14 to 42 - 16th Street

Stephano Co., 55 W. 16th St. (2003)

STEPHANO COMPANY
WAISTS & DRESSES

The Stephano Company was located in this building from 1905 to 1909. This was a rare woman-owned business (Flora de Stephano, pres.) that made women's waists (i.e., blouses) and dresses. Stephano Co. relocated to W. 28th St. in 1909 and then to W. 33rd St. around 1915. This ad appeared in the New York Times' Buyers Market Place Mar. 30, 1913 while they were on 28th St. The business seems to have closed around 1918.

Below Stephano Co., no longer readable, was a sign for H. Hirsch & Co.:

H. HIRSCH & CO.
MAKERS OF
LADIES NECKWEAR Click for image from the New York Public Library, Lloyd Acker Collection (ca. 1940s). The New York City Directory lists Hirsch Hattie neckwear at 55 W. 16th St. in 1910 as the successor to "H. Hirsch & Co." and "Hirsch Hy neckwear" at 467 Broadway from 1907 to 1909. Was this another woman-owned business, or did Hattie take over from husband Henry (or Harry)? And what happened after 1910? Such a nice prominent sign, and they disappear from the map after only one year!

This is the east side of 55 W. 16th St. For the west side of this building see 16street5

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