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145-149 North Queen St - Garner's Ladies Shop

Introduction

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Julius Garner and his wife Lillian owned and operated The Working Man’s Store and Garner’s Ladies Shop that was located at 145-149 North Queen Street. The business formed as a tailor shop/ladies ready to wear shop began with Julius Garner’s father Emmanuel Daniel in 1915. Julius and Lillian took over the Garner’s Ladies Shop in 1947. Lillian Garner took time off away from the store while raising her children but returned thirteen years later full time. The store remained in operation for 67 years and closed in 1982 when the Garner’s retired. Since then many different businesses have occupied the spaces from a mini-mart to clothing and bookstores. Today Westward Charm Boutique and Engage occupy two of the three spaces.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

In 1910 Emmanuel Daniel, father of Julies Garner, began his career as a tailor in the basement of the former Peoples Trust Company. In 1915, Emmanuel moved to 147 North Queen Street where he opened his tailor shop/ladies to wear shop. In the 1922 Martinsburg City Directory, the shop at 147 N Queen Street was known as a ladies ready to wear shop. After Emmanuel’s death in 1943, his wife Edith Garner took over the store. During this time, Julius Garner was serving in World War II the Army Infantry but afterwards would return to Martinsburg with his wife in 1946. In 1947, Julius and Lillian took over the business. The business would be known as Garner’s Ladies Shop until it closed in 1982.

While busy at the store and raising family, the Gardner’s were prominent members of the Jewish community. Julius was a 1929 Martinsburg High School Graduate and became a member of the Exhausted Roosters, Martinsburg Lions Club, and Elks Lodge. Julies was one of the board of trustees of the Beth Jacob Synagogue who helped purchase the synagogue on West Martin Street and was a lifetime member of the Beth Jacob Synagogue.

The business at 145 N Queen St would become known as the men’s Union Store by 1951 and in 1960-61 would be known as The Working Man’s Store until closing in 1982. As for 149 North Queen Street, many different businesses would occupy the space such as The Coffman-Fish Company department store, Sears Roebuck, and Western Auto Store. The businesses remained open until 1982 when the Garner’s retired. Since then many different businesses have occupied the spaces from mini mart to clothing and bookstores. Today Westward Charm and Engage occupy two of the three spaces. 

Sources

Polk’s Martinsburg (Berkeley County, WV) City Directory. R.L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Pittsburg, PA. 1922.

Polk’s Martinsburg (Berkeley County, WV) City Directory. R.L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Pittsburg, PA. 1932.

Polk’s Martinsburg (Berkeley County, WV) City Directory. R.L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Pittsburg, PA. 1957.

Polk’s Martinsburg (Berkeley County, WV) City Directory. R.L. Polk & Co., Publishers. Pittsburg, PA. 1983.

Anderson, Elizabeth. “Closing: Ladies Shop Ending Service.” Martinsburg Journal. Saturday August 28, 1982. Martinsburg WV.

Berkeley County Historical Society, Martinsburg WV. Local Archival: Jewish History; Loose papers. 

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