Kroch's and Brentano's Vanity License Plate
12" × 6"
$17.99
Sale price
$17.99
Regular price
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Let a familiar Chicago bookstore name spark a conversation wherever the road leads. Kroch's and Brentano's brought together Adolph Kroch's business and Brentano's Chicago branch in 1954, creating a downtown flagship that became part of the city's cultural and commercial life. The chain eventually reached 22 stores before its remaining locations closed in 1995. This plate is a distinctive keepsake for Chicago history enthusiasts, bookshop collectors, and readers who remember the city's changing bookstore landscape.
Kroch's and Brentano's was formed in Chicago in 1954 by combining Adolph Kroch's bookstore with the Chicago branch of Brentano's. Kroch, an Austrian immigrant, opened a German-language bookstore on Monroe Street in 1907, later switching to English-language books during World War I. His business moved to 22 N. Michigan and, in 1927, to 206 N. Michigan Avenue, where it became Chicago's largest bookstore before closing there in 1953. Brentano's Chicago branch dated to 1884, when Arthur Brentano opened it at 101 State Street. After Brentano's filed for bankruptcy in 1933, Kroch and financier Stanton Griffis acquired the firm; Kroch received the Chicago branch and rights to the Brentano's name in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Kroch operated the two bookstores separately until the 1954 merger, which created a 40,000-square-foot flagship at 29 S. Wabash Avenue. At its peak, the chain had 22 stores in the Chicago metropolitan area. Carl Kroch sold it to its 700 employees in 1986; after financial difficulties, it was resold to Businesship International. The company filed for bankruptcy in June 1995 and was liquidated. Its remaining stores closed on July 31, 1995.
Kroch's and Brentano's Vanity License Plate
$17.99
Sale price
$17.99
Regular price
Let a familiar Chicago bookstore name spark a conversation wherever the road leads. Kroch's and Brentano's brought together Adolph Kroch's business and Brentano's Chicago branch in 1954, creating a downtown flagship that became part of the city's cultural and commercial life. The chain eventually reached 22 stores before its remaining locations closed in 1995. This plate is a distinctive keepsake for Chicago history enthusiasts, bookshop collectors, and readers who remember the city's changing bookstore landscape.
Kroch's and Brentano's was formed in Chicago in 1954 by combining Adolph Kroch's bookstore with the Chicago branch of Brentano's. Kroch, an Austrian immigrant, opened a German-language bookstore on Monroe Street in 1907, later switching to English-language books during World War I. His business moved to 22 N. Michigan and, in 1927, to 206 N. Michigan Avenue, where it became Chicago's largest bookstore before closing there in 1953. Brentano's Chicago branch dated to 1884, when Arthur Brentano opened it at 101 State Street. After Brentano's filed for bankruptcy in 1933, Kroch and financier Stanton Griffis acquired the firm; Kroch received the Chicago branch and rights to the Brentano's name in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Kroch operated the two bookstores separately until the 1954 merger, which created a 40,000-square-foot flagship at 29 S. Wabash Avenue. At its peak, the chain had 22 stores in the Chicago metropolitan area. Carl Kroch sold it to its 700 employees in 1986; after financial difficulties, it was resold to Businesship International. The company filed for bankruptcy in June 1995 and was liquidated. Its remaining stores closed on July 31, 1995.
| 12" × 6" | |
| Width, in | 12.00 |
| Height , in | 6.00 |
Product features
- Durable 100% aluminum construction with silver backing
- High-definition, vibrant color printing on white front
- Standard size 12" × 6" (30.5 × 15.2 cm)
- Four pre-drilled holes for easy hanging or mounting
- Assembled in the USA from globally sourced parts (mounting hardware not included)
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions: Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth