Morning journal and courier., 1890-08-08
BIG DRY GooDs HOUSES.

q. r
F.. M. Brown Il Co. Rent the stores
Occupied by Howe 4 StetsOn for an
EnlargementO OF Their Business 1t q
Future Date-HOwe Il Stetson to Re-
main and Locate Elsewhere I'm Town
When Their Lease Expires.
Mr. r. M. Brown was seen by COURIER
representative yesterday afternoon regard
ing rumored important enlargement of
the firms quarters. There was recorded
in the town clerks Office day or two ago
lease which gives to the firm of F. M.
Brown & Co. the right to occupy the store
where Howe & Stetson are at present To-
Gated, id the Insurance building, for the
term of twenty-five years from the LIST of
June next. The lease is given by the New
Haven Investment company, which owns
and controls the Insurance building. Mr..
Brown said the lease was made eight
months ago, but it is now for the first time
made public. 1t was not deemed necessary
to make it public until now, as the firm of
Howe & Stetson would not be required to
vacate under a year, which would give
them plenty Of opportunity to seek new
quarters.
Mr.. Brown further said that when Mr..
Adams went out of the store in 1887 he
was given an option on the rent of the
premises, and when Howe & Stetson made
application for them he decided that the
demands of his business did not at that
time warrant the room, as it was believed
that by building an addition to his present
store sufficient room would be afforded
him, and he consequently told the New
Haven Investment company to rent it to
Howe & Stetson for term of years,
STIMULATING, however, that the option of
the premises still held good at the expira-
ton of Howe & Stetson's lease. This was
agreed to, and the store was rented to
Howe & Stetson, and Mr.. Brown built a
large addition to his store. -.
Under this lease Howe G Stetson had
the store for term of five years. During
this time, Mr.. Brown says, his business
has increased so greatly as to imperatively
require increased room.
The store now occupied could not be
further enlarged, and it was for their OWL
protection that the store of Howe 6 Stet
son was secured. In securing it, how
ever, they had merely accepted the option
that they had held for several years, ani
one which they could have accepted befor,
Howe & Stetson went in if they had so de
| sired.
Howe & Stetson, it was learned, With,
a week or two went to the Investment
company to renew their lease and wer,
told that the store had already been rented
| to F. M. Brown & Co. in obedience to al
| option the latter firm held on the premises
Although the lease had been executed
| eight months ago the Investment compan,
did not think it necessary to inform tn
firm until they came to renew their lease
or until within reasonable time, when
became necessary to notify the firm.
Mr.. Stetson when seen by a COURIER re
porter last night did not wish to make an
statement at present other than that tn
stores had been rented away from the firm
It is understood that Messrs. Howe
Stetson will not leave the city because Q
this early move of their rival house. TIL
firm has built up remarkably large bus
ness in the city during the past four year
and is extremely popular with large pa
tronage, and although the loss of their leas
1 is an unfortunate surprise to the firm, it
thought that a change of location may b
made without great detriment to this lare
traffic.