Sign, Advertising
Object number2022.34.1
Date1987-2022
MediumPlastic; Adhesive tape; Adhesive
Credit LineGift of Sam Firman
DescriptionFragment of a sign; sign face only. Nearly square off-white (yellowed) plastic sign face. Back is recessed. Front has red decorative background at center comprised of an arched red area above and below a central circular checkerboard; off-white (yellowed) text on the arches and black text diagonally across the checkerboard communicates the business name.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 47 x 48.938 x 1.875 in. (119.4 x 124.3 x 4.8 cm)InscriptionsFront has off-white (yellowed) and black text "NEW YORK / STYLE / Sammy's / FAMOUS / CORNED BEEF".
Historical NotesSammy’s Corned Beef was started by Samuel Firman as a sandwich shop at 901 Liberty Avenue downtown in 1987 and eventually expanded to five more restaurants (four downtown and one in Bloomfield) and three franchise operations. He closed them all down over the years except for the original location, which finally closed in 2022. When he opened the store he had planned on getting it up and running, selling it and returning to the refrigeration/air conditioning business. His grandfather and father had both operated bars in the Pittsburgh area. The grandfather’s bar was called the Rose Bar in Homewood and his father owned a chain of bars called Millgate near various area steel mills. Firman grew up in Penn Hills and attended night school in Churchill.
Previous owner
Samuel Firman
Related institution
Sammy’s Corned Beef
On View
Not on view
Jim Fedasz
Jane Haskell
1930-1957
c. 1988
Stella Marrs
