Historically known as the A.P. McCombs Building at 457 Franklin Street, this building is recorded by Harford County as 401 North Union Avenue.

This was built in 1900 by Abraham Prizer McCombs (1824-1916), the owner of the Havre de Grace Iron Works, the Havre de Grace Republican newspaper, and president of the First National Bank of Havre de Grace. Before construction of this building, this was the location of the William Harris Livery (noted on the 1899 Sanborn Insurance Map), and had a “manure pit behind the stable.” There also were two houses in the space between North Union Avenue and St. John Street, one of which is thought to have been owned by the Stone family, some of whom were murdered by Havre de Grace local, Hattie Stone, in the late 1920s. (See 352 Bourbon Street for more information.) Several months after Hattie Stone’s trial, the Baltimore Sun reported that a package of strychnine was discovered in the house by its next occupant. He discovered “hidden in the rafters a package containing between a third and a half pound of strychnine.” The Baltimore Sun commented that this was enough to kill about 5,000 people. The house was later demolished by Jimmy Vancherie.

After the death of A.P. McCombs, his heirs conveyed all of this property to William S. McCombs (1850-1928), his son, in 1918. By 1971, ownership had descended through Nellie McCombs Brown (daughter of William S. McCombs), to her widowed daughter, F. Elizabeth Williams, and her son, William S. Brown. During this time, the Havre de Grace Post Office was located in this building from 1904 to 1936, having previously been located on the opposite southeastern corner of Franklin Street and Union Avenue (331 North Union Avenue). And Courtney Mattingly had a store here at the same time

After the Post Office moved to its new building on west Union Avenue in 1936, there were rental units in the building. The 1940 Census shows that one family living here was that of Joseph D. Silverstein and his wife, Gussie. Joseph had been born in Russia in 1909 and Gussie in Austria a couple of years before that. The Silverstein family became and remain prominent citizens in Havre de Grace, having first started Joseph’s Department Store in 1937, which continues to be operated by family. Joseph and Gussie had three sons, Dr. Emanuel H. “Monte” Silverstein (1935-2021), Elias H. Silverstein, and Dr. Louis Silverstein.

The main floor of this building served as H. Dean Pershing’s Photograph Studio from 1937 into the 1960s. In 1961 his Studio advertised that an 8-exposure roll would cost 84 cents and a 12-exposure roll would be $1.16 to print. Jumbo reprints were 8 cents. Shalonn Smith Lawson had her senior portrait done at Pershing’s and Melinda Craig had her engagement portrait to David Craig (former Harford County Executive) taken here. Several people remember Dean Pershing as a “sweet” man—Irene Adams’ Mom worked for him as did Arleen Farrell Coakley and her sister, Rosemary.

The Telephone Operator Station was on the second floor, where Jimmy Vancherie’s Mom, Jessie, worked, prior to its moving to North Stokes Street. The L&H Cleaners that can be seen north of the building in photographs was an addition at some point. When Dean Pershing closed his studio, Ray and Jeanne Ashford opened Bayside Video here. And Bob Kapinos loved the video store because it had a “great horror section.”

In 1971, when the building was inherited by F. Elizabeth Williams and William S. Brown they sold it right away to Andrew and Dorothy Lucot and Edward and Blanche Hutchins. Sadly for them, the building had a huge fire in November 1973. The fire gutted the building and completely destroyed the third story with dormers. While fighting the fire, Charlie Packard fell through from the third floor to an apartment on the second floor, but survived. Dave Morlok remembers going in the dormer window with a handline—his backup man was Rick Bruno.

Within a year the owners sold the building to Triad Enterprises, Inc. (with Henry B. Simmons) and in 1979 they sold the (presumably rebuilt) building to Stamp, Inc. While the burned building was rebuilt, the third floor was not replaced and is now attic space. There are several apartments on the second floor. Tommy Tyler’s family lived in one and he remembers that they would sit out on the fire escape to cool off in the heat of the summer.

In 1996, Bahoukas Collectibles was opened by George Wagner next door to this in a very small building at 465 Franklin Street. Four years later Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer Museum moved to these larger quarters at 401 North Union Avenue, and in 2004 George Wagner bought the whole A.P. McCombs building and operated his beer museum on the second floor.

In 2006, Bahoukas Antique Mall and Beer Museum moved across the street to 408 North Union Avenue. The first floor of this building became The Painted Lady, selling a variety of handmade artwork and jewelry. That was followed by Bahoukas GreenJoy with Jolene Forrester and her son, Luke, running the vintage market on the first floor. In 2018, Jolene moved her vintage-retro-pyrex store, JoRetro, to larger quarters on North Washington Street. The first floor of this building now houses Moon and Sea Creations with jewelry artist, Lisa Gravely. The building continues to be owned by George Wagner.

Just north of this is a small addition to this building with the address of 409 North Union Avenue. It is now part of the #401 property and combined in Harford County records. Until early in 2019 it was T.C. Cleaners. Prior to that, it was the L & H Cleaners run by Andrew (Bud) Lucot and Edward Hutchins for about 30 years. Bud was very civic minded and many remember that he closed the shop for a week in the 1960s so that he could march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Before L & H Cleaners, there was a small lunch room/carryout here (during the 1950s). It was named The Goodie Shop. Larry Chatham remembers that the lady there, Helen, made great burgers. The shop had a Hershey’s Ice Cream sign hanging outside. But Stan Rodia remembers that for a nickel he could get a Fudgsicle or a Dreamsicle, or even a push-up Rocket. Sugar rock candy on a string was another favorite. In 1931, the Consolidated Gas & Electric Light & Power Company of Baltimore was located here. T.C. Cleaners vacated and in late 2019 Mike Lustt completely redesigned this space as his Bearwood Designs showroom. Mike designs and makes handcrafted furniture and art with metal and repurposed items.

County Records
This building is listed in Harford County records as 401 North Union Avenue. Built 1930. 5827 sq ft, retail store, 4050 sq ft lot.