The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-22
He Secures Long Lease and Will Erect
v. a Model Dry Goods Building.
Structure Will Be Five
Stories in Height and
Fireproof.
Deal an Important Factor in.
Settling Future of Re-
tail District.

John w. Thomas has leased the
Plymouth church corner at Nicollet
avenue and Eighth street from the L.
>. Gillette company for ninety-nIne
years. He will build thereon a five
story. modern, reinforced concrete, fire..
proof retail dry goods store building
for the exclusive use of John w.
Ihomas q 60. Construction will begin
Owing to- a prospective increase in
rent that would not permit his COM
Pany to remain in it's present situation
at Nlcollet avenue and Fifth street
without additional space, which could
not be provided, Mr.. Thomas began q
study Of the Nicollet avenue situation
some time ago, and yesterday closed .
deal with the =. S. Gillette company
on favorable terms, within two weeks
OF the date the Gillette company
bought the property for 1884 1000. 81
+: BUSINESS men in general are inter-
ested in the, closing Of this lease be-
cause it was generally believed that
MI M Thomas held the key to the retail
situation on Nicollet avenue and that
Whatever site he might choose for tina
future home of John W. Thomas q
60, important phases of the retail cen
ter would be permanently settled.
|. Building to Be Model.
. -, With q location determined MI.
Thomas has next taken up the question
Of building. He has determined to
have one Of the finest retail dry goods
store buildings west Of Chicago, abso-
iqtely up to the advance mark set by
Inc most modern dry goods houses in
America. 1t will be absolutely pro-
tected from within against fire and adj
Wi hn lob - I =.
ton Of the building Of the remarkahla
opportunities offered by the chosen site
for window display. To that end
great expanse of plate glass will be
q prominent feature in the exterior Of
the handsome structure, which will ba
one OF the finest on the avenue from
AN architectural standpoint. With a
frontage on Nicollet avenue of ia
rect, depth of 1872 feet on Ninth
street a aln an = 44x52 feet to the
4 ~ tie ohm W. Thomas COMPANY.
VIII aIl. iaXs ap area of 1900 square feet
20 eac Isfoor, or a total floor space of
square feet exclusive Of the
EHaseRfent.. 40 s'.S
cha y. Thomas heads the pioneer
CRY goods store Of sM inneapolis. THE
business l began forty years ago in an
old frame building on Washington aye..
nue., near Nicollet. The firm was known
|sas George w. Hale & Co.. Some years
latsr the store was moved to a new
building built for the firm At Third
street and Nicollet avenue. People at
that time said Mr.. Hale was going
clear out of town. Mr. Thomas Joined
the firm in 1883, which was then known
&c Hale. Thomas 6 Co. for twelve years,
Then Mr. Thomas bought out the in
terests of George W. Hale and later
those of Jefferson NJ. Hale Twenty
three Years ago the business was re-
moved to four-story brick building
put UP for the firm ON the old Side
corner at Fifth street and Nicollet ave-
nue.. This building was rebuilt and
expanded into the Andrus building
about eight years ago.
In deciding that the old reliable
pioneer dry goods house should have d