Future Looks Promising For Propper Bros. Site

It’s hard to say goodbye to yesterday.

So go a well-known song’s lyrics.

For Sam Kroungold, it was no doubt difficult to say goodbye to his family business, Propper Bros. Furniture, a staple in Manayunk for more than 120 years.

The store, which was in Kroungold’s family for generations—his immigrant grandparents opened the place in 1888, the two living in an apartment above the business—shuttered early this year.

Various factors led to its demise; the extensive and expensive roof damage was one reason Kroungold figured it was time to throw in the towel. (It cost him a pretty penny to fix that issue).

At the same time, the longtime business owner with strong ties to the Manayunk community was simply ready for a change.

But instead of dwelling on the past, Kroungold pressed ahead, holding a large-scale “going out of business” sale late last year, and prepping the site for new and exciting things to come.

Now, it appears as though things may finally be moving forward for the historic property that sits at the corner of Cresson and Levering streets underneath the El.

The building is already showing signs of future enterprise. On one side of the property, which has been sectioned off, hangs a sign for the Palm Tree Market, an operation that already has a location in Northern Liberties, and is looking to make the move to the Northwest for its new location.

At this point, it’s not exactly clear what may go in the other portion of the building, but a sign on the window hints at possibilities.

The glass façade currently displays a sign that says, “Manayunk Mall Discount Outlet: Furniture, jewelry, artwork, clothing, craftwork and more!”

In prior interviews, Kroungold signaled that he’d welcome a mixed-use project comprising retail operations on the expansive ground floor, and potential living quarters or offices in the upstairs space.

Right now, while the window decal signals a desire to have an outlet-type operation downstairs, it’s not yet clear what, if any, tenants have shown interest in exhibiting in the space.

In an email exchange, Kroungold would only say he’s continuing to find a use for the building.

“Right now I am working on prospective tenants or a sale of the property,” he wrote.

The Palm Tree Market, however, appears to be definite. In his email, Kroungold said the business is poised to open in four weeks.

He said he would keep Roxborough-Manayunk Patch abreast of the situation as it unfolds.

In the meantime, others are looking forward to the day when the space will hopefully be bustling again.

“Beautiful old building,” was how Jane Lipton described the property. “A lot of things could work there.” 

Lipton, the executive director of the ., said she had discussions with Kroungold quite some time ago about prospective uses for the building.

The mixed market concept is somewhat along the lines of what Lipton would like to see inhabit the property.

During the 1980s, Lipton said she became “enamored” with so-called “hypermarkets,” mixed-retail spaces in England comprising small booths, or “stalls” occupied by “independent, young entrepreneurs who did anything and everything.”

The concept was something that struck Lipton, so much so that she has always wanted to see something similar in her own business district.

While she isn’t privy to specifics with regard to Kroungold’s plans, Lipton said she believes the business owner might be looking to do something similar, especially given the signs hanging on the business advertising a mixed market.

Lipton said she would even like to see the upstairs floor converted into offices, since more people working in the business district during the day means more people spending money, and frequenting shops and restaurants in the business district during off times.

The property is zoned C2 commercial, Lipton said, so pretty much anything could go in the space at this point.

The only thing that could be potentially difficult would be a food business, although Lipton contends that would probably go over well also.

At the same time, however, Lipton admitted, “it would take significant financial investment for that space to be a restaurant space.”

Lipton said the mixed use concept would be good for tenants as well, since splitting up the space would mean splitting up the costs of, say, electricity. If costs were shared, she said, that would undoubtedly translate to lower rent per tenant.

“For $400 a month, almost anyone has a fighting chance to survive,” she said.

For now, Lipton simply wants to see something fill the old Propper Bros. space that would benefit the rest of the business district.

“I just hope whatever goes in there adds value to our Manayunk brand,” she said.