Middletown transcript., 1881-06-03
THE GRAND DEPOT

they did in the store, and are not, after
all, just what the buyer wanted, is the
source of one-half the trouble and an
nOyances connected with shopping. At
the Grand Depot this trouble is entirely
done away with, shoppers there being
permitted to enjoy the liberal satisfac-
tion Of knowing that they are certain
to be suited or to have their money re-
funded, and this not as special favor,
but as part Of the system of making
the supply Of personal and family re-
quirements as easy, as economical, and
as pleasant as possible.
Another advantage offered in the
same direction is the saving of time and
trouble in supplying all wants under
one roof. There is none of the wear
mess of posting about from street to
street, and running down town and
across town and back again, so trying
to strength and patience, and so costly
in time and temper, especially in bad
weather, such as often occurs during
the spring and autum shopping seasons.
Here everything is at hand and accessi-
Bile without going beyond the doors.
The business of the Grand Depot now
includes the furnishing of everything
except provisions and fuel that man,
woman OF child can desire for comfort,
convenience or adornment. From in
fancy to age all the incidents and all
the accidents of life are provided for Ill
this marvellous StOrehouse of the pro
ducts of human industry and skill
gathered from the four quarters of the
globe. All the wants Of persons, in all
classes and conditions, have here been
anticipated, not only in one form, but
i'll many forms, so that buyers find not
only Just the article they look for, but
variety Of corresponding articles from
which to make judicious selections.
What is there that human beings,
boys or girls, men or women, old or
young, rich OF poor, can ask for that
they cannot find in some one OF the
forty-six principal departments OF the
Grand Depot ?
The Original Building.
The premises originally consisted Of
the Pennsylvania freight depot, long
deserted. 1t was a substantial struc-
ture, but dilapidated in appearance,
having double pitched roof, descend
ing from height of about thirty feet
at the ridge to about ten feet at the
caves. The building had front OF two
hundred feet on Market Street, broken
by great dOorWays, where the car-tracks
ran in. 1t was supplemented by four
story brick freight Office on the Thlr-
teenth-street corner, and by three truss
roof additions running from Thirteenth
to Juniper streets, on Kelly street.
This property was bought by Mr..
Wanamaker in 1875, and after effecting
necessary alterations the business was
opened in 1876 with stock of clothing.
From this inception the development
Of the Grand Depot has been uninter-
rupted and unprecedently rapid, the
traffic extending in new directions
every day and increasing at the rate OF
millions of dollars annually, until now
it ranks as the largest retailing estab-
lshment in the country. This uneX-
ampled enlargement has made constant
changes in the premises an absolute
necessity. and there has hardly been a
secular day in the five years since 1876
but what artisans and mechanics have
been at work in some part of the place.
1t has been idly said that Mr.. Wana-
maker kept men at work making al
terations for the sake of constantly
presenting something new to the public,
for the sake of something to talk about,
for the sake Of advertisement +; but let
those who have said OF heard such
statesments reflect for moment on the
fact that the trade of the Grand Depot
has expanded from this one line with
which it opened to include forty-six
separate and distinct lines of goods,
wares and merchandise or on another
fact, that the working force of the
place, beginning with thirty persons,
has increased to an army of two thou
sands employees actually engaged with
in the walls.
Oak Hall.
Mr.. Wanamaker began business at a
time when people generally were failing,
giving up and retiring from trade more
extensively than ever before. 1t was
during the dark days that preceded the
outbreak of the war, when business
men were, embarrassed, distressed and
disheartened all over the land but in
that season Of tribulation he had the
prescience to see an opportunity and
the courage to seize upon 1t. Oak Hall
was opened on the Sth of April, 1861,
four days before the storm broke in the
thunder of guns over Charleston har-
bor. This beginning was made with
confidence, but also with care. The
premises on the corner IF Sixth and
Market streets consisted Of three floors,
with a front of thirty-two feet and
depth of sixty feet. The fixtures cost
$500 and the working force consisted of
the firm and two cutters, the latter also
aiding in the store.
The venture prospered according to
the magnitude from the first, the prin-
ciples lying at the foundation of Mr..
Wanamaker's success being as potent
then as now. 1t was slow work for a
time. however, and the first Saturday,
when the sales reached hundred dol
lars, was marked as an important era.
AS trade increased the place was from
time to time enlarged and altered, the
sales going on during the changes with
out interruption, The first enlarge
ment was the hiring of a second-hoor-
room in No. / South Sixth street then
the entire building was taken, and sub
suquently the other stores to the corner
of Minor street. Oak Hall, now six
stories high, has front of 81 feet on
Market and runs through with this
width $50 feet to Minor street. The
premises formerly occupying this place