The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-05-30
THE TEMPLE-McCUEN COMPANY

The past few years have witnessed march
ofiprogress with rapid strides in the bust
ness development of Montpelier. Old
things have passed away. Not that the old
were not good and sufficient for their time,
bat the times have undergone change.
With this change has come demand for
metropolitan ideas and methods in bust
ness. To meet the general demand OF the
public, which 10 the main factor which
furnishes the life fluid to the commercial
world, the maxims OF expansion and reci-
procity have been adopted and prscticed by
the business concerns OF the capital city,
and, it can be truly said, to their advance
ment in a pecuniary way.
Among the concerns which have kept
pace with this onward and upward move.
ment is the dry goods firm OF the Temple
McCuen Company. The founder OF this en-
terprise, Dexter W. Temple, came to Mont
pelier from Burlington in 1880 and engaged
in the dry goods business in small way in
the quarters on State street now occupied
by the Montpelier book store. Six months
later Mr.. Temple formed partnership with
W. N. Learned under the firm name Of d. w.
Temple * Company. The old adage, little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump, has been
fulfilled in the history OF this concern for in
two decades IL has grown from a modest
country store to one OF the largest dry goods
establishments in northern New England
Messrs Temple and Learned laid the foun-
dalton well and strong and by hard work,
| patience and untiring industry began the
| building which is now nearing completion.
| Some fourteen years ago Frederick j. Nc
| Cuen OF Vergennes entered the employ of
| the firm and after nine years service in that
| capacity purchased Mr.. Learned's interest
| in the business. Mr.. McOuen Is peculiarly
adapted for this line of work, being natur-
ell salesman, energetic and ever courteous.
| With this change also occurred the change
| inthe firms name to the one 1t bears at pres
| emit Mr.. McCuen by his untiring energy
| and executive ability has been a most valu-
| able adjunct TO the firm.
For some sixteen years the business has
been located at II Main street, that is since
the completion of Blanchard opera house
| block in 1884 For some time the firm has
felt the need of more room for its growing
business and when the A. ID. Farwel Com
pany vacated the adjoining store, No. 76, in
the same block, the firm instantly took ad-
vantage of the opportunity thus offered to
secure its desire.
| For weeks carpenters, plumbers and
painters have been busiy engaged in con-
solidating the two stores, and the result OF
these labors will be strikingly evident TO
| those visiting the store on or after the OPEN
ing day, which is set for Thursday OF this
| week.
The two stores, now made one by three
| connecting archways some twenty feet each
in width. gives floor space OF about 5000
| square feet The front ia we'll lighted by
three large show windows encased In cabi-
net work. The central one is some twenty
feet wide by fifteen high and Is separ ated
from one ten feet in width and OF the same
| height by the two entrances to the store.
Aside from these and the windows In the