Ester Bobeck

1889-1974.

Self-employed.

Ester Bobeck was known as "Uppsala's tobacco queen" and first started selling tobacco in 1908 at Östra Ågatan 27. It is noteworthy that Ester Bobeck did this at the age of 18. Bobeck married the officer Otto Bobeck in 1914.

She had a flair for business and ran the first shop alone, which became a meeting place for Uppsala students. Students came to Bobeck's shop to smoke cigars and talk.

Four years later, at Östra Ågatan 59 in "Sju helvetes gluggar", the second shop was opened and operated until 1935 when the building was demolished. The store was well located because Flustret, the Academic Hospital and the regiments at Polacksbacken were nearby. Uppsala harbor was also nearby. When the building was demolished, the tobacco shop was kept for a time in the so-called seventh window.

In 1964, a tobacco shop was established on Fyris Square in Fenixhuset. Then Carl Perschel Barowiak's tobacco shop was taken over.

During his active years, stores were also opened at Dragarbrunnsgatan 26, Kungsängsgatan 8, Drottninggatan 8 and Skolgatan 8. Bobeck was also one of the first members of the Swedish Tobacconists' Association and was awarded the association's gold medal in 1964.

 

Burial site: 0102-0136

Image description: Ester Bobeck in a shop, year unknown. Photo: From private collectionThe image is cropped].
Click here for an uncropped image

 

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