The Saint Paul globe., 1899-12-01
LARGEST IN THE NORTHWEST.
Description of the Business of
Griggs, Cooper & Co,

There is no more prominent wholesale
grocery firm in the Northwest than that
of Griggs Cooper & Co., importers, man
ufacturers and wholesale grocers, at 242
to 262 East Third street. The origin Of
the firm dates back to 1882, when the
house of Glidden, Griggs & Co. establish
ed business At the same time tha firm
Of Yanz & Howes began business in ad.
joining premises, and the two houses re-
mained as competitors until 1885, whom
they consolidated under the style of YanX,
Griggs & HoWes, Mr.. Glidden retiring.
After the death of Mr.. YanZ in 1889, Mr..
Howes sold his interest and the firm was
organized under its present name with
Col. Chauncey w. Griggs, c.. Milton
Griggs and Jason w. Cooper as general
partners, and D. G. Shepard as special
partner. The business occupies the same
site at East Third and Wacouta streets
where the business first began in 1882, but
the building is much larger, having been
built after the great fire Of November,
1891, in which the firm was burned out.
The present building fronts It's feet on
Third street and is 126 feet deep on Wa
couta street. There is large IS horse-pow-
er Corltss engine in the basement, fed by
boilers of 160 horsepower which operates
the dynamo for the generation Of the 800
electric lights, and which also furnishes
power for tho four elevators and the
manufacturing plant
The business is the largest in the North
west in the grocery trade and covers
every department and detail of q large
grocery business. The main floor con-
tatns the Office, the sample room, the
shipping and receiving departments On
the second floor is the main packing room
and also the fruit room, where, with
every modern convenience, a force of
workers Is employed IN cleaning and re-
packing prunas, currants, raisinS and otn-
er dried fruits. On the third floor is a
large store room for canned goods, the
manufacturing department., the coffee
packing room and one of the syrup manu-
featuring rooms. The main syrup plant
with large maple syrup kettles of 800
gallons capacity is on the fourth floor.
The cracker factory is on the second floor
where the firm make their Home Brand
crackers, a nav department which Is al
ready an assured success. The fifth floor
IL also busy one, for here is the coffee
roasting department with seven ma
chimes, three of which are the latest i'm
proved gas roasters Che only cnes in the
NOrthwesD. Here also is the plant for
the distilling of f1avoring extracts, the
grinding Of mustards and spices, etc. The
firm has made it an esta blished policy to
manufacture its own goods as TAR as pos
sible and to make its name on a package
stand as an unquestioned guarantee Of
quality. It's Home Brand yellow-label
coffees, spices, maple syrup, extracts,
mince meat, canned goods. corn starch,
SODA, rolled oats, cheese, olives, herbs.
vegetables, bird seed, crackers, etc, stand
at the head and can not be surpassed.
They also have other good brands, but
these are the finest grades. In baking
powder their Bengal brand holds lead
ing place. In all staple groceries the
firm Keeps in close touch with original
supply sources, and they are among the
largest importers of coffees and teas in
this country. Their salt fish department.
occupying half of the basement, is the
largest In the Nor Invest and in the other
branches of the grocery activity they are
equally leaders. Col. Chauncey W. Griggs,
senior member Of the firm, now resides
at Tacoma, Wash. He is director of the
First National bank and well known III
the mercantile and financial activities OF
st. Paul. His son, c. Milton Griggs, who
is native of st. Paul and has been with
the firm since 1882, is now in charge of
the financial and executive features of
the business. Mr.. Jason w. Cooper, who
is q native of the state Of New York.
has lived in st. Paul since 1865 and was
connected with the P. H. Kelly Mercan-
tile company before joining the present
firm in 1889. Mr.. Cooper is the grocery
man of the concern ana the rapid strides
made since he became identified with this
enterprise Is largely due to his business
capacity and untiring industry. D. G.
Shepard, special partner, was formerly a.
railroad contractor and Is a director of
the First National bank. In all depart
ments, financial, executive and admins
trative, the business is managed upon
methods worthy of its leadership in the
grocery interest of the Northwest.