The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1905-09-07
JOE MCKIBBEH SELLS HIS
INTEREST IN MCKIBBEK
COMPANY.

Dan K. Walker Becomes Head
of Big Mercantile Company
Well Known Dry Goods Store
| Now in its Own PaIatiaI Quar-
tiers on the North Side.-A
Long Record Of Success.
Joe McKibben, president OF the
Mckibben Mercantile company, the
largest dry goods store in Bates
county, has sold a controlling inter.
est 10 the company to Dan X. Walker
and will remove to Pasadena, Cali.
iornia, to make that his future home.
The retirement from active business
OF Joe McKibben removes from But.
Ter one OF the most successful family
OF business men in the community
The name "McKibben' Mercantile
Co." will still be used, but the active
management OF the big store on the
north side will fall entirely upon Mr.,
Walker, who has been manager oil
the institution for several years
The predecessors OF the McKibben
Mercantile Company was the M. s.
Cowles 4 Co., which was established
by NJ. S. Cowles In 1866 Hestarted
In a small store on the north side,
where Williams grocery store now
stands, The business prospered and
the company moved TO the old cor
ner, now occupied by the Farmers'
Bank. 1t was here that Joe and
James McKibben began business life.
As yet boys they went into the Cow,
les store and worked industriously.
When Mr.. Cowles retired some twen-
ty-five years ago, the store was pur-
chased by James McKibben, who re-
moved it to the old Palace Hotelcor-
ner. Joe McKibben opened, with Mr..
Cowles, a dry goods store at Rich Hill,
which he conducted successfully for
years. In 1892 Joe McKibben re-
moved to Butler and, with his brother
James, the McKibben Company was
At that time Dan Walker
took a small interest in the institu
ton. The store was removed to the
old Emery building on North Main
street. Business prospered and the
company moved later into its own
building on the north side, formerly
occupied by r. Well & Co. Later.
Joe McKibben purchased the Smith
building and la st month accompany
opened Its new quarters in one Of the
largest buildings In the city. By a
strange turn OF the wheel OF fortune
James McKibben removed to Rich
Hill couple Of years ago, and he
conducts the largest store In that
community to-day, under the title OF
the Cowles-McKibben Mercantile
Company.
The McKibben Brothers have for
years been recognized as the leading
merchants OF Southwest Missouri.
They have prospered in business, and
customers who bought from them al.
most forty years ago, are still pa
irons OF the firm. Conducting the
business on conservative lines, giving
every man his just due, and with hon.
esty as the motto, the firm has pros
pered and sold more goods In the
period OF its existence perhaps than
any three firms in the county.
Mr.. Dan Walker has been connect
ed with the firm for twenty years.
He began as salesman in a minor
capacity and has slowly risen in the
institution through the various de.
partments until he was made general
and buyer, in which capac-
ity he has served for a numb r Of
years. The other stockholders In the
company are Mr.. Berry, who has
charge Of the shoe department, and
Mr.. Ray. Joe McKibben still retains
an interest In the company and will
g. Re company the benefit If his
a at any time.
~7~ei-~i the coy Y to its