REMEMBER: THE BERNHEIMER & SCHWARTZ BREWERY

Harlem Bespoke: We are reposting one of the original Bespoke articles from a decade ago with updated photos since the Mink Building has become one of the Harlem developments to look out for in 2021.  Note that the archival image is an exclusive to the blog and should not be reproduced without permission. The mention of the brewery is also outdated since that development did not eventually happen.

 A rare old illustration from around the turn of the last century shows Manhattanville's Bernheimer & Schwartz Brewery building as it stood in full capacity on the blocks between today's West 126th and 128th Street over on Amsterdam Avenue. What's fascinating about the surrounding block are the stables which remain intact in various sections on both side streets.  The brewery was apparently also a major distributor and thus the horse stables on both sides of the street would have made sense. Later on, the brewery would shutter and the building would become a storage warehouse for furs and thus has been named the Mink Building in more modern times.  Interestingly enough, a new brewery will be opening up in Harlem across the street from this location in about a year's time.

So what ever happen to Mr. Bernheimer and Mr. Schwartz?  Looking back at an old New York Times article from 1911, it appears that the beer barons made their exits in a dramatic fashion before the factory would shut down during the Prohibition years of the 1920's. The unmarried Simon Bernheimer was part of a wealthy brewing dynasty but six years after his Harlem factory opened, he died of a stroke at the age of 62 while taking the opportunity to play the bass drums at a social event. Bernheimer's  partner Anton Scwhartz evidently committed suicide the year before, after the untimely death of his 24-year-old-son. 

HarlemBespoke.com 2021