J.J. Newberry Store, 812 Franklin St
J.J. Newberry Store. 1956. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy of the Hillsborough County Library
815 N Franklin St. 2020. © Chip Weiner
The JJ Newberry Co. building was constructed in 1941 after razing the Schulte-United Building and adjoining hotel that stood on the property. Newberry was a national corporation whose department stores sold “the newest styles for men, women and children”. The store also carried general household merchandise from cooking utensils to poker chips. In the mid-1900s, Franklin St. teemed with shoppers and was a bustling commercial district, with the 800 block as its centerpiece. JJ Newberry’s, S.H. Kress, and FW Woolworths were all on the same block.
As Tampa grew and urban areas developed, people and commerce moved away. In 1973, the city converted the area into a pedestrian mall, narrowing Franklin to two lanes and adding wider sidewalks. Although many plans to revitalize the block have surfaced, the buildings have remained largely empty and tattered for decades.
© Chip Weiner. All rights reserved
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JJ Newberry Cosmetics Department. Robertson and Fresh
Former J.J. Newberry interior 2022. © Chip Weiner
Interior of the J.J Newberry Store. Robertson and Fresh. Courtesy of the USF Digital Collection
Employees of the J.J. Newberry Store in Tampa. Robertson and Fresh. Courtesy of the USF Digital Collection
Soda fountain in the J.J Newberry Store, Tampa. Robertson and Fresh. Courtesy of the USF Digital Collection
Show window of thew J.J Newberry store at night. Robertson and Fresh. Courtesy of the USF Digital Collection