This corner property at St. John and Green Streets has a long history of ownership dating from when Robert Young Stokes (1757-1784) leased it in 1782 to William Morgan (b. 1744). And in 1838, this land was leased by Samuel and Margaret Ann Blackwell of the City of New York to Samuel M. Carter of Baltimore. Records do not indicate, however, when the original building was constructed. What is known though is that a building is shown on the 1885 Sanborn Insurance Map at this location and that Michael H. Fahey (1865-1940) owned it in 1904.

The 1899 Sanborn Map indicates that “Gents Furnishings” were sold here. Michael and Mary Fahey conveyed the building to Emily Coale in 1920 pursuant to the Will of Emily’s late husband, John Coale (1818-1896). John Coale was with Coale & Bailey who operated fishing floats on the Susquehanna River and served as a city commissioner in 1867. With the 1925 death of Emily, John Hopper Coale (1861-1930), their son, became the new owner, after which he sold it to Bernhardt Levy (1872-1960) and his wife, Rose, that same year. Bernhardt Levy was the son of Henry Levy who had begun Levy’s Department Store nearby in 1873.

In 1933, the Levys sold this corner property to Dr. Charles J. Foley, Sr. (1895-1957) and his wife Mildred Heuisler Foley. Dr. Foley was a WWI veteran and prominent obstetrician in Havre de Grace who became active in many medical organizations and for a time was the Chief of Staff of Harford Memorial Hospital. The Foleys lived in the beautiful Queen Anne style home at 327 South Union Avenue (now gone) until 1949 when they built the large brick home at 400 South Union Avenue.

Dr. Charles and Mildred Foley had the original structure here on St. John Street demolished and in 1934 they constructed the new “Foley’s Pharmacy” on this corner property. Louise Foley Angert remembers the year well because it is the same year she was born to Dr. Charles and Mildred Foley. Louise is the widow of Donald F. Angert (1929-2019) who ran Frank’s Shoe Store on North Washington Street. Louise says she always took her friends here for free treats and then spaghetti at Connie Farro’s before going to the movies free with Carol Elder. Foley’s operated for many years as a pharmacy as well as a popular lunch counter. It advertised “Prompt Service” and open hours of 9 am to midnight, 7 days a week. In the 1950s, Priscilla Richardson worked for Foley’s and earned 35 cents per hour at what became a popular teenage hangout. And Mildred Harrison worked there through high school. Although with only two or three tables, Foley’s had a jukebox, a lunch counter, and antique wooden phone booths. Foley’s had their own unique drink mixed up by Paul U. “Trouty” Trout (1934-2016) that was popular—a “Lemon Blend,” similar to today’s slurpee. And Donna McCauley Cicero loved going there for hot fudge sundaes on Sundays during lent each year.

After the death of Dr. Foley Sr. in 1957 the Pharmacy continued to be run by Foley family members until 1963 when they closed it. The building then became home to a loan company, with a sign advertising “Cash Loan Company,” where Cindy Maser had her first job. It’s also where Austin “Lynn” Baker (1893-1965) worked after retiring from his family’s canning business, C.W. Baker and Sons, in Aberdeen, possibly the first cannery in Harford County. Lynn Baker was married to Reba Charshee Baker (1895-1987) of the well-known Charshee family from Green Street.

In 1985 through 1994, this store was home to “A Touch of Glass”, where Cindy Melrose and Susan Flanigan sold gifts of the Chesapeake Bay country and stained glass supplies. They are known for having designed 23 custom transom windows for the Duck Decoy Museum around 1992. In the early 2000s this was Chesapeake Optics with Gary Lang and continued to be owned by Dr. Charles J. Foley, Jr. Upon the latter’s death, the building was owned by Foley Building, LLC in 2006. They sold the building in 2013 to A & M Properties, after which Todd Salkowski opened a new store, EZ Tobacco and Gifts. In 2012-2013, during the filming of the series, “House of Cards,” by Netflix this store served as Frank Underwood’s campaign headquarters for his home town of Gafney. In 2018, JTM Management LLC (with Todd Salkowski) bought the building and have owned it since then.

The two rental apartments in the rear of this building have a 401 Green Street mailing address and are entered from Green Street.

County Records
Built 1930, 3 Units, 3652 sq ft, commercial retail store with two apartments.