Published: May 21, 2007 09:35 am      

REMEMBERING YESTERYEAR: Murphy's lunch counter united Tonawandans

The building at 54 Webster St. was constructed in 1888. The 1893 City Directory lists “The Misses Ballance, Dressmakers” operating a shop in this building. From 1894 through 1926, John Schulmeister operated his dry goods store at 54-56 Webster St.

A Western Union office was housed here in the 1890s and early 1900s. In the early 1900s, Edward H. Pickard also operated his furniture store in what was then called the “46-58 Webster building.” The Evening News was located at 58 Webster St. before their own Louis F. Eggert-designed building was constructed across the street at 73 Webster St.

The G. C. Murphy Co. 5 & 10 Cent Store, with administrative headquarters in McKeesport, Pa., operated its North Tonawanda variety store at 54-60 Webster St. from 1928 through 1997. The company purchased the adjoining property at 60 Webster St., and the old store was modernized and remodeled and expanded into the new part in 1960, with a grand opening ceremony on March 31, 1960.

A modern snack bar-restaurant was installed featuring hot luncheons and fountain treats and beverages. It had 33 stools at the counter. A glass door entrance was installed on the Manhattan side of the building. The original brick facade of the Murphy’s building was covered in 1965 with the present metal facade.

The Downtown Merchants Association of North Tonawanda later coordinated an effort with the city to acquire the land on which A&P had operated its supermarket at 90 Manhattan Street in order to provide better parking opportunities for their customers. The market closed in 1975. The merchants at first paid rent for the use of the lot after the owner had chained it off, taking a monthly collection among themselves to cover the rent.

The merchants took on the costs of conversion of the land to a municipal parking lot, with the downtown building owners taxed for the improvements, and the city accepting responsibility for continued maintenance. At the time, A&P had been closed for several years. The city formed a parking authority to acquire that piece of property and work on other pieces of property in the city. Jay Soemann, president of the Downtown Merchants Association of North Tonawanda and Larry Soos, now mayor, served on the parking authority. The parking authority no longer exists.

A fire in August 1986 caused a tremendous amount of damage and the store required significant restoration before it reopened. It closed in 1997 due to financial problems of the Murphy organization in Pennsylvania.

Dime stores revolutionized American retailing in the late 1800s. Until they were begun, customers had to ask clerks to get merchandise for them. When Frank W. Woolworth opened his first “Great 5-Cent Store” in Utica in 1879, all of his items were out where customers could inspect them and handle them before purchasing. Everything in the store was priced at just a nickel. Later, Woolworth added 10-cent items to improve his mix of merchandise.

The G. C. Murphy Company connected people from all walks of life for more than 80 years throughout the eastern and mid-western United States. Before there were fast food chains, Murphy’s lunch counters united rich and poor, men and women, who needed a quick, cheap and filling bite to eat before returning to the office or factory.

Founded in 1906 by George Murphy, the chain grew to include more than 500 stores, including big suburban Murphy Marts (before its acquisition by Ames Department Stores in 1985) and the G. C. Murphy variety store “five-and-tens” (which were eventually absorbed by longtime competitor McCrory).

George Murphy sold his first chain of Murphy stores to F. W. Woolworth Co. in the early 1900s, and then founded another chain of his own. After Murphy’s death, two McCrory executives, John Mack and Walter Shaw, left McCrory and bought the new G. C. Murphy Co. They became very successful.

Murphy’s was the first variety store chain to use television commercials. Ames purchased the Zayre Department Stores in 1988, and a year later, were so in need of cash that they sold the Murphy Division to McCrory. McCrory filed for bankruptcy and liquidated.

Though George Murphy’s “red and gold five and tens” no longer anchor downtown streets, his legacy of service to the community and to consumers is carried on by former employees around the country. The G. C. Murphy “fundamentals of business” laid out by Mack and Shaw were: “Have what the people want, let them know you have it, and organize to serve quickly, courteously and satisfactorily.”

Our North Tonawanda “Murphy’s” was a beloved part of the fabric of the city. An anchor business in the downtown shopping district, it was a community hub. Residents have so many fond memories of the store and it is sorely missed.

The Board of Trustees of the North Tonawanda History Museum hopes to raise the funds to purchase this building in the next year and restore the exterior to the original appearance and the interior of the planned Lumber City History Center and Twin Cities Welcome Center to the appearance of a 1920s G. C. Murphy’s Store.

“Remembering Yesteryear” is produced under the auspices of the North Tonawanda History Museum. We invite individuals with stories or news of local history to tell to write nthistorymuseum@aol.com or call 213-0554.