Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-06-10
bURCESS-NASH
WILL ENLARGE
STORE IN FALL

on Site OF BOYD lneater;
Landmarks . to Be
| Raced Soon. =
The Burgess Nash Co. announced
yesterday that it will build an
eight-story addition right west Of
its present store, on the ground
where the Boyd theater now stands,
with an SO foot front on Harvey and
running through to Howard street.
With the end of this season the
Boyd theater goes out of existence.
Work of tearing down the theater
will begin within the next 90 days
and the new structure will be rushed
to completion. 1t is expected to
have it ready early in the new year.
The plans for the addition we're
made by George Prinz, architect, and
are the same with the exception of
few changes of modernization, as
those made for contemplated build
ing before this country went to war
and building restrictions were put in
force.
The plans call for tea room and
restaurant on one Of the upper floors,
away from the noise and dirt of the
streets; cafeteria in the downstairs
store, lunch, rest and recres ton
rooms for the employees; an audi
forum with a seating capacity Of
800 to 500, with a stage and NOV
ing picture equipment to be used
for educational purposes for the en-
jployes as we'll as for special gather
ings and entertainments of the pub
lie.
Inspect Western Stores.
Mr.. Nash, accompanied by Mr..
Prinz, returned Saturday from a
two weeks trip through the west,
where they inspected the various
stores in Denver, Portland, Seattle,
San Francisco, Los Angeles and
other cities. This completed the in
vestigations that have been made by
both Mr.. Nash and Mr.. Burgess
during the last three years, of which
a wonderful opportunity was af-
forded Mr.. Burgess by his trips into
practically every state in the union
while serving the government as
director of war savings stamps.
The entire building, new and old,
will be equipped with the very latest
and most practical appliances for
the service, comfort and convenience
of the shopping public.
The new structure will double the
size of the store. 1t will give it a
total floor space of over 100000
square feet or about six and one
half acres, or the equal of about four
average city blocks.
Show Wonderful Growth.
The Burgess-Nash stores have
made tremendous growth in the
five years of their history. The
store has been continually getting
more and more cramped for room
by increasing stocks of goods and
greater crowds of customers.
1--WE realize that Omaha public
demands store like Burgess-Nash,"
said Louis c. Nash, vice president
of the company. "The experimental
stage is past and our friends who
were more or less fearful of the
outcome when we took over this
business have long ago acclaimed it
a success"
"The wonderful growth OF our
business during the period of little
over five years, the constant and in
creasing expressions Of public con-
idence as evidenced by our sales
records, have demonstrated to us
that there is room for a store like
ours and it also further demon
strated that our business principals
of merchandising-of meeting the
public more than half way-are
right"
"To live up to our motto: "Thc
greatest service to the greatest num-
ber," we must increase Our store
facilities and this can only be done
by erecting an addition to our pres
ent store where the Boyd theater
and Our present warehouse, receiv-
ing and delivery departments are To-
Gated"
Theater a Landmark
The Boyd theater, which will be
torn down to make room for the
new structure, is an Omaha land
mark.
There is much sentiment con-
nected with the Boyd theater," said
Mr.. Nash. 1--WE may arrange some
sort of farewell in the old theater
before it is disnantled."
Governor James E. Boyd pur-
chased the site in 1890 from Gen. w.
w. Lowe and started the theater.
1t is five stories high, built Of stone,
iron and pressed brick and has a
seating capacity of nearly 1000.
1t was opened September 3, 1891,
by Thomas Boyd, the lessee. August
us Thomas American play "Ala-
bama," was presented on the occa-
sion by A. M. Palmer's company. A
large and fashionable audience was
present. Governor Boyd was called |
before the curtain, and made short
address on the progress of Omaha
and the work of erecting the thea
ter. John M. Thurston also spoke.
In the years that have elapsed
since that time the Boyd has been
the scene of countless theatrical pro-
auctions and there the beauty and
wealth" of Omaha have enjoyed the
beauties and wonders of the stage.