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Irving Guberman's store looted
The only evidence of the looting is the store's appearance in a list of the first twenty white business-owners suing the city for damages based on the failure of police to protect their stores published in the New York Sun. By the time the city Comptroller heard testimony from those bringing suit, 106 owners had sought damages. Guberman is not among those whose testimony appeared in newspaper stories about that proceeding, nor does he appear in any of the trials to test the claims. No one among those arrested for looting was identified as taking goods from this store.
The claim for $3967 in losses is the fifth largest detailed in the newspaper stories, well above the median claim of $733. The city lost the test cases, so Guberman likely was awarded some amount of damages, but based on those case it was likely only a small proportion. It is not clear if he was able to remain in business. The MCCH business survey includes three operating at 60 West 129th Street in the second half of 1935, a white-owned stationary store, and black-owned barber and tailor's shop. Either Guberman or Mestetzky could have owned the stationary store; the story in the New York Sun did not identify their businesses. The Tax Department photograph is taken from too far away to identify the businesses at the address in 1939-1941.