Strawbridge and Clothier Store
Why it's listed
Completed in 1931 on Old York Road in Jenkintown, this four-story Art Deco department store was built for the Philadelphia firm Strawbridge and Clothier and designed by Dreher and Churchman. Its steel frame is clad in limestone above a polished granite base, with carved geometric and floral piers rising above the roofline. It opened in September 1931 as a branch store, the second suburban branch of its kind in the greater Philadelphia area, following the Ardmore branch at Suburban Square. Dreher proposed building and furnishing the store in return for a share of its gross sales rather than a fixed fee, an arrangement regarded as radically innovative in 1930. The building is significant for its link to the rise of automobile-oriented suburban retailing in the 1920s and for its restrained Art Deco design. A 1954 renovation added a three-story north addition and a two-story reinforced concrete parking structure.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a significant local example of the development of suburban branch department stores by major urban retailers, and was the second suburban branch of its kind in the greater Philadelphia area. It is also presented as a restrained Art Deco design by Frederick W. Dreher, a leading developer of suburban shopping centers and automobile-oriented commercial developments.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 88003047, listed December 22, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Old York Rd. N of Rydal Rd., Jenkintown |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | December 22, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88003047 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1930-1938 |
| Architect / builder | Dreher & Churchman (1930-1931) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 7.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.10179, -75.12515 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 88003047.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7622532
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.