The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1880-10-08
A Credit 10 Philadelphia,

Messrs. Strawbridge & Clothicr have
completed, furnished and opened the ad-
ton to their fine store at Eighth and
Market streets. The enlargement is one
that should be seen to be appreciated.
and is worth visit solely on its own ac-
count With view to the enlargement
necessitated by the growing business, the
store No. 8 North Eighth street, which
adioined the rear of their main building.
was first purchased, together with row
of eleven dwellings OH Filbert Avenue,
a court extending from the rear of the
Market street store clear back to Filbert
street
On the north end of this lot hand
some new building, with two show win
dows on the first floor was run up to
the height of four stories. Between
that and the main building on Market
street, two corridors were constructed,
one above the other, and then the
Eighth street store being made to open
into them, thus throwing the two lower
floors of all the buildings into one,
obtaining three handsome fronts on
Adlhtt, OH E.lSIllIl, uilu ou l. llDtlI SblCtl
and making Mcssrs. Strawbridge &
Clother's establishment unequaled in
the city in point of size.
To give some idea of the dimensions
of their colossal building as it stands, be
it said that the fronts measure on Mar
ket street 100 feet, on Filbert "a and on
Eighth 13O,and the west wall from street
to street, is 305 feet in one unbroken
line. Under the entire extent of the
chiefly, save a portion under the main
building and few alcoves for various
purposes, to the storage of goods, for
the reception of which beneath the Fill
bert street front substantial iron slide
rack has been constructed and the en-
trance way above, in the dark green and
gilty facade, between two handsomely
filled show windows, is a good point at
which to begin an inspection of the estab
lishment,
Entering here and looking along the
corridor, which gives you clear view
through to Market street, you have be
fore you the silk department, and at your
right, behind the west shop window, u
small room walled with mirrors, for the
purpose OF displaying the effect OF color
ed silks by gaslight. On the left is n
suit of alcoves Hospitality arranged for
the convenience of travelling statesmen
exhibiting samples of goods, or seeking
quiet retreat for writing business let
ters.
Passing up the corridor, with the silks
on your right and on the left the eXtcn-
sive department devoted to the sale of
black dress goods, you reach the main
desks where either or both the partners
may usually be found, and have upon
your left the entire extent of the Eighth
street store, one side of which is devoted
to fancy work and the other to notions,
silk fringes and passementerie.
Directly i'll front of you is the vast
square of the first floor of the eXtcn-
sive main building, devoted. in its many
sets of great counters and towering
shelves,to cloths, wooden goods, hosiery,
calicoes, laces, white goods, gentlemen ;
furnishing goods and fancy articles, so
that from the main desk Messrs. Straw
bridge & Clothier can, with one sweep
of the eye, command the whole extent
of that floor of their emporium, upon
which the bulk of their immense business
of buying and selling is carried on.
AT this point, also, you remark, Just
in the rear of the Eighth street store
Uhough be it not forgotten, by the way
that the main store itself has two en-.
frances on Eighth street, besides III,
three from Market street,) stairway
leading TO a central point on the second
floor If you choose You may dispense
with this and go up by the elevator. or
the west side near the Market street
front; but If You take the stairs, which
have IN easy slope, You see from the
first landing the private office of MesSrs
Suawbridgc IL Clothicr; an apartment
furnished in the Lest taste, and looki.
into Eighth street; or turning toward th,
main building, YOU emerge upon its soc
Ond floor, which in extent is precisely
the SAME rs the first, down upon whici
you look through large openings. Iro
tected with substantial and handsom,
balustrades. Here, in a room co-eXtcm
siye with the Market street store, are III,
boys clothing department, along tn,
west wall; the shawl aud suit depart
ment, along the Eighth street side, an,
the very extensive underwear depart
ment along the front and west side, til,
rear portion of which is devoted t,
childrens suits, many of them beu!
tastefully displayed with miniature
cheval glass for "trying on, which is Oh
yiously the delight of the rising genera
tion.
With the same object, along the cor
ridor, which extends northward parable
with the corridor on the first floor are
series of alcoves, with waiting rooms be
tween where ladies may wait for friend
who are having dresses fitted. But it i
at the head of the corridor that you fin,
what is really the gem of the whole es
tablishment. This is the Ladies Parloi
Rallied ia from intrusion, faruisllc,
and decorated in the hest drawing room