File:Kaplon's Going Out of Business Sale in 1967..jpg

Summary

An empty store after Kaplon's Going Out of Business Sale in 1967.

Kaplon's department store operated at this location on the corner of W. Potomac Street and Maryland Avenue from 1908 until it closed. The Kaplons sold quality merchandise in Brunswick for 78 years beginning with Victor Kaplon's first store, which he opened in 1889 in Brunswick's Opera House building on the south side of the present westbound tracks when the town sandwiched the railroad.

Victor Kaplon emigrated from Russia in 1885 crossing the border under a load of hay. He immigrated to New York with 15 cents in his pocket. Once there, he peddled pencils on the street and saved to send for his wife and daughter.

He sold wares throughout the Tri-State area at first on foot, then by horse and wagon as did many early Jewish settlers in the region.

Mr. Kaplon came to Brunswick in 1889 where he opened his first store with his brother from Harpers Ferry, who also ran a general store there. Victor Kaplon later moved up the hill after the B&O expanded the railroad yards where the family sold high quality merchandise for 78 years.. Most of the family lived on S. Maryland Avenue below the store.

Victor Kaplon lived to be 95 years old.

(From the Myer Kaplon Photo Collection at the Brunswick Community Library; Frederick County Public Libraries; Kaplon family history from "Brunswick: 100 Years of Memories" by the Brunswick History Commission)

Smoketown History (Brunswick, Md.) Kaplon's was Brunswick's premier department store for over 75 years

Kim Myers: I loved visiting my Grandmother, Mary Myers when she worked at Kaplon's. The Kaplon family was always kind and wonderful. It was a wonderful time to live in Brunswick.

Joan Hardy Morris: They had quality women's clothes. I don't remember if they sold men's clothing. It liked to go in the front door and come out from the lower level door, something intriguing in those days.