El Kusto

A bit faded, but overall a nice photograph.  But, it wasn't the ladies in the foreground which drew me in.  It was the building.  A cigar manufacturer in Minnesota, and the very Cuban sounding name, El Kusto.  I tried one of my favorite research sites, eBay and found a number of El Kusto cigar bands for sale, all of which identified El Kusto as a fine Habana Cigar.  Anyway, I  found the name of the distribution company, which may have also been the manufacturer, in an  article from the Wednesday, April 14, 1915 edition of The Duluth Herald

NEW CIGAR ON MARKET, "EL KUSTO" BEING INTRODUCED BY RUST-PARKER COMPANY

Duluth men who have trouble in picking out the brand of cigar they want to smoke will have a new one from which they may choose in the future.  It is the El Kusto, now being introduced by the manufacturers through the Rust-Parker company.

Nate Ellis, the St. Paul representative of the makers was in Duluth today arranging of the new smoke.  Added inducements are offered by the company who will give premiums for the bands.  They will be sold in three sizes.

I'll bet the women were employees of cigar maker.

Office Staff

They're out there, but I've noticed that it's far harder to find workplace photos than one would think.  Most of us, during our working years, will spend at least a quarter of our time on the job.  My last full time job was at a photo lab, everyone owned cameras, there were no rules against taking pictures, but no one did.  I can't speak for others, but in my case, I liked my job, but I wasn't in love with it.  It was a way of making a living, and it sure beat working at a coal mine.  (And yes, I know that from experience.)  In the end, it never occurred to me to take photos.

From the twenties, I think.