Before the present building at 4317 Excelsior Blvd. was built in 1950, this location was occupied by a rug salesman named Nish A. Jamgotch who operated out of a Quanset hut (address 4323). At this point it may have been owned by Lila and Oscar Flatin.
In 1946 someone was apparently manufacturing jewelry at the site.
STALNAKER’S APPLIANCE
When the building with many addresses was built in 1950 it was originally Stalnaker’s Appliance Store, one of many appliance stores that opened up on the Boulevard when TV hit its stride. The proprietor was Harold D. Stalnaker. The grand opening was held on October 26-28, 1950 (address given 4319). It was advertising appliances heavily in the local TV Times into 1951. In November 1951 it advertised in the Park High Echo, touting Dumont Raytheon Television: “See us for your TV troubles.” At first it also featured water softener rentals.
TRAFICANTE ACCCORDION SCHOOL
In 1951-52 Edward Traficante was at this address. Traficante had first opened his accordion school in 1928 as the School of Chromatic E-Piano Accordion at 305 E. Hennepin and 3354 NE Taylor in Minneapolis. In November 1950 Traficante advertised in the Echo, inviting Parkites to “Visit the ‘DEN’ for the finest of instruments of all kinds. The address given was 4150 Eighth Street in Minneapolis. In July 1952 he built an accordion factory in Castelfidaro, Italy.
By 1957, Traficante had moved out, concentrating locations in St. Paul. A 1957 program listed his four locations as:
- 381 Wabasha St.,
- 923 E. 7th St.,
- 457 No. Snelling Ave., and
- 206 Third Ave. No. in South St. Paul
ARCHIE WALKER’S IMPORTED MOTORS
Also in 1952, Archie Walker, Jr. (scion of the T.B. Walker family) ran Archie Walker Jr. Imported Motors at this location. In a November 1952 ad in the Echo, he was listed as a distributor – dealer of Allard, Rover, Morris, Hillman, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Bentley, and M.G. vehicles. In 1953, neighbors on Joppa were up in arms over Walker’s activities: showing cars, unloading, racing engines caused by “straight pipes.” In 1958 he was advertising the VW Microbus. In 1960 he opened West Side Volkswagen at Highways 100 and 12.
JACKSON SEAT COVERS
Jackson Seat Covers was also listed at this address in 1952. In 1963 the company was at 3104 1/2 W. Lake Street.
In July 1953 Betty Ann McCall started her own accordion school at this address. Her 1954 Echowan ad said “At low rates to you.”
In 1960-64 the building housed the DuPont Paint District Warehouse, employing just two men.
KOVAL’S APPLIANCE
Since 1968 the building was the home of Koval’s Furniture and Appliance Store.