As early as 1859, there were A. Genella’s Chinese stores in the building at 1108 Washington Street, which far exceeded China’s.
His shop has photo frames, wallpaper, curtains, sheets, toys, books, glass and candle holders. The Daily Citizen Evening News reported: “Mr. A. Genella raised a handsome Confederate flag in front of his Chinese store yesterday. It has 10 stars on it, which is meant to represent the 10 states that are now part of the Southern Confederacy.”
Chinese stores survived the Civil War, this is the fact that Genella used in advertising. Antonio Genella died in 1871, and William Crutcher and Co. purchased store inventory.
In 1873, Antonio’s brother Joseph reopened a Chinese shop in the “old stall”. By 1878, Mrs. EA Riddle ran her bed linen and lingerie shop in the building. It was a furniture store in the 1880s. In 1889, Mrs. RC Auter and Mrs. Co. sold handkerchiefs, vests, baby hats, collars, cuffs and gloves.
By 1893, the Bonelli Brothers Furniture Store called the building home, and they leased it to Dornbusch and Hopper, General Merchandise in 1895. Many companies, including furniture, millinery, concepts, etc., operated outside the building until Racket Store moved from the street to the building around 1903.
A racket shop is defined as a shop that sells a variety of cheap goods. From 1914 to 1925, the two-story building divided the second floor into two, and one floor was added to make a three-story building. The racket shop remained in the building for decades and eventually became Wilson’s hardware store, which closed in the 2000s.
Post time: Dec-09-2021