Division Street tobacco store, January 26, 1938.

According to “Changing New York,” the collection of photographer Berenice Abbott’s WPA work:

“The Scharlin family opened its snuff store in 1876. The Yiddish signs in the window say ‘Do you want real strong smelling tobacco? Come in and see for yourself-free trial.’ At its height, the business had branches throughout the nation, and, in 1906, Mrs Scharlin reportedly declined an offer of $500,000. But, by the time of the Depression, the vogue for snuff had ended and the business was in decline. The seven-foot wooden statue of "Sandy" the kilted Scotsman holding a snuff box advertised Scharlin's snuff from the 1870 until 1938. He now resides in the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.”

The tenement building that housed the Scharlin storefront is still standing, a few doors west of the Knickerbocker Post Office’s rear entrance.