About the Collection
It all started with a question. “So, do you know anyone who might be interested in taking a look at our basement archives?” Terry Saunders, owner of A. Schwab Dry Goods, approached StoryBoard Memphis with that inquiry in the summer of 2021, and from there a multi-year project began. Click to read more about this unique collection or explore some of the featured material below!
Schwab’s Nature Soap
Did you know that A. Schwab had their own beauty line? Schwab first began advertising their Nature Soap in 1922, and by the mid-1920s, they had sales agents across the region.
Blues Records and Music Inventory
Dating back to the early 1920s, A. Schwab was one of the first stores in the United States to sell Blues records. Here, each document and request for vinyl records contains stories of their own.
General Correspondence & Employment Applications
Long before there was email, there was the mail. This was the primary method of communication between A. Schwab and its customers, vendors, and potential employees.
Share Your Story
Do you have an A. Schwab story to share? We’d love to hear it! We’re hoping to include stories from the community as part of the A. Schwab Collection.
Other Resources
The A. Schwab story goes beyond the resources found within our A. Schwab Collection. Click here to learn more about Beale Street’s oldest store.
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