant and club room attached for sale low to a cash purchaser. The house is doing a good business, and is in one of the best locations in the city. For particulars, apply at No. 349 Grand street.
Marcus Nehab converted the space for his ribbons store. In the meantime, William Seaman lived upstairs. He was irate in 1854 when unflattering rumors about him were circulated. In August he placed an announcement in the New York Herald saying,
$50 Reward--Whereas some person unknown to the subscriber [i.e., Seaman], has been circulating false and scandalous reports concerning him, the above reward will be cheerfully paid to any one who will furnish such information as may lead to the conviction of the one who circulated the slander.
Seaman's reward would equal about $1,950 in 2026.
Aaron Phillips took over the store around 1857. He would operate his dry goods store for years while he and his family occupied the upper floors.
In 1861, the Union Home and School was established to care for the children of soldiers killed in battle. Following the conflict, the facility continued and on February 1, 1867, a lottery for its benefit was held. The following day The New York Times reported on the winners, among whom was G. A. Phillips, who won $100 (the windfall would translate to $2,000 today). Presumably, G. A. Phillips was Aaron Phillips's son.
The dry goods store was taken over by brothers Jacob and Leopold Diamond in 1867. Change came again in 1871 when the store became a branch of the M. H. Moses & Co. tea shops. It was one of 15 tea shops the firm operated throughout the city.
It may have been Moses H. Moses who updated the facade. Impressive Renaissance Revival-style cast metal architraves were applied to the upper openings and an ornate cornice that included the street number was installed.
photograph by Carole Teller
Mary Morris was the widow of shoemaker Matthew Morris. Upon his death, she took the reins of the company and in 1879 leased 349 Grand Street, installing her shoe store here and moving her family into the upper floors. Mary had at least two sons and two daughters.
One of the daughters, who signed her name "Miss L. Morris," thought that a joke that she invented in 1888 was so clever that she should share it with the world. She wrote to the editor of The Evening World on July 31:
The other day I remarked to a group of friends in talking about a child that happened to be standing near by: "I think that child will be a teacher some day because he has a pupil in his eye."
By 1890, Mary's sons had joined the business, which was renamed Morris Bros. At the time, clerks throughout the city had mobilized to promote the "half holiday" concept. It proposed that during the hot summer months, shops would be closed on Saturday afternoons. On August 6, 1890, a reporter from The World interviewed Max Morris about the movement. He compassionately said, "If the others close we shall cheerfully follow suit," adding, "We are only employing two clerks now, and they get off whenever they ask the privilege. The clerks ought to have the half day, by all means."
After having leased the property for 12 years, on April 3, 1891 Mary Morris purchased 349 Grand Street. Following her death, on February 26, 1904 her children sold the building to Louis Minsky. On March 30, the Shoe Retailer and Boots and Shoes Weekly reported:
Morris, the Grand street shoeman, who has conducted a store at 349 Grand street, under the style of Morris Bros. for several years, will open a new store on 8th avenue, between 37th and 38th street, about May 1st.
Minsky quickly resold the building to Frederick Siegler and his wife, Paulina. (Confusingly, Siegler's name would also be spelled Zeigler and Siegel in documents.) The couple moved into the upper floors and opened their fancy goods store downstairs.
On April 23, 1906, The Evening World reported on ten young women who were "shop girls on a weekday, but turned sleuth of a Sunday here of late." They intended to gather evidence against "shopkeepers, dealers in dry goods, notions and the like," said the article, who kept their businesses open on Sundays.
The previous day, a "good-looking young woman" named "Miss Marcus," according to The Evening World, had entered Siegel's store and asked for three yards of blue ribbon. "The clerk wasn't certain about selling the ribbon, and he called the boss." Miss Marcus later alleged that Siegler directed, "Sure, sell her. Only because it is Sunday she must pay ten cents a yard instead of seven and a half."
Later, Katie Burns entered the store. The New York Herald reported, "Morris Lieberman, a clerk, sold her a pair of hose with the knowledge and consent of Ziegler."
In court the next day, the magistrate asked Siegler if he kept his store closed on the sabbath. The Jewish shop owner replied that, "his store was always closed until 4 o'clock on Saturday," according to the New York Herald, which concluded, "'Discharged,' said the magistrate."
In February 1910, Siegel hired architect O. Reissmann to make interior alterations, including the reconfiguration of walls. The changes cost the equivalent of $51,000 today.
In 1922, the children of Frederick and Pauline Seigler leased 349 Grand Street to Samuel Keiser "for women's wearing apparel," according to the New-York Tribune. The lease was renewed in March 1930 for another five years.
At the end of the lease, Samuel and Abraham Friedman rented the building for their Sun-Ray Yarn Company. The following year, in January 1936, they purchased the property.
In 1941, Sun-Ray occupied the ground floor of 351, as well. image via the NYC Dept of Records & Information Services.
Called Sun-Ray House, the three-story shop became a destination for its broad array of yarns. But in February 1943, the Federal Trade Commission had a problem with S. Friedman & Sons. The New York Times explained that the complaint charged "that they had misrepresented the fiber, material, or place or origin of some of the yarn they sell." The Feds said, for instance, that they called "rainbow type yard" "rainbow tweed;" and instead of describing one item "mystic yarn," they marketed it as "mystic crepe."
By then the dash had been dropped from Sunray and the store had extended into 351 Grand Street. By 1975, it included the ground floor of 347, as well.
In 1975, Sunray Yarn had extended into 347 Grand Street. No. 349 is at the far left. from the collection of the Museum of the City of New York.
Sunray Yarns remained at least into the 1980s. In the early 2000s, a restaurant supply firm occupied the building. It was replaced in 2012 by a pharmacy. Somewhat beleaguered today, the vintage building still draws attention for its unusual window treatments.
many thanks to reader Carole Teller for prompting this post.
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