NEWTOWN Historical Society founder and president, and Forgotten NY correspondent Christina Wilkinson recently tipped me about some gorgeous old signage that had recently been revealed at #705 Manhattan Avenue near Norman in Greenpoint. The signs are on what was formerly a drugstore and the site is already being worked over, so it may be fortuitous that I decided to make a midweek visit.
Four gorgeous etched glass signs remain, one for the address number, which is the only one that has been visible continuously. The other signs were behind a facing that was recently removed. The ground floor has been empty for a few years, while before that, it was a physical therapy office. Ironically I will be taking my final in-office physical therapy session in Bayside for back trouble the day after I’m writing this; I will then have to do my own therapy at home.
It’s been the fashion the last few years to retain ancient signage for new businesses. During the summer, I found another instance of etched glass signage at Norman Avenue and Eckford Street, seen in the link for Norman Avenue above. I hope that’s the case here; I didn’t pester the workmen about what they were doing, and I hope the glass signs won’t be re-covered.
A 1940 tax photo reveals the same signs in place when this was John H. Wienholz’s Drug Store. You can see the traditional vials and bottles of medications in the window, as well as the nickel weighing machine that used to be so ubiquitous at drugstores. Chances are you could get a good milk shake here while you picked up your aspirin. Apparently Wienholz made his own cough medication.
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10/22/25
13 comments
when drug stores had a lot more appeal than a Duane Reade or CVS!
Pharmacies could sell “cough medicine” during Prohibition, if you catch my drift, and maybe by 1940 there still was a demand for the stuff, which Mr. Wienholz was glad to supply.
In the early 1900’s children’s cough syrup sometimes contained heroin.
When I was a child I always thought those big glass jars in drugstore
windows were full of real medicine but it was all just colored water.
Pure Showbiz.
Those signs are as good as gone. I passed by last week. There was a Korean couple supervising the work. Koreans, like most other non-native groups, do not appreciate the historical significance of such things. They’re probably removed by now. I’ll check later today and let you know.
“Koreans, like most other non-native groups, do not appreciate the historical significance of such things.”
I didn’t realize Native Americans were so fond of stained glass.
Any chance the current owners would be willing to sell those signs? Rather than destroying them?
[…] long-running local blog Forgotten New York unearthed additional […]
For years there was an old Dumont TV sign hanging staight down from the top of the store very vintage it would be where Wasabi is now or around there. Its gone now but how I wanted that it was a gem really.
[…] Three separate panels stretch across the storefront windows in white, green and black glass, reading “perfumes,” “toilet articles” and “prescriptions,” as first reported by Forgotten New York. […]
Thank you so much for this! We love it when people use New York City’s tax photos – they’re a really cool, unique part of our city’s history. We just ask that you please credit this photo to our agency (i.e. Image via NYC Department of Records & Information Services) so others know where it came from – and maybe even find other tax photos they’re interested in. Thank you!
I did provide a link, but I prefer 1940s.nyc for me, as your recent redesign makes your site nearly unnavigable, sad to say.
Hey there! This is the owner of the therapy practice in that space, I don’t own the building. I’ve rented the commercial space since 2019 though and I wanted to finally fix it up a bit. Finding the stained glass under there was just a happy accident. I’m definitely going to keep it as is – I just had to fix a couple of little broken pieces! Happy to make the block a little prettier. My contractor is wonderful – I highly recommend my wonderful local contractor who helped with the whole process – Gonzales Construction Have a great day! Karen C – Brooklyn Psychotherapy