A surprising number of 1920s and 1930s vintage G.C. Murphy Co. stores remain in active use by retailers—perhaps a testament to the skill that John Sephus Mack and Walter C. Shaw Sr. showed when selecting those locations in the first place.

Above, the former Store No. 145 on Allen Street in State College, Pa., is now an Eddie Bauer sportswear outlet. (It’s shown during a street fair on June 29, 2007.)

Below, the former Store No. 130 on West Pitt Street in Bedford, Pa., is an art gallery and antique store called “Founders Crossing.” A restaurant and cafe is located on the first floor. (The building was damaged by fire earlier this year but has reopened during renovations, in the best G.C. Murphy Co. tradition.)

At bottom, the mosaic tile inlay at the entrance to the Bedford store still proudly announces the name of the building’s most famous tenant.

(Previous photos: June 2007, Murphy’s Mart, DuBois, Pa.)