During the sixties, I had a penchant for Hush Puppies shoes. I used to buy them at this Hahns and the one at 7th and Mount Vernon Square. I was so into the shoes, I would have them resoled, good for one time, maybe two. As the saying goes, "Aint nuthin like a new pair o Hush Puppies.

I know I'm late to this party, but I remember well how very popular Argyle socks were in the 1950's and thereabouts and here you can see them in Hahn's window. We had a female "village idiot" (I was second in line for that title) and she loved them so much she would wear them with white high-heeled shoes, dangling earrings and a utilitarian cotton house dress. It's hard to compete with a fashion plate like that, but she was a friendly, sweet, harmless and happy lady who waved and talked to everyone who passed her front porch. Most of the well-known entertainers, rock 'n' rollers, businessmen, college kids, were into Argyle socks, and at the time they were usually $1 per pr. for the good ones and about 3 pr. for $1 for the tightwads like myself. You may look at the Argyle socks on line for current fans of this style and they are much more expensive. Also, I think this may be a display for Easter shoes since there is an Easter lily plant displayed in the window on the far right. In those days, Easter Sunday was a time for new spring clothes, shoes and hats and those who could afford it showed them off at church. Happy Easter fellow Shorpyites.

My mom worked here after she graduated from Central HS in 1944 (now Cardozo HS). In fact, she was on her way to work one early September morning when she decided she wanted to go to college.

She got off the bus (or streetcar, not sure) called in "sick" and went into Wilson's Teachers' College to take the entrance exam. She went home and told her parents she was going to college. I believe it was free tuition.

She kept working at Hahn's for a few years, and when we were kids, it was the only place she'd take us to buy our new school shoes each August.

Was this a chain, or was this Hahn solo?

Below is the same view from October of 2003.

It's still there.. boarded up for the past twenty or so years.. the bank was last the National Bank of Washington, also boarded up.. The rest of the neighborhood has been reborn into new stone & glass structures..

On the Southeast corner of 14th and G st NW.. in its last life the neighborhood was upscale shopping down the street and a block or two up the street (H st NW) began several blocks of loud bars and honky tonks.. all reborn as stylish now..

[Two periods at the end of a sentence -- is this a thing? - Dave]