Ghost in Junogi

Barely visible "...GLER..."

Thompson and Howard Streets [map]

JOSIA'S

"JOSIA'S"
Probably multi-layered, this newer sign over older signs beneath.

Along Hancock [map

Paper Boxes

"...Paper Boxes"

Hancock and Turner Streets [map]

Steel Co.

Barely legible "STEEL CO. OFFI..."
Hancock Street between Jefferson and Oxford.

Parke's Coffee / Adolph Fruchter

"Parke's" as seen on Hope Street

Listed in early atlases as a distillery, "whiskey brewery" and warehouse. Later maps have no record of what is happening at the location. 

L. H. Parke Company started in 1889 as a partnership of Louis H. Parke and William P. M. Irwin. The partnership took over the small provision-pushcart business of Samuel Irwin, a civil war veteran who had lost his arm in the Battle of Winchester, Virginia. Parke started as a seller of coffee, tea and spices. The company grew to be a major institutional wholesale seller of canned goods, and was famous for its coffee (Parke's Unmatchable Dry Roast Coffees), tea, spices and "Packed to Order" canned goods. In 1961 the company was sold to Consolidated Foods and was merged in 1962 into Monarch Foods. At the time of the sale the company was headquartered in Philadelphia with offices and warehouses in Pittsburgh, Washington DC, Richmond, Virginia and Albany, New York.

Donald Irwin Jr., President of Parke became the first president of Monarch Institutional Foods at that time. In 1946, Consolidated Foods Corp., the precursor of Sara Lee Corporation, acquired Monarch Foods and eventually "US Foodservice" or United Signature Foods, Inc., a broadline distributor based in Wilkes-Barre, PA, acquired former sister company PYA/Monarch for $1.57 billion on December 5, 2000.

Rudolph Fruchter Industries, Inc.
Wholesale Distributors of kitchens, Vanities & Appliances

Building has had a later life as a distributor for kitchen furniture and appliances. Garish purple and white street level paint scheme, which reads:

"Fruchter Industries, Inc. Wholesale Distributors of kitchens, Vanities & Appliances"

This explains some of the other signage found around the complex. For example:
"TAPPAN" with an image of a home cooking range, and...

 
"Appliances, Cabinets, Vanities" opposite. Both clearly visible from the elevated train platform hovering over Front Street a few yards away.


There are numerous overlapping signs on the sides of the building, illustrations of vanities and home cooking ranges, and multiple versions of the FRUCTER company name, all visible from the elevated train. Peeking out beneath all of them you can make out a large "PARKE'S COFFEE".


Front Street just below Girard [map]

15c - Standard Tap - NoLibs

"15¢." Seems to have been part of a larger sign, long since weathered away.
Visible up close on the outdoor deck at The Standard Tap.

2nd and Poplar [map]

Tap Room - No Libs

"TAP ROOM and BAR EQUIPMENT (black)
Fire escapes, railings, cellar doors, grilles (yellow)
RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT (black)"


This area seems to have been a hub for restaurant supply facilities. See also Ace a block away.


3rd and Brown [map]

typical south philly house number

Typical South Philly house number, one of many styles.
Not a painted sign, but a fixture that is slowly disappearing.
Will try to find a painted example.

Ghost - Chestnut Street

Modern, partially stuccoed over.

Chestnut near 8th [map]

Quaker Oats

"Quaker Oats on sale here."
Building was originally Cooper Barrel Works warehouse.

Brown Street and Mintzer Street (building demolished) [map]

Society Hill Furniture, others

"You Save More At Society Hill Furniture"
over "Wurlitzer" and many others.
Numerous overlapping signs on both sides of building.

Here is the location as photographed 8/23/1913, with no signage visible. The elaborate scaffolding was erected to protect pedestrians from construction of the Chestnut Opera House (see below).



Again in 1914, this time with signage present, and the opera house is complete.

PhillyHistory.org. Philadelphia Department of Records. 25 November 2008. <http://www.phillyhistory.org>.

11th and Chestnut Streets [map]

Exposed - Art Museum

Small preserved portion revealed when existing parking structure was demolished. Since covered up again by new construction.

22nd and Race (sign no longer visible) [map]

J.T. Riley - The Yard with the Stock

"JT RILEY INC. - The Yard With The Stock since 1905"




"HARD WOODS
MILLWORK
MOULDINGS"


Sign has been retouched and altered numerous times.


A lumberyard has been on these premises since at least 1875. A lumberyard has been on these premises since at least 1875. Still in business.

3rd just below Girard [map]

(More on the motorcycle here)