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Sunday, February 8, 2015

Hidden between the walls

The razing of an Ambridge building can reveal some long-hidden surprises.

Timney's
612 Merchant Street
The Daily Citizen Trade Area Directory
1956

When the former Timney's furniture and appliances store at 612 Merchant Street was razed in July, 2013, two huge ads painted on the wall of 610 Merchant Street were revealed.

Painted ads
610 Merchant Street
July 2013
photo credit: Carolyn Dunn Ries
used with permission

The left ad was for Wrigley Spearmint Perfect Gum; the one on the right was damaged and only a small area remained. Can you help identify the product in that ad?

[Update October 20, 2015: This update is much belated as Maria Notarianni provided this information way back on February 11:
Second ad solved! It actually is not a separate ad but an extension of the Wrigley Spearmint Gum advertisement. The symbol reads, "United profit sharing Coupons". [the partial word "rapp" is wrapped] See the symbol in this newspaper ad along with explanation of the coupon.

Wrigley's gum ad
The Miami News
March 29, 1915


Looks like Wrigley's gum was one of several companies that offered "United Profit-Sharing Coupons" in at least the mid-1910 to 1920 period.]

The two ads were only visible for a short while. Within a few weeks, they were re-covered by the wall of the new Dollar General store.

When the Charles Men's Store, 541 Merchant Street, was razed after a September 14, 2012, fire, a large, bricked-closed archway was revealed on the wall of 537 Merchant Street:

Bricked archway
537 Merchant Street
March 30, 2014

Here's a photo of 537 Merchant several months after it too was destroyed, in an July, 6, 2014 fire, showing the size of the archway:

537 Merchant Street
October 2, 2014

I have no idea what the archway might have been used for before it was bricked-up. Do you know? If so, please leave a comment.

9 comments:

  1. They are stable doors. Retailers still did urban deliveries veries with horse teams as late as the 1920's or 30's. Not uncommon in older towns.

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    1. i think that building was the old army - navy store, bought levi jeans & engineer boots there 1950s

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    2. jd aka john domansky

      too bad the front of the building was not shown. i have looked at this pic long & hard & it looks like 4th st west side, could be the old army navy? do not ever recall a building on 5th st that looked like that one does.it was next to a vacant lot, then south was a barbershop & the newer red bull inn, then west to american bridge & ohio river blvd. i recall a furniture store just north of ambridge theater & the restaurant next door, shoveled snow off roof in big snow 1950 51, 5 guys on tall roof & throwing it over into alley & sidewalk in front if it was open, no walkers.
      above comment is mine.

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  3. They are stable doors. Retailers still did urban deliveries veries with horse teams as late as the 1920's or 30's. Not uncommon in older towns.

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  4. any photos of the old Ambridge high school gym the one that looked like a swimming pool/? I played basketball for Aliquippa ,'66-69! Hated that place! And Devenzio!

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    1. jd aka john domansky
      played for aliquippa?? boo!! go back to aliquippa, ha ha , so much animosity in the 1940s towards aliquippa in sports, now i know why i did not like mike ditka when he coached the bears in chicago, called him iron head mike., so much changes with age , huh?? all in fun tho.
      the AHS basketball gym spawned the best sportsmanship you will ever see never again, when opposition was shooting a foul shot, you could hear a pin drop, everyone shushed anyone that made a noise, SPORTSMANSHIP, now they wave stuff behind foul shooters like maniacs

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  6. Army Navy Store was a few doors from Charles Men's Store.

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