The Distillery Next Door
Brian McCormick, co-founder of Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, recently sent me the above picture or a century-old jug in his collection. It pretty much floored me. President Street is my street, and the address of this distillery, Puziello-Luccaro Co., is quite near where I live. There are no businesses on my block today, but I know there were in the past. I've just never been able to find out what any of them were (save the famed restaurant Cafiero's).
The building has always looked unusual. It's taller and deeper than any building on the block, and the doorway is bigger. I should have guess it was an unusual business back in the day. It was a doctors office for many years, but has been vacant for at least a year.
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Hi Brooks, great story. I've been searching the net for more info since I saw your piece. Plenty of old web pages for the doctors who used to have offices at 110 President! Also found a reference in the Times from 1904 to a young man who returned to his home at 110 President, Bklyn in a dazed condition and died soon after; and here's a piece that details a theft that took place at the "Variety Hand Embroidery Company" at 110 President. According to the story, one Nicola Sayich was alleged to have taken $8000 worth of merchandise from the store. Sayich is quoted as saying that he had been hired to manage the business at a salary of $100 a week and 20% of the net. The company, according to him, was not making money and he had heard it was going to be sold, so he took the merchandise "to compensate him for his loss." The owner, Toffic Obbany, claimed that Sayich had suggested burning the factory for the insurance, but Sayich denied this. I also found someone in Norway who was looking for information about their great grandfather who arrived at Ellis Island in 1903, where he reported that his destination was "110 President St, Brooklyn". Fascinating. Can't help but wonder about the company listed on the jug.....
I saw that story, Johnny. it's a sizable building. It could have contained a number of small businesses.
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