Lady Esther's

Google street view of 94 Florida Street, Buffalo.

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Sanborn Map of BuffaloVolume 5 (1935) Section 465 depicting Florida Street

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Known Name(s)

The Charm Beauty Parlor

Address

243 East Ferry Street Buffalo, NY 14203(1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953)
94 Florida Street Buffalo, NY 14203 (Modern Address) (1954, 1955)

Establishment Type(s)

Beauty Parlor

Physical Status

Extant

Description

Prior to 1925, 243 East Ferry Street was a two-story building situated at the corner of East Ferry and Walker Street. Built twenty-five feet from the street, the walls of the building were twelve inches thick and there was a fire wall twelve inches above the composition roof. There was a bay of windows on the west, south, and east elevations. A one-story extension connected the main block to a garage in the rear. There was four windows: one to the north, one to the south, and two to the west. By 1926, the building had become a duplex, separated by a frame partition, with 243 East Ferry to the west and 245 East Ferry Street to the east.

The Florida Street location faces south onto Florida Street. Front-gabled, the façade of the building is square-cut stone and continues around the side elevations, terminating at the bay windows on the east and west sides. There are stone lintels over the two doors and each window along the façade. Within the closed gable, there is a pair of one-over-one windows. The reminder of the exterior is faced with red bricks, with the side elevations five bays long. A second entrance is located on the east elevation. Originally, the shingles were constructed of a non-combustible material (such as slate, tile, or asbestos), although it is difficult to determine if these same shingles are extant today.

After 1981, the porch structure was removed, although the stone foundation and decking, as well as the concrete steps, remain. The bay window along the south-facing side originally contained a door to the balcony, although this has since been removed and now features vinyl siding. Additionally, vinyl replacement windows have been installed, replacing the wooden one-over-one sashes.
 
94 Florida Street is “largely intact on the interior, with many of the original features and finishes,” according to Associate Architectural Historians Katy Stuck and Joseph Duggan. Excerpts from their form are as follows:
 
In the first-floor unit, the fireplace in the living room is in good condition. The painted wood surround features a mantel supported by a single unfluted column. A carved acanthus applique is located at the center of the header and a large mirror covers the entire chimney breast. The kitchen features non-historic cabinetry and linoleum floors. The pantry retains the original built-in shelving and cabinetry, and the rear vestibule has original vertical paneled wainscoting. The two northern bedrooms feature the original five-panel doors at the entrances and the closets. The bathroom contains recent fixtures, linoleum flooring, and original paneled wainscoting. Carpeting is located over the original wood floors in the living room, dining room, bedrooms, and hall, and the original wood moldings and iron registers are extant throughout.
 
The second story is largely identical in plan and finishes. The hearth of the living room fireplace is painted brick. The living and dining rooms are divided by a pair of paneled pocket doors. The kitchen plan varies slightly from the unit below. A small, irregularly shaped storage room with a flat-panel door is located in the southwest corner. The original vertical paneled wainscoting in the kitchen matches the stairwell and bathroom and continues behind the countertops on the west wall. The original five-panel pantry door is intact; however, replacement flat-panel doors are located at the main entrance and between the kitchen and hall. The bedrooms and bathroom mirror the lower unit. The attic level is open and unfinished.

Detailed History

During the 1940s and earlier 1950s, Esther Wilkinson operated a beauty parlor at 243 East Ferry Street. After Mrs. Wilkinson moved the beauty parlor to her home address at 94 Florida Street in 1953, the Charm Beauty Parlor operated at 243 East Ferry Street. Both Pauline T. Davis and Mamie Crawford are affiliated with the business at this time. Currently, an empty lot exists where 243 East Ferry Street once stood.

By 1954, Esther Wilkinson moved her beauty parlor from a store front at 243 East Ferry Street to her home address at 94 Florida Street. She lived at this address until 1986, when she sold to Laverne Steele. The building is still standing and is currently nominated, alongside its neighboring buildings, for the National Register of Historic Landmarks for its architectural significance.

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