The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-07-06
ORYSDALE STORE
IS CELEBRATING
HALF CENTURY
Tomorrow Golden Anniversary
of It's Founding
FIFTY YEARS IN BUSINESS
From Small Start In 1872 Store
FIFTY YEARS IN BUSINESS
From Small Start In 1872 Store
Has Grown to Be the Biggest
and Best In Vermont

Tomorrow the Drysdale department
store on South street will observe
the 50th anniversary OF its origin.
July T. 1872, the first Drysdale store, |
with the late Alexander Drysdale as
proprietor, came into existence In
the small brick building at the corner
Of Mil and River streets and which
today continues TO be known as the
mill" store, although the signih'
canoe OF that name disappeared when
the elder Drysdale came into pos
session OF the business a half CEN
tury ago.
From this small beginning, typical
country store that supplied the sim
pie needs and wants of the preceding
generation has developed thor
oughly up-to-date department store,
located In commodious brick
block, transacting business on four
floors and with 10000 feet OF sale
floor and safety elevator
The present location is the last OF
four that marked the different stages
OF expansion in a mercantile career
that had few equals In Vermont or
elsewhere. In larger communities
there are larger stores than the Drys.
dale but II is to be doubted that there
exists today In any 10000 population
town between the two oceans a retail
establishment that. in completeness
of appointments, attractiyeness of in.
terror and exterior appearance and
diversity OF stocks, is anywhere near
comparable.
From the time that the late Robert
s. Drysdale began to comprehend the
possibilities to be found in a thrv-
ing, growing and energetic manufac.
turing village the store which today
stands as monument to his untiring
effort, far-sightedness and faith in
the people In which he passed all the
years OF his active life. was some.
| thing more than a place OF business;
in many respects 1t was an education
al institution. Better living must
necessarily mean more extensive ac-
quaintance with those things which
go to make up the stock Of the Drys-
dale store. Neat and proper apparel
! invariably add to the self-respect OF
the wearer On evenings, Sundays
and holidays, during the leisure hours
of the men and women whose indus.
try creates what they consider the
hest town OF its size in New England,
Bennington people are accustomed
to crowd the main street of the viii
lage as they crowd every principal
thoroughfare In the land and in per-
sonal appearance the folks VINO make
up these gatherings rank second to
none The responsibility for this
creditable characteristic is in a large
measure due to the influence exerted
by the Drysdale store which has al.
ways kept within the bounds OF good
taste both In materials and sty,es.
Perhaps the wide opportunities in
mercantile life were forcefully i'm
pressed upon Mr.. Drysdale by an in
cident in the early days of his career
Soon after his association with his
father he went to New York to pur
chase a seasons stock OF goods. He
was a young man at the time, only
recently returned to America from
school in Scotland and probably
possessed of more enthusiasm thar
judgment. He was received with
open arms by the bright statesmen il
the big city and was sold a bill o.
: goods that broke all previous records
in Bennington. When the packinl
2 cases arrived the young merchan
! realized that he had taken a plunge
G into deep water and that it was up t,
+ him to rise to the surface and regail
@ dry land Through an extensive ad
e yertising campaign, an innovation a
that time he successfully removed
e the menace of an excessive stock AM
l. laid the foundation of a feature tina
afterward became a large factor Il
the growth of the business. Ace
dentally forced into situation tha
demanded quick sale OF a larg
D quantity of merchandise, he realize
the value Of advertising as perhap
would have been possible in no othe
e way and a policy of consistent an
persistent publicity was continue
throughout his business career.
Fifty years ago the present wee
" of July the late Alexander Drysdal
. purchased Of the late Ezra Plank tn
10 stock of groceries which the forme
% owner had on sale in the old Mill
u store for Hunt, Ti,linghast & Co., tn
Ie concern that at that time operate
TX what is now the Holden Leonar
wooden mill The following year tn
ID quarters proved too small and tn
"a business was moved to the Hawk
n block on River street, which will |
as remembered by many of the oldt
ne residents as the River street e
I'd Establishment"
sh In 1880, Robert S. Drysdale becan
re associated with his father and u
ct firm name became Alexander Dry
dale & Son. BY fair dealing and |
ed using the one-price policy to all, Il
TO- store soon became one of the re
he able business houses of the col
he munity. 1t was at this time that
M line of drygoods and shoes was a
H. ded to the rapidly growing grocel
or business, Eventually groceries we
es eliminated and the stock was I
ito stricted to the lines carried at pre-
he ent.
Alexander Drysdale died in IS