A & M Cyclery, 3123 Morgan Ford, & My Grandfather's Brick Building

My grandfather founded A&M Cyclery on Morgan Ford with my grandmother, Luella.
The store was open for business in the early 1920s.

He owned this building at 3123 Morgan Ford which was a *very* small home.

He extended the front of the building out to the sidewalk, created a storefront, and hand dug a small room that extended into the basement beneath the building.
He laid the brick.
My uncle and dad were born in this building.

I live 300 feet away and pass this building when I walk my pup to the park.

My grandfather was Fred Herman, an autodidact, builder, mechanic, a cyclist, a kind and generous man.
He built a clubhouse on creosote treated stilts along the Meramec River.
I spent a lot of summers with him and my family along what is now the Chubb Trail Loop behind Lone Elk Park.

I was swimming in the river before I could walk according to my mother.
I was riding a bike at 5 without training wheels, could handle a canoe in swift current at 10, and was able to swim across the river at 11.

I once asked my grandad about a pretty rock I had found and he said, Christie, that's quartz and it's formed by mineral deposits.
I was five at the time and astonished that an adult spoke to me as an equal.
He inspired me to learn, research, explore, and to ride a bike.

*
This is my last post.
I'm ending with the brick storefront and business my grandfather created.



This is an ad from the 1940s at the shops first location.
My grandfather sold the business to my uncle, Virgil Herman, who moved it across the street. He eventually became a brilliant aeronautical engineer with a 'top secret' McDonnell Douglas job in the 60s and lived in Torrance, CA.

This phone number is still in use for the current business.


The Arsenal location:

Thanks for the emails over the years about my blog, the photos, the concept, and that movie made by a neighbor.
I've heard I was accused of copyright tyranny and yet the movie has a copyright ;)

Here I am on a Raleigh bike I bought at the current A & M shop in 2014.

Seared Tomato and Brick from Movie Stills

My grandfather owned this building on Morgan Ford.

Made by Hand

These bricks were formed and fired by hand then loaded onto carts pulled by horses. This house was made by hand, the bricks rubbed by hand to create the wedges used below. The beautiful mortar is going soft.

Urns & Black Brick - Clifton Heights

I'm always flummoxed by the neoclassical urns atop buildings in St. Louis.

Elusive black brick used here as a design element.

Red Glazed Brick & Mortar

This is my first spotting of the elusive red glazed brick. It's has a deep berry color. We've all seen stained rose color mortar (right?) but this is a red mortar. It was a very exciting morning.

The bottom row of these glazed bricks shows the surface has popped off. What's beneath was fired differently and will crumble quickly.

The Michael

Michael, understanding the opportunity I opened the door to the building and entered. I was not shy but fascinated. I didn't close the door behind when I left in case you wanted to follow.

The Michael, located on Lawn in south city, has a welcoming and broad front patio.

The fleur-de-lis and fancy brickwork:

And another glazed terra cotta ornamental detail:

The side of the building faces the street and that's rare. Check out the faux bricked-in windows:

I so appreciate the address engraved into the limestone 'window' apron.

Crater Bricks - For Michael

I've covered this city extensively and thought I'd never encounter another intriguing brick. On a recent drive around TGS with Andrew I spied this building from his car and excitedly gasped, Look at those bricks!

Andrew laughed.

Please. Look at these bricks with their exceptional design and range of soft color. Was some of that clay imported? Most likely it was treated before being fired. And why haven't I encountered these bricks any place else in STL?

If you're a long time visitor here you know I invent names for bricks and these present as crater.

The building still retains the original stained black mortar with tiny flecks of feldspar and quartz and - gratefully - has not been repointed. Look closely and you'll see that some of the mortar had to be finger tooled into the 'craters' of the bricks.

The building counts as a Triple Arch Alert post.

For Michael who told me a fascinating story yesterday about the old tunnel under Sublette Ave.

Tinged Buff Bricks

The heat has prevented scouting but I managed to capture these outstanding orange tinged buff bricks while roaming TGS with Andrew on our reporting graffiti tour.

3 Letters

Photo sent to me via San Francisco from my dear friend and steel worker, Jeanne.

Alley Cruising

The morning drive: ash pits, garage doors, and alley poetry.

My back yard: