The semi-weekly messenger., 1898-02-08
A sTAUNCa OLD HOUSE.
A Wholesale Grocery Establishment of
Wilmington That Has Prospered for
Thirty Years s-The Firm of Hall and
Pearsall

Wilmington That Has Prospered for
Thirty Years The Firm of Hall and
Pesrsall
There are very few firms in any city
that have stood as many years as
of Wilmington. This denotes two
things in the main-tT1at good business
Qualifications and the element OF sue
cess exist in cur business men and that
our city is substantial business CEN
tre.
One of the Oldest and most reliable
of our mercantile establishments is the
| wholesale grocery house of MeSsrS-
Hall & PearsalI. This firm was estaIb-
lished in 1868 as Edwards & Hall, the
partnership consisting of Mr.. J. j. Ed
| wards and Mr.. 3. F. Hail. Mr.. Oscar
PearsaN took position with the house
as a clerk in 1869 and in 1875 became
| a partner, the firm name, however, re-
naming unchanged In 1876, upon the
| death of Mr.. Edwards, the firm name
| of Hall & Pearsall was adopted, and
| through the long years that have in
| tervened, this firm has been one of the
! most prominent in the business history
| of Wilmington. They built UP a good
trade in North and South Carolina
| and everywhere the firm name has
| been the synonym for integrity and
| just business methods.
For many years Messrs. Hall &, Pear
saH did business on Water street, be-
| tween Market and Dock streets, but
| they purchased and intended to build
on the eligible property on Grace
street, between Front and Mutt streets,
whereon now stands the elegant Y. M.
| c. A. building, one of the handsomest
association structures in the south.
When THE plans matured for the erec-
tion of the Y. M. C. A. building this
! lot was deemed the most suitable To-
cation for it, and as it was so we'll
! adapted to the purpose, Messrs. Hall
& Pearsall reluctantly parted with it
| for the same money they paid for the
lot. but secured the option of leasing
| for a. term of fifteen years that part
| of the building at the northeast corner
of Nntt and Grace streets. Upon COM
| pletion of the building in 1892 their
| wholesale grocery business was re-
/ moved to this location, and since then
| they have occupied the first and second
| floors of that part of the building. AS
| is well known, their quarters are
\
| mirably equipped in Wilmington, and
{ they have the advantage Of having
! the Mutt street dummy lime of the At
| lantic Coast Line to pass right by
be loaded and unloa!ded right at their
| DOORS
| The firm carries on both floors large
! stock of heavy and staple groceries, to-
| office and counting room occupies the
| southwest corner off the second floor
| The bulk of their stock, however, is
| carried in their colnnnodious ware
houses on the harbor front, between
| the Seaboard Air Line and Atlantic
| Coast Line freight delpots. One of the
| warehouses is 200 feet long by SO feet
in width, and here lis stored in bulk
salt, malosses, -four nails and other
| goods. There is also another ware
house 120 feet long by 60 feet wide used
for additional storage. Surrounding
the warehouses are ample yards, where
| their extensive naval stores business
is carried on. In front of the ware
houses is 200 feet of river front and in
| Guiding two docks, with deep water,
there are about 700 feet of wharves,
capable of accommodating three or
more of the largest vessels at one
| time. Railroad tracks run into the
warehouses on both sides, connecting
with the tracks of the Atlantic Coast
Line, the Seaboard Air Line and all
other railroads centering in Whining
ton. 1t will thus be seen that the ia
cihties for doing business are most
admirable and the fact is they are
unsurpassed in amy port on the south
Atlantic. Goods by the carload or
cargo can be received or shipped at
| nominal expense without lterage or
drayage, affording a most decided ad-
| vantage.
Messrs. Hall & Pearsall travel two
regular statesmen in the Carolinas and
they have good trade in both states
The members of the firm have had
thirty years experience and have
closely followed the business, but while
it has gradually grown to it's present
proportions, they are sensible of the
| fact that whatever degree Of success
they have attained, is not only at