Out of business
TICKETS FOR THE UPTOWN THEATER NAPA, TICKETS WERE 1.00$ MANY YEARS AGO TO SEE A FILM AND 1.00$ POPCORN ! NOW IT'S OVER 75.00 FOR SHOW STAR PERFORMERS ! I MISSS THE GOOD OLD DAYS
Rachel Friedman Beloved Teacher Of Our Children In Napa Until Her Retirement At 70
It was recently reported that the Baker Street Downtown tobacco shop was closing its store downtown. That’s too bad. I hate to see stores leave downtown.
After reading about Baker Street, my long-term memory kicked in and I remembered other popular downtown businesses that have closed over the past 25 years or so.
First on my list is Brewster’s, on the northeast corner of First and Main streets. Owned by Larry and Rachel Friedman, it was everybody’s favorite store. From rubber boots to military fatigues, they had it all. It was fun working your way through the crowded aisles looking at their inventory of different things.
Initially, Brewster’s was located on the corner of Pearl, across Main from Napa City Bakery. It moved to its final location on downtown’s busiest corner sometime in the 1960s.
Next is Woolworth’s, Napa’s five-and-10-cent store. It was last located on First at School Street, across from City Hall. Prior to that, it was on First Street, between Brown and Coombs streets, a site now occupied by county offices.
Woolworth’s was another place where you could find “stuff.” They had a soda fountain and lunch area that served great sandwiches and milkshakes. Health Quest now occupies that building.
Next is Merrill’s Drug Store on First Street between Coombs and Randolph. The store closed years ago and the building remains empty.
Merrill’s had everything – even drugs. Back when I was a youth, there was literally a drug store on every corner of First Street downtown but, one by one, they went away and only Merrill’s remained. Then it went away.
Levinson’s Drugs was a prominent business on the southeast corner of Main and First streets for decades, now the site of Napa Valley Roasting Company.
In the 1980s, the Frommelt family, owners of the business, moved the store from downtown to Bel Aire Plaza. It was later acquired by Longs Drugs and became one of three Longs Drugs on Trancas Street. Longs has since been absorbed by CVS.
From well before World War II, Carithers Department Store was one of the major retail outlets in Napa County. It was on the northwest corner of Second and Brown streets, now the site of the Second Street garage.
In the 1970s, Carithers built a new store on First Street between Brown and Coombs. Its tenure in the building was short-lived and they closed their doors in the 1980s.
After World War II, brothers Rohde and Jim Wigger opened Wigger Brothers clothing store on Main Street near First. After operating together for years, the brothers split and Jim operated Wigger’s Clothing on First Street near Randolph while Rohde opened Rohde’s Clothing store in a building next to Woolworths across from City Hall. That building now belongs to and is occupied by the Napa Chamber of Commerce.
Downtown businesses come and go, but I sure miss some of those that have gone. I will also miss Baker Street.
Email Jim Ford at jford571@sbcglobal.net.
Historic Uptown Theater Napa Renovated by Steven Spielberg Director
From right to left 'Brewsters" Army Surplus Store "Larry Friedman Owner" Beloved By The Community "IXL Toggery" Clothing Store "Napa Valley Opera House"
