The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-10-29


To Barden's young mind the idea was
most appealing. Here was an oppor-
tunity to take on a responsibility he
had never been given before. His
little savings meant considerable to
him. To put them together with those
of his brother-in-law and together
work up business of their own was
pictured IN his youthful mind as the
height of his ambition.
Opened Their First Store.
So it was done. The Barden and
McCardle store was opened on the
main floor of the building where now
stands the Innovation on Main street.
That was in the year 1890. 1t was
tremendous undertaking, even though
Hugh and "Mac" realized that 1t was
for the best.
For six years the two operated their
store. Their business became a -four
ishing one. Their reputation began
to be looked upon as sterling one.
AS before, Hugh prospered and his
brother-in-law prospered. Their busi-
ness grew apace. They began to find
their quarters crowded. Hugh started
to look around to see if they couldn't
locate somewhere else where they
would have more space to work with,
where thy could increase their stocks
for which they were developing a
growing demand.
They finally secured the two-story
building formerly on the site now oc-
cnpied by the Ernst Book store on
Main street. This was in 1895. Now
they had more room. They occupied
both floors, and found that their bust
ness was growing to such an extent
that they required two clerks to help
them.
Barden. Growing With the Town.
Here Barden and McArdle prospered
more and longer. In 1906 Hugh E.
Barden acquired the interest in the
store of his brother-in-law and hence
forth became sole owner Of the store.
At this time he felt the need of even
greater quarters. Main street was
filed, he realized. To build off of
Main street was at that time almost
unheard of. Wasn't every community
Main street throughout the country
one street and didn't everyone build
on that street, and leave the side
streets for residences, and fire sta
tions, and city halls?
In the face of those ideas, Mr.. Bar
den purchased the corner lot at Wis
consin and Church streets, 80 by l25
feet, from the Westcott sisters. He
was growing with the town. He inn
1nediately began to erect two story
building on the corner for use as his
new store, moving his stock from the
Main street building and adding to his
working capacity hundred per cent.
In 1907 the Barden Store company
was Incorporated. In 1910 came the
first addition to this building-on the
rear, now taking up the entire depth
Of the lot. He was still growing with
the town, constantly developing those
principles of business conduct which
were to prove such boom to him as
he went along.
Took Son into Firm.
With these additions the store con-
tinued to do rapidly increasing BUSH
ness. In 1915 Hugh E. Barden took
his son into the firm, and Hugh V.
Barden became the youngest buyer
representing a store in the middle
west. At 10 he was making periodic
trips to the largest merchandise
houses in New York and Chicago, buy
ing stocks with business shrewdness
and an insight that belied his years.
There comes a pause in the story as
Mr. Barden stops a moment. he
glances to picture of his son stand
ing prominently before him on his
desk There is soft CLEAN in his
eye as the father speaks Of his rond-
ness for that son. Hugh v Barden
died on Feb. IA, 1920, and no father
ever lost a greater pal than Hugh, ST.,
did on that day.
And now Hugh E. Barden is observ-
ing the thirty-ffth anniversary of his
start in business in Kenosha. Today
he has a staff of seventy employees
helping him continue the success for
which he laid the foundation years
ago. Today he does in one day the
business which he did in one year in
days gone by. How he does it is told
in another column.
And the fact that he was the
pioneer who blazed the way in Keno
sha for the expansion of the business
district off of and beyond Main street,
and the fact that he showed the
supreme faith in Kenosha IN the De-
lief that the business district would
be forced to seek less congested dis
,rict where business might be housed
m suitable quarters with chance to
grow and keep pace with the COM
nunity's expansion-all these facts
ire instances of the excellent bust
less judgment which Hugh E. Barden
possesses. Mr.. Barden is proud of the
act that he built the first commercial
building of any size to be erected off
# Main street
And today he is proud Of the fact
hat thirty-five years of effort have
t last brought him to a point where
Ie may at least see the top Of the
adder from. where he now stands-if
e has not alreadv reached the top
imself.