Stern Brothers, 32-46 W. 23rd St. (2005)
All that remains to identify this building as Stern Brothers Dry Goods Store is the S B in the shield above the main entrance. Stern Brothers was founded in 1867 by the four sons of a German Jewish immigrant. Their original store at this location was erected in 1878. This was replaced by the present building in 1892, a "resplendent cast-iron emporium" (Norval & White, AIA Guide to New York City, 4th ed., 2000) designed by German-born architect, William Schickel (1850-1907).
The New York Public Library's Digital Gallery contains a photo of the Stern Bros. store with a painted sign on the west wall (click for image). The photo is dated 1885.
William Schickel also designed several churches in New York including Most Holy Trinity Church (1882) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and St. Joseph's Catholic Church (1895) in Yorkville. He is also known for his design of the Freie Bibliothek und Lesehalle (now the Ottendorfer Branch of the New York Public Library) and its adjoining Deutsches Dispensary (both 1883-84) downtown on 2nd Ave. near 9th St., as well as the Ehrich Brothers Emporium (1889) (this is the building with the "K" mosaics (the K stood for the J. L. Kesner Co. who occupied the building 1911-13)) on 6th Ave. at 22nd St. and the Century Building (1880-81) on Union Square (33 E. 17th St.).
Stern Brothers remained at this location until 1913 when they moved to 42nd St. & 5th Ave.
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}