Vintage Shoe Store - Minneapolis, Minnesota

This old-timey photo shows the interior of a vintage shoe store in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a 5x7 image on a 8x10 mat.

Minneapolis Shoes WM2.jpg

Here is a cropped version.

Minneapolis Shoes WM2.jpg

On the back appears to be a photographer’s stamp that reads:

Minneapolis Shoes_back.jpeg

F B BROWN

901, 4TH ST. NORTH

T,S PHONE NORTH 6626

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN

On the top of the back are some pencil marks that appear to read: “2735 - 43 ST 3-100”. It is not clear to me that this is anything other than a previous seller’s notes.

Minneapolis Shoes_back.jpeg

And some of my favorite closeup details:

Minneapolis Shoes crop1.jpeg
Minneapolis+Shoes+WM.jpg
Minneapolis Shoes WM.jpeg
Minneapolis Shoes WM.jpeg
Minneapolis Shoes WM.jpeg

My very rough guess is that this was taken sometime around 1920, but I am open to being corrected. I examined the photograph with a magnifying glass but was unable to pick up any clues.

Here are some questions I would explore if I did some more thorough research into this photo:

  • When did the photographer F.B. Brown work in Minneapolis?

  • What can the light fixture tell us about the date of the photo?

  • Who are these men and what are their stories?

  • Are the pencil marks on the back meaningful?

  • What brand of shoes are on the shelves?

Let me know if you have any insights into this photo and I will update it with credit to you!

Old-Timey Store Photo Archive