Conklin Building
Star Palace & View Down West Main Street, MAP 3
Conklin Building (8-10 West Main Street) was built next to the Central Hotel and was originally the Star Palace Theater. The Star’s entrance is the large rounded vault on the postcard’s left side. The Smith Block tower sits behind the Star with the Syndicate Building across the street. The Lace Mill is in the distance. George Holmes first introduced movies to Patchogue in 1908. In 1915, he built his second Star Palace Theater on this land leased from Smith Conklin. The landmark “Old Homestead” was moved off the site to West Patchogue. In 1917, Holmes leased the Star Palace to Nathan and Fanny Goldstein.
During World War I, Camp Upton soldier Irving Berlin held auditions for his musical revue “Yip Yip Yaphank” at the Star Palace before its run on Broadway. Irving Berlin went on to become one of America’s greatest Broadway musical composers.
After the Goldstein’s 10-year lease expired in 1927, George Holmes sold the Star Palace building to Daisy Conklin Furman, Smith Conklin’s daughter, so she now owned both the land and the building. Small shops in the front of the former theater building were demolished and a new front erected in 1928. The refurbished Star Palace, now the Conklin Building, was leased to Green Stores of Boston purportedly for $280,000/20-year lease. The Green Stores sold ladies’ and infants’ wear, electrical goods, hardware, novelties and house furnishings. In 1928, a men’s Republican Club, women’s Sorosis Club and attorney Herman Schoenfeld leased second floor offices in the Conklin Building. During the 1930s, foreclosed homes and repossessed autos were advertised in the Advance to be sold at Suffolk County public auction in front of the Conklin Building. In 1952, Mayor Swezey opened the ultra-modern McLellan’s Store which employed over 50 people.