Clarke Brothers Department Store – Pittston Avenue, Moosic PA

19 Comments

1. Ted Clarke says:

   April 19, 2008 at 7:15 pm

   Thanks very much for these photos! My grandfather and his brother were the Clarke Brothers. This is one of the stores they owned long, long ago. Wow! This is a big thrill for me. Thank you.

2. fadingad says:

   April 20, 2008 at 2:12 pm

   It is always exciting when family members of the businesses we document discover they have been published on the Internet. We travel far and wide to capture some of the glimmers of the past that sparkle unnoticed. Happy to have given you all a thrill. Enjoy! Send pictures and other ephemera if you can. You can also create a page at the Fading Ad Wiki and edit it as you wish.

3. Mary Clarke Alverson says:

   April 22, 2008 at 1:50 am

   My brother, Ted, just sent this link and I join him in being thrilled to see these pictures. Our grandfather and his brother owned 20-30 Clarke Brothers Stores in northeast Pennsylvania in the early 1900’s. Their main store was 4 stories and covered a city block in Scranton. We believe that it was the first store that had home delivery in Pennsylvania. They had horse drawn wagons with the insignia on the side. The main store burned to the ground in approximately 1926, and from that point their chain of stores went downhill. We lived in Pittston, PA in the ’50’s. I distinctly remember seeing old buildings with Clarke Brothers written on the side. My Dad says that they owned the buildings so it is great to see one that still exists. When were these pictures taken??

4. fadingad says:

   April 22, 2008 at 2:23 am

   We took these pictures within the last year. Most of this blog is daily postings on our travails thru NEPA and across New Jersey and New York. Scranton and its environs are a favorite of ours to scour and hunt.

5. George Clarke says:

   October 13, 2008 at 8:02 pm

   Amazing that I found this site. I am named for one of the Clarke Brothers. The younger was George Walter Clarke. The Older was Edward [Mathew?] Clarke. Their father was Mathew and mother was Jane Clark Clarke. [Or was it Mary Clark Clarke]. I see my brother Ted, named for my uncle Edward Mathew Clarke, and my sister Mary found this site as well and left comments, but they did not mention that my father and mother, Philip deTura Clarke and Martha Ann Cary Clarke ran the last two Clarke Brothers stores in Homer NY and Cortland NY from 1963 into the 1990’s when my brother Milo took over the Homer Store, on Main St. Then it closed and is now a bakery. That’s the history. Great job and thanks.

6. fadingad says:

   October 13, 2008 at 11:55 pm

   How cool. Thanks for sharing your family history. Glad to have documented this for posterity.

7. George Clarke says:

   October 15, 2008 at 9:31 pm

   Checked on the details of my prior post and yes I had two great grandmothers whose maiden names were Clark. Jane Clark on my mother’s side and Mary Clark Clarke (married to the founder of Clarke Brothers in Scranton and father of the Clarke Brothers, Mathew W. Clarke). Mathew came over from Ballygar, County Galway, Ireland 100 years before I was born in 1850. Last I visited Ballygar in about 1992, Mary Clarke Wall was still operating the Clarke Store in Ballygar on the main road to Roscommon. Sadly now that is closed too I do believe.
   I also verified the older Clarke Brother’s middle initial was M. which I believe was for Mathew. Anyway, his namesake, my uncle, son of George was also Edward M. Clarke, and his middle name was definitely Mathew.

8. tothewire says:

   November 30, 2008 at 1:47 am

   Great site!

9. fadingad says:

   November 30, 2008 at 1:48 am

   Thanks tothewire!

10. Milo Clarke says:

    May 28, 2009 at 10:07 pm

    Thank you very much for posting those pictures of our old family landmarks. My Grandfather (George W. Clarke) , and his brother died when my father (Philip D. Clarke) was just a kid. So all I have are old photographs to hang my hat on. I am glad there are still people, like you, in this world who know the value of preservation – even if it’s just in a web-site photo or two. Hope you continue finding the past, and sharing it. Have a great day. Mi

11. fadingad says:

    May 29, 2009 at 3:40 am

    Hey Milo- Thanks for the nod. Maybe one day I’ll have an exhibition in Scranton! I have hi-res pics of everything that is on the web, so as long as my hard-drives last…

12. barbara says:

    May 29, 2009 at 3:03 pm

    I have an old ammonia bottle from Clarke Bros Stores that was found in an attic of an old house a friend had bought in Carbondale about 20 years ago. I would be happy to give it to someone in the Clarke family.

13. Milo Clarke says:

    June 3, 2009 at 8:52 pm

    Barbara, My father is still alive (87 and still kicking). I think he would get a kick out of seeing something from the old turn of the century Clarke Bro. days. I don’t think we have any artifacts from his father’s PA store.
    I take that back, he does have some old stationary.
    His Homer, NY store was active from 1963 to 1997; but I had to close it because it wasn’t viable any longer. If you would like to contact me at hiitsmi@yahoo.com I’m sure some arrangement can be made to receive your fine gift. Yours truely, Mi Clarke.

14. Sailor says:

    July 20, 2010 at 1:29 am

    I know the last listing for this site was over a year ago, but I am hoping for some info. I purchased several years ago from the papershop an old ( I think) red oak wardrobe closet. It is in really good condition on the back it is written in pencil, Clarke Bros. Scranton PA. Is there anyone who can give me more info on the piece. Was it manufactured by Clarke Bros. or just sold in their store. I was just wondering of a value. It’s really cool and I like it alot, I would love to have a story to go with it.

15. John Clark says:

    October 1, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    My cousin Gene Clark has compiled an extensive Clark(e) family history dating back beyond Daniel Clarke of Ballygar.He and another cousin Marie Clark have visited Ballygar. Feel free to contact me if you are interested.
    rktbrkr@yahoo.com

    John Clark was born on 14 Jun 1816 at Ballygar, County Galway, Ireland, to Daniel J. Clark and Bridget Mylegue.10 He was christened on 14 Jun 1816 at Killeroran Parish, Ballygar, County Galway, Ireland, M; He married Ellen Mannion, daughter of Patrick Mannion , on 9 Jan 1842 at Parish of Fuerty, Athleague, County Roscommon, Ireland.13,14 He died on 30 Dec 1899 at Galeton, Potter County, Pennsylvania, USA, at age 83;
    He and Ellen Mannion immigrated on 24 May 1847 from Queenstown, Killare County, Ireland; John was the eldest of the children to come to the United States in 1846-1847 from Ireland. The Immigration Records shows John Clark age 30 Labor arrived 24 May 1848 in New York from Ireland arriving from Port of Liverpool destination USA on the ship Amelia with Ellenon and Thomas, Daniel, Matthew. He was buried on 2 Jan 1900 at St. Peters, Liberty, Sullivan County, New York, USA.
    16

    1. Chris Schwendinger says:

       December 26, 2012 at 4:46 am

       Hi,
       I have a complete original patent (complete manuscript) for an ice cream machine that was invented by a Daniel Clarke of Ireland in 1848. This patent was actually registered in Cuba, is signed bu Spanish Counts and the patent was approved by the Queen of Spain. If this is one of your ancestors, I am currently selling this unique manuscript, if interested. Let me know please if you would.

       Best regards,
       Chris

16. G.C.G. says:

    January 8, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    Clarke Bros. main store was at W. Lackawanna and N. Main (original store was down a few blocks along Main St.) This was one of the first fixed-price stores, and also one of the first chain stores. See website link for picture.

    There were many Clarke’s Brothers stores; one of the first was at Dunmore Corners in the building that later housed American Auto, and now houses Metallo’s.
    CS Woolworth is believed to have modeled his store on the Clarke’s model!

17. Mi Clarke says:

    May 10, 2012 at 11:03 pm

    This is the first time since 2009 I’ve come back to this site, so sorry for the delay in answering. Even though the Clarke Bro’s chain of stores, in Pennsylvania, closed back in the 1920’s I’m pretty confident that the piece of furniture you have was something my Grandfather, and his brother, sold in their large Scranton dept. store. I have never heard, or seen any evidence that they manufactured anything. Hope this helps a little in shedding more light on your wardrobe. Sincerely, Mi Clarke

18. Daniel Antonio Martinez says:

    May 1, 2015 at 6:36 pm

    hello, by chance Bros Clark they had an office in Brownsville Texas, according to my grandfather Alfonso Martinez work with them in 1956 but it was in Brownsville Texas