The Washington herald., 1917-05-13
Store of w. B. Moses & Sons
Largest of Its Kind in u. S.
For Many Years Enterprising Firm of This City
Has Set Pace in Exclusive Retail Furniture,
Carpet and Drapery Business.

Some nifty years ago q young business
man OF Philadelphia moved to Washing
ton and established a small store on d
street between Sixth and Seventh
streets.
He had been interested in partner
ship conducting furniture business,
when events so shaped themselves that
the partners agreed upon a dissolution.
With three carloads OF stock he came
to the Capital TO try his fortunes.
Today this little store, which grew out
OF the Philadelphia venture, is recognized
as the largest exclusively retail furni-
ture. carpet and drapery house in Amer
Tea.
The young business maD who started
and the business which he founded was
that Of W. B. Moses & Sons. The pres
ent store occupied by this concern at
Eleventh and F streets il one OF the
handsomest in the United States and the
factory which produces the innumerable
pieces Of house furnishings sold yearly
through this big store IL by far the larg-
est in Washington.
Thus, from small beginnings do great
Institutions grow. Little did Mr.. Moses
know to what proportions his modest
little business would expand.
Square Dealing.
Yet this growth, founded upon square
business dealing. might perhaps have
been foreshadowed by the early success
OF the business. When the three car
loads OF furniture representing Mr..
Moses share Of stock in the Philadel-
phia business arrived. 1t met with such
demand that he could scarcely find time
to move into the new place of business
Customers came along and bought the
stock from the pavement Wagons had
IA NWua..g
before the door than another wagon
would load the same piece and hurry IT
away TO grace the home Of some gov
ernment oticial or other resident Of
Washington.
Within a few months three upper floors
Of the building at sos Seventh street had
to be rented to meet the demands Of the
increasing business. A few months later
the business again expanded, Mr.. Moses
this time renting the large building at
the corner Of Seventh and d streets
which he occupied in addition to his
other establishments.
On the site of the present Saks build
ing, at Seventh street and Market place,
was an old hotel which many Of the older
residents OF Washington remember. 1t
was known as the Avenue House" In
1852, as the business continued to ex-
pand, Mr.. Moses rented this old hotel.
Successful Innovation.
Here he introduced an innovation which
attracted attention all over the United
States. He cleaned up the old building.
made a few repairs here and there, and
fitted up parlors, libraries, dining rooms
bed rooms. and living rooms just as they
would be in well-appointed homes They
were made complete in every detail, in
various colors and combinations OF col
ors. Allowance was made for q great
variation IN tastes, likes and dIslikes.
This business and artistic innovation
met with immediate success. Customers
who visited the rooms left orders to
duplicate apartments or At up their bed
rooms and parlors just as they saw them
in the old hotel
Since that time this idea of furnishing
a room or a whole set of rooms has been
widely copied by furniture dealers the
country over. Even today II is no un-
Usual thing to see large display windows
representing corner of a well-furnished
room.
The business continued to grow stead
lily, and in 1884 Mr.. Moses purchased the
property at the corner OF F and Eleventh
streets, where the present store is To-
Gated. Construction Of the building start
ed in June and went rapidly forward dur
ing the summer. BY October, it was
ready for occupancy.
A. B. Mullett, who designed the State,
War and Navy Building, was the archi-
tect. John Hewlett was the builder Both
were practical experienced men and they
built well. 1t is said they completed the
work in less time. also. than was ever
done up to that time on construction of
such magnitude.
First to Build Underground.
Mr.. Moses conceived the practical idea
OF going two stories underground, which
at that time was a radical departure in
building. Citizens Of Washington looked
with sstonishment when they saw the
great hole being made in the ground for