Federal Building/Frankle Brothers

[Towntalk]

John, in a blowup of the picture the store in the picture was a 2nd store with the main wholesale and office facility was on South Hazel. Unfortunately the full size picture is too large to be posted here, but if you would like to see it in large format, I'd be happy to put it in my Webshots site for you.

According to the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map for 1928 Frankle Cigar Wholesale and offices was located in the Knigts of Columbus Building at 23-25 South Hazel which conforms to the sign in the photo.

[Towntalk]

Remember John that the photo was taken in the 1920's and over the years the building underwent a number of changes, Note the two doors  on the Phelps side of the Cigar store and note the hand sign pointing toward Federal Street.

In the 1970's before the store that is Pig Iron Press today, I use to stop in to buy cigarettes and the store fixtures were old then which is why I think that at one time they had two locations as did the United Cigar Store ... one on the Square and one further up West Federal Street.

[john r. swierz]

I worked at Anchor Cigar in the 60's and Frankle Bros. was on N. Phelps at that time.

[Towntalk]

Found this 1920's photo of the Federal Building on West Federal Street showing the Frankle Brothers Cigar Store.

Note that at the time the store was located on the corner. From older views this location can be seen, but old invoices put Frankle Brothers wholesale cigar further up North Phelps street to where Pig Iron Press is located.

It wasn't unusual for cigar stores to have more than one location one a retail store and one a wholesale house and since the corner storefront was too small to be a wholesale house it's safe to assume that this was the case with Frankle.

It must be borne in mind that cigar smoking was more popular than cigarettes, and there were a number of cigar shops in downtown Youngstown.