The A & P store occupied a portion of the former Blumrosen building, moving there from River St. in 1929. The building is still in existence today on S. Cedar Street.
Moses Blumrosen and his brother Bernard were born in Russian occupied Suvalk, Poland in the years 1862 and 1864 respectively. The brothers immigrated to the United States in 1872 and arrived in Manistique by boat in the spring of 1880. Hardworking and ambitious, they went into business selling clothing and dry goods. The Blumrosen’s first store was located on the future site of the A. S. Putnam drug store and was little more than a shack. Old timers claimed that the original store was built with lumber costing less than two dollars. Determined to become successful, they traveled to nearby communities peddling goods from their backpacks. Gaining a reputation for quality and honesty, their business grew and prospered right along with the booming lumber town.
But there were heartbreaking setbacks along the way. Two fires, one in 1885 and another eight years later in 1893 destroyed their buildings and much of their stock. Blumrosen’s brick building was credited with stopping Manistique’s great fire of 1893, though at the sacrifice of the north wall of the store. Moses was badly burned about the face and hands trying to save what stock he could. The brothers’ losses in the fire amounted to $30,000. The brothers reestablished their business in a big way, erecting the first two story brick building in Manistique in 1894.
Moses bought out his brother’s interest in the store and expanded the business yet again, erecting an even larger two-story brick block on Cedar Street in Manistique in 1902. Then, in 1915 Moses brought his two sons, Joseph and Nathan into the business which was renamed M. Blumrosen & Sons. The store closed its doors in November of 1923, having been in business in Manistique for 43 years.
Blumrosen Co. Quits Business
Source: Manistique Pioneer Tribune, Nov. 1, 1923
Since the spring of 1880 when Moses Blumrosen and his brother Barney landed in Manistique with a small stock of goods, the name of Blumrosen has been intimately connected with the merchandising business in Schoolcraft County.
The announcement by Joseph Blumrosen, who is the senior member of the firm, that the business will be discontinued in Manistique comes as a surprise to the public, whose first intimation is the occasion of the two page advertisement in this issue of the Pioneer Tribune.
Moses Blumrosen came here as a young man and was for many years a prominent figure in the life of the community. He dissolved partnership with his brother at an early date and after suffering two disastrous fires, built the first 2 story brick building in Manistique in 1894, later erecting the building that is now occupied by the firm.
Joseph and Nathan Blumrosen, who now constitute the firm of Blumrosen and Sons, were born in Manistique and received their education here. In 1915, Mr. Blumrosen admitted them into partnership and upon his death several years later; the management of the business fell upon Joseph, who steadily preserved the business policies of the elder Blumrosen.