List of St. Louis Businesses in 1943

These pages of the Municipal Opera Silver Anniversary program contained small ads for local companies that had been in business for 50 years and 75 years or more, as of 1943! This showcased St. Louis businesses that had started before 1869 and 1894. I think that this is a pretty fascinating piece of St. Louis business and economic history. I wonder how many are still in business? “Buy War Bonds” reminders were sprinkled in amongst the ads, since this WAS in the midst of World War II!

But first, the other ads and content on these pages included ads for:

• The Parkmoor Ice Cream
• The Municipal Opera Silver Anniversary Souvenir Program (this is apparently just the regular program)
• David Cafferata (on Delmar at Taylor)
• Municipal Opera On the Air on KMOX and CBS, Sundays at 1pm

St. Louis businesses in business for over 75 years

(as of 1943 – so businesses founded in 1868 or earlier):

• Langan and Taylor general van and storage
• Gaines Hardwood Lumber Co
• South St. Louis Dairy Company
• Prunty Seed and Grain Co
• Robbins Varnish Company (94th year)
• Speck Confectionary
• A. Leschen & Sons Rope Co.
• Shapleigh Hardware Company (100th year)
• Weisert Brothers Tobacco
• Huntleth Music Co
• E.E. Souther Iron Co
• Dacy & Company Inc
• Vane-Calvert Paint Co
• A. E. Schmidt Co (billiards and bar and bowling supplies)
• Christian Peper Tobacco Co (since 1852)
• Chas Wunderlich Cooperage Co
• Lindenwood College (founded in 1827)
• Witte Hardware Co (since 1849)
• Frank’s – specializing in art needlework for 94 years
• Levison & Blythe Manufacturing Company (since 1852)
• Canvas Products Company

St. Louis businesses in business for over 50 years

(as of 1943 – so businesses established in 1894 or earlier):

• Knollman Company
• New Era Shirt Company (56 years of successful shirt making)
• S. N. Long Warehouse
• Getz Inc. (established 1888)
• Moler College (1893)
• Potter Electrical Signal and Manufacturing Co