G. George, Custom Shirtmaker, 110 W. 40th St. between 6th & 7th Aves. (2003)

The following from Vicky Cicalo 29-Sep-2003:

"My husband, George, is now 87 years old and is still operating his business on West 40th Street. He began his custom shirt business back in 1945, at which time he was located at 1052 Ave. of the Americas where he stayed for approximately two years. Believe it or not, in 1947 he moved to his current location of 110 W. 40th Street where he is currently the oldest tenant in the building, having been operating there for 56 years! He designed the sign on his window himself when he moved to the W. 40th Street location, and I believe he still has the original artwork. I am not sure who painted it."

Many thanks to Vicky and George Cicalo for providing such fascinating information on this unique and beautiful sign.

Around April or May 2004 the G. George sign disappeared from 40th St., when Mr. Cicalo retired from his business.

In January 2009 Christopher Gray wrote a Streetscapes article about 110 W. 40th St. (New York Times, 4 Jan. 2009, p. RE 5). The building is named the World's Tower Building and was erected in 1913 by Edward West Browning. Browning also built a loft building at 11 W. 17th St. and 3 very similar residential buildings in the west 70s. The one at 126 W. 73rd St. is known as the Nobleton, and carries Browning's EWB initials on its terra cotta facade (click for image). The EWB at 11 W. 17th St. is of a somewhat simpler design (click for image). The Nobleton was at one time a part of a chain of hotels run by Harry W. Doremus and Charles M. Bellak, who were also owners/managers at the Hotel St. Louis and the Senton Hotel.

The Christopher Gray article on Edward W. Browning can be read on the New York Times website, where several nice photographs are shown.

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