Kraus' Store at 8th and Parade with Trolley

Parade Street postcard looking south from 8th St. courtesy of Ken Sidun.

Kraus' Department Store has been a fixture on Parade Street in Erie, Pennsylvania since it opened around 1886. "The city's main shopping center of that era was centered mostly on Parade Street and some of Erie's finest homes were to be found in this community. It was originally settled by people of German ancestry so it was only natural that Edward Kraus was to be a successful merchant in that area. He was a pioneer in department store merchandising and early knowledge in that field provided a foothold for later expanding. Several years after he opened his little establishment, Mr. Kraus started construction on an ornate three-story building adjoining the original store."- Erie Dispatch, August 11, 1951.

The postcard above shows the 'new' Kraus' building on the far right, at 810 Parade St., and the 'old' Kraus' store (the two-story yellow building), at 814 Parade. As you can see, Parade Street was a wall-to-wall business district, with a double trolley track running north to south. There was plenty of space to hitch a horse and buggy along the wide, cobble-stone street.

This family-owned retail store continues to play a vital role in the community, especially for those who own old houses. My friend Barbara inspired this post with her kind words about a recent shopping experience: "Kraus' Department Store to the rescue again. For some months the faucets in the tub would not turn off. Drip, drip, drip. I decided today was the day I would try to fix them. Off I went to Kraus' with two zip-locked bags of parts-- one for hot and one for cold faucet. In a matter of minutes the gentleman found just what I needed, greased the parts and put them back together for me. I just installed them. They work like a charm. Cost $15.88! ... I love Erie!"

Ed Kraus' delivery truck is visible in this 1910 photo of State Street in Erie, PA: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/state-street-erie-pa-pre-bayfront.html

State Street Erie PA pre-Bayfront Highway

State St. in Erie, PA looking north to Public Steamboat Landing. Courtesy of Erie Police historian Ken Sidun.

Here's a gritty-looking shot taken around 1910 from the west side of State Street in Erie, PA near the spot where the Bayfront Highway cuts across State. The building on the left with 'Chew Honey Scrap' painted on the side was demolished, as were the smaller buildings in the foreground. The bow of the USS Wolverine sat in the park on the left before it was moved to a spot on East Front Street in front of the Maritime Museum. This photo was taken before the Wolverine was cut up for scrap. 

The low building on the east side of State Street used to sit at the northeast corner of State and East Front Street. It no longer exists, nor does the big building on the right which is partially obscured by a man walking past the photographer. 

There is a delivery truck belonging to Ed. Kraus on the right side of the photo. Edward Kraus started Kraus' Department Store at 810-816 Parade Street in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1886.

 A cobblestone street similar to the one in this photo, called Dobbins Lane, still exists off of State Street, just north of the office building at 100 State Street in Erie, PA.