Site renovation in Krakow. The factory has been there since 1888!

The shop window of the premises at 3 Św. Krzyża Street, which is operated by the Municipal Buildings Management Board in Krakow, has recently been redecorated. Although we can no longer reach the four-digit telephone number written in golden letters on the elegant pre-war signboard, Zbigniew Świerblewski’s shop there is still open, and just as before, “carries out all glass work”. Renovation of the shop window has restored the premises to its former charm and highlighted its rich history

The shop window and site itself are quite special and unique, as the glassmaker’s shop located there has been operating on the same site since 1888. Above the door and the shop window are preserved signs from the late 1930s, when Tadeusz Heretyk became the shop’s owner, but its founder and first owner was the glassmaker Samuel Finkelstein

The shop window of the premises after renovation. Photo: Krzysztof Żwirski

In the 1930s, as a result of rising anti-Semitic sentiment, the man was forced to move his business to a less representative location. At that time, he swapped with Tadeusz Heretyk’s establishment, then located on Krowoderska Street. Heretic continued his business at 3 Św. Krzyża Street for the next decades, becoming the head of the Krakow Glassmakers’ Guild and training a dozen or so apprentices for the profession. One of these turned out to be Mr Zbigniew, who now manages the establishment

The shop window of the premises before and after renovation. Mr Zbigniew is visible in the photo. Photo by Krzysztof Żwirski

The shop window has been cleaned, the details of the door and its historic colour restored. Inside the premises there is antique furniture, listed on the Register of Movable Monuments. At the same time, they still fulfil their function. What’s more, the establishment operates just as it did years ago, as no modern machinery has gone in. The cutting and grinding of the glass is done by hand. As part of the restoration work, maintenance was also carried out on the old roller shutter, which is still in working order

Source: krakow.pl, Playing with time

Read also: Tenement | Metamorphosis | Renovation | Shop window | Monument | History | Krakow

Subject: Renovation of the site in Kraków. The site has been there since 1888!