Mehr's Music & Novelty Store

Mehr's Music Store & Novelty Shop was a music, instrument, novelty, costume and magic shop. It was first opened in the early 1920s by Charles Mehr in a shop across from the Age-Herald Building on 5th Avenue North. He opened a second location at 404 20th Street North in 1925.

From before 1937 until after 1949, Mehr's was at 113 19th Street North. In 1955 the store was located at 1726 2nd Avenue North. By 1966 it had moved across the street to 1731 2nd Avenue North. The store closed sometime after 1973.

The magic counter in back was presided over by a practicing magician who would teach the tricks to customers who had bought them, but only after swearing them to the "magician's code" of secrecy. Among those clerks were Vic Fichtner and Robert Chapman.

One of the clerks bought the shop with Mehr died in 1956. They later sold it to Chapman.

References

• "Dealer opens branch store." (June 6, 1925) Presto