The small sign marking the former location of Downtown’s “National Shirt Shop” is on the building at the southeast corner of Laura and Monroe streets. The store sold men’s shirts, neckties and handkerchiefs. Roy Thomas, owner of Jacobs Jewelers, said the store was already open and thriving when he first went into business Downtown operating the jewelry store at Cohen’s department store in 1959. He recalled the specialty clothing store closed sometime in the late 1960s.
“Then Farah’s restaurant opened there,” said Thomas. “After Farah sold it to someone else it didn’t last very long and then the store was empty for a while until the Magnificat opened.”
Thomas also said the National Shirt Shop was always busy and at one time was a popular retail destination for Jacksonville’s well-dressed business community. “I bought a lot of shirts there myself,” he added.