Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-01
LOCAL STORE
ESTABLISHED
so YEARSA AGO
1laif Century Passes
olnce Henry Bollack
Started Mercantile
Business Here

y aoWer border.
S'er half a century has elapsed
s.hce Henry Bollack, a native of Al
eLorraine, landed at Point isabel
meager capital but unlimited
Energy and ambition. He realized
mere was a land that offered
sppofeunities: he visualized the de-
ssiopEent ultimately to be achieved
Grande.
N 1913 he established a store, car
ing a general line Of clothing and
NY goods, in the frame building at
A~elith and Washington streets
which was recently RACED to provide
site Tor 4 department store now
under construction.
brownsville at that tine lad not
-~eeovered from the effects of the
rlvh war. and also felt seriously the
sAlssts OF the continuous revolutions
~ Mexico. Mr.. Bollack, however. was
eonlicent OF the future. Slowly but
s.eaoiiy he extended his trade terri
.ory and enlarged his stocks, and at
,ne time Of his death in isS2 the Boil
laca Store had become one of the
.ps!or trading centers for practically
fli or what Is now known as the Low
er Rio Grande Valley.
Following the death of her husband
mrs. Bollsck took over the active
management Of the Rollack Store.
gand Is still at the head OF the estab-
iishment. During those early years
OF the stores history she divided her
Tune between the of the
business and the rearing Of her two
children, Joe, who has for many Yeas
peen connected with her in the man
agement Of the store. and her daugh-
Ter, now Mrs. Wayne Wood.
Business Increases
Under the direction of Mrs. Bollack
fame Of the Bollack Store con-
Inued TO spread throughout the lowe
lilo Grande region. The trade grew
as the ~rancheros prospered, and a
Jew years after the death of the
ounde the store was moved to the
one-story brick building at the cor
ner of Twelfth and Elizabeth streets.
In the new location and under the eff
flcient management of Mrs. Bollack
the business continued to thrive.
brownsville was entering upon its
rirSt era of expansion. The compile
ton or the railroad to the Valley
brought thousands of new settlers.
and the business of the store grew as
the country developed.
This development was steady and
conservative. development which ere
ated prosperous business conditions,
and the Bollack Store, which for
years had served the ranchers and
pioneers Of the lower border country, |
became one of the favorite trading
places for the thousands of new set |
tiers.
Bv 1910 the business had expanded
81 the point where additional space
eas necessary. and Mrs. Bollack de-
cided to erect the building which now
houses the Bollack Store. Erected II
years ago. the building is still classed
as one of the finest and most con
veniently arranged mercantile struc-
lures in South Texas. The large three
story store. located between Twelfth
and Thirteenth on Elizabeth, vas at
that time one OF the most prominent
buildings OF the city, and is still
classed among the city's largest and
most beautiful structures.
visualiLed Valley Progress
Many Of Mrs. Bollack's friends ad-
vised against the erection of a store
Nl SINn size. MIS-. DOllAGhs AOHGNCls /
was confident the Valley was just be-
ginning its growth and that the fu-
ture held much for Brownsville.
She asserted she desired a store
building sufficient to meet the re-
q~uirements of the future, and il was
upon this basis that plans for the
new structure were drawn.
From the day Of the opening of the
new store the wisdom of Mrs. Boil
lacks course was proved. With each
passing year the stocks have been in
creased to meet the ever-increasing
Changes have been made in the in
terror to conform with every require
rnent of modern merchandising, and
the store is entering its fiftieth year
modern in every respect, catering 70
A strictly modern clientele. and main
tanning that reputation for quality in
both merchandise and service whfen
has been the basis upon which 1t has
constantly expanded over a period Of
fifty years.
During the early years and up TO
1904 the -Bollack Store, in common
with all other mercantile estah-
lishmeats on the border, was handi-
canned by lack of transportation ia
r~ilities. Stocks were received by
steamer from Point Isabel and con-
viewed to Brownsville over the Rio
Crande narrow guage railway, or were
delivered at the river wharves by the
Rio Grande boats. Consignments Of
Goods were often delayed. and this
recessitated carrying heavier stocks
shan the same volume Of business
would justify under present condi-
tions.
christmas to Brownsville in 1880 Is
remembered by many Of the old
timers" who still have vivid recol-
factions Of the transportation diff
fieulties of those days Steamboats,
with co~nsignments of Christmas
qoods for Brownsville merchants fail
e5 70 arrive at either Point Isabel
- the river wharves in Brownsville.
A few of the stores had some left
overs" from the previous Christmas,
hut these soon disappeared under the
ave Of Christmas buying. The Bel
,srk store had not a doll, toy or
candy for its customers,
sd practically all other Brownsville
torres faced a similar predicament.
Christmas Goods by Wagon
After ascertaining there was nc
hence TO secure Christmas goods by
..samer. a messenger was dispatched
= ~UebbronyiIle where a relative Of
Ne Rollack was apprised Of the fact
SO brownsville faced the posi-
ssi;tv Of Christmas without Christ
- cheer. A stock of Christmas
"a. WAS Immediately ordered out Of
s~Anfonio, hurriedly loaded into
and arrived in Brownsville
n was this kind Of service that