539 Park Avenue
Julius Frankel House

Tax Photo - circa 1930s

Recent Photo

When Julius Frankel, a prominent Park City businessman, died in 1957, his obituary called him “one of the community’s leading citizens and well-loved civic leaders”. Frankel was owner and proprietor of Frankel’s Clothing Store at 368 Main Street. Constructing this home in 1903 was an affirmation of his confidence in his adopted home’s continued prosperity.
Frankel was nephew of M. S. Ascheim, owner of the huge Ascheim Mercantile Store on Main Street. Ascheim traveled to his native Germany in 1881, returning with his two nephews, Frankel and Solon Spiro. Both were given jobs at Ascheim Mercantile, Spiro as manager and Frankel as dry goods manager. In 1896, Frankel opened his own clothing store on Main Street. When the store was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1898, Frankel built a new brick building (today Chimayo restaurant). In 1918, Frankel retired, sold this home and moved to Denver with his wife Lena and son George. He turned the management of his business over to a friend Max Hill who retained the Frankel name until it closed in 1957.

Since then the home has had five different owners. Long-time resident Bonnie Deffebach acquired the home and lovingly restored it in 1989.