The newish apartment building between 4th and 5th Sts. and between the B.F. Bridge and Race St replaced a long standing Philadelphia company, Whitman's Chocolates.
Stephen French Whitman, born in Philadelphia in 1823 opened his first candy store in 1842 just blocks from the Philadelphia waterfront on Market Street. Sailors were regular customers and helped make his candy well known along the Eastern Seaboard. By 1866, Whitman had moved his facility to 12th and Market Streets (1st photo). After a fire in 1880, Whitman’s Candies moved to the 600 block of Cherry Street and, in 1906, to 4th and Race Streets. By the turn of the 20th century Whitman’s Candies were on the shelves of drugstores across the region and beyond. The Whitman’s Sampler–the iconic box of assorted chocolates–debuted in 1910. Five years later it had become America’s best-selling box of chocolates. (2nd photo is 1922 ad)
The company expanded it's facility up Race Street to 5th in phases. Designed by engineering firm Gravel & Duncan, the first phase of construction occurred between 1941 and 1942. The second and largest phase was completed in 1946, and a third floor addition was built in 1947. (3rd, 4th, 5th photos)
In 1961 the company was bought by Pet, Inc. and operations were moved to Northeast Philadelphia. The older buildings at the Old City production site were demolished (4th St side) and the facility was taken over by Pincus Brothers. Here they manufactured and sold Bill Blass suits among other name brands until the early 2000's, after which the buildings sat empty until it's demolition. (6th photo)
Whitman's - 12th & Market St 1954, Whitman's complex
- 1869
1964 1964 2016
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