Wawelberg Bank Building - History

History

The present building was completed in 1912 and incorporates the foundation and some of the structure of two separate 18th century buildings. In the 18th century the property owners were two brothers, Semen (Semion) Bernikov and Sergei Bernikov, both wealthy merchants. In the early 19th century one T. Roby (Thomas Roby, Robbie, Т.Роби), a British subject, ran a restaurant or pub in this building. Supposedly this was the first public place in the city where ordinary Petersburgers got their taste of English steak, roast beef, pie and ale. Around 1850s Bernikov's heirs sold one building to Shchepetilova, an army captain's widow, and the second structure to some Nochbeck, a government official. New owners in turn later sold the structure to another pair of merchant brothers, Nikolai (Nicholas) and Karl Korpus (Charles Corpus) who remained landlords until they sold both properties to Wawelberg interests in the early 20th century. From 1870s until 1910 the building housed a variety of retail establishments and agencies: Captain Mahlein's (капитан Малейн) footwear shop, Betling s governess employment bureau (контора для найма гувернанток и Елизаветы Карловны Бетлинг). Art studios (of August Rakowski, a painter) occupied the mansard space, Ivanov's fruit emporium, Schaf's or Schaff's (Шаф) weapons and bicycle shop were also in the building before Wawelberg's takeover.