Noel A. Mitchell
| Noel A. Mitchell | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida | |
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In office April 6, 1920 – November 15, 1921 |
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| Preceded by | Al Lang |
| Succeeded by | Frank Pulver |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
April 27, 1859 Block Island, Rhode Island United States |
| Died | October 6, 1936 (aged 77) |
| Spouse(s) | Adalaide B. Mitchell (1901–1929) |
| Children | Gladys Seeley |
Noel A. Mitchell (April 27, 1859 – October 6, 1936; born in Block Island, Rhode Island) was a businessman and advertiser who built considerable wealth through the sale of Atlantic City salt water taffy, and a burgeoning real estate business in St. Petersburg, Florida, which would later fund his successful run for mayor of St. Petersburg.
Noel Mitchell, the son of Mary Jane and Edward Mitchell, was born on January 9, 1874. Coming from a humble background, Mitchell attended public school in Rhode Island and later enrolled in a course in business college. In 1892, Mitchell’s climb to success began with his creation of a successful business venture in the sale of salt water taffy. Advertised as "a mixture of easy-flowing sweetness and the salty Atlantic Ocean", Mitchell carefully crafted his brand. On every box of taffy sold, Mitchell's face was featured prominently in the center to increase his notoriety (later he would use his candy to advertise St. Petersburg by including post cards within every box). Mitchell also offered to ship his taffy nationwide for a flat fee of 40 cents, making it affordable to purchase and easily attainable outside the immediate area. Soon, no longer was Mitchell's brand limited to Atlantic City and the surrounding area. Instead, Mitchell's brand was becoming a nationally recognized product, sold in states all over the nation.
Now a successful businessman, Mitchell defended his brand vigorously. On July 6, 1911, The Evening Independent published news of an impending lawsuit against a Connecticut firm owned by P. A. Atwood for infringing upon Mitchell's trademark use of "salt water". In this instance, Mitchell successfully defended his brand, securing both damages and compensation for this infringement.
After visiting St. Petersburg in 1904, Noel Mitchell decided to make Florida his permanent home. By 1907, Mitchell purchased the entirety of the Durant block at Fourth and Central for $15,000, opening a real estate business on what would soon be known as “Mitchell’s Corner”. Taking advantage of a booming real estate market, Mitchell became one of the leading real estate salesmen specializing in the sale and development of beach property.
There were many rivals during the real estate boom and the ability to differentiate oneself was key. One of the ways Mitchell did this was by employing the use of an extremely large and colorful sign in front of his real estate building, on which Mitchell called himself "The Sand Man" (given his choice to sell beach property, the name is appropriate). A large sign was not the only item that hung outside of Mitchell's office however, as it was not unusual to see large Tarpon fish (as depicted in the picture) hanging beneath the sign above his office. This was Mitchell's way of advertising what St. Petersburg could offer to those who enjoyed fishing.
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