The Boston Store, Chicago
[The Boston Store (1905-1916) Holabird & Roche, architects /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
You've probably heard the phrase, "Looks can be deceiving." Well, this spectacular colonnade once stood much closer to the ground and topped-off a much smaller section of what today is a much larger and taller building.
[The Boston Store, State & Madison Streets, Chicago /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
The mammoth structure filling half a city block once housed The Boston Store, a retailing behemoth that once gave Marshall Field & Co. a run for their money. The dry goods emporium began life on this site in 1873 when Charles Netcher opened the Boston in a small 5-story building. The story goes that he was so dedicated to seeing the enterprise become a success that he spent his nights sleeping on showcase counter tops in order to spend as much time in the store as possible. His dedication paid off, and in 1891 after marrying ladies undergarment buyer Mollie Alpiner, the pair began acquiring property surrounding the store. Not wanting to show his hand and overpay, Netcher used third parties and pseudonyms to buy, or lease for 99 year terms, the half block fronting State Street and running west along Madison Street to Dearborn.
[2 North State Street, Chicago /Image & Artwork: designslinger]
Just when the last deal was signed in 1904 Charles died, but his partner in life and business took up the challenge. Charles chose well when he asked Mollie to join him in marriage and retailing. He saw something in his aggressive employee and she proved to be as dedicated to their enterprise as was her husband. Using his $500,000 life insurance policy, the highest payout ever at the time, she started building their new store and hired the architectural firm of Holabird & Roche to design the first segment along Madison Street adjacent to their groundbreaking Champlain Building, which stood at the corner of State and Madison next door to the Netcher's original State Street store. That first section was just three bays wide and six stories tall. Eventually Mollie tore down the State Street building where Charles had started the business, where the colonnade first appeared, topping off its original 8-story height. The building continued to grow in plan and elevation, resulting in the eventual demolition of the Champlain and incorporating the corner site into the building we see today. The colonnade was raised up to the top of an expanding building, and eventually wrapped around a structure built in 8 different sections over a 12 year span like a bow adds a finishing touch to a finely wrapped gift box.
Under Mollie's supervision the Boston was one of the most successful retail establishments in the country. In 1922 the store had its best year ever grossing $32,500,000 in sales, and rivaled the grosses of neighboring Marshall Field's. Unfortunately Mollie was stuck in another time. The Boston didn't offer credit, they didn't stay on top of changing fashions, and by 1945 sales had slipped to $16 million. In 1946, after 41 years of slavish devotion, Mollie sold the enterprise for $14 million to a business syndicate which closed the store for good in 1948. The building was converted into office space with retail confined to the ground floor. In one of those twists of retailing fate, Sears now occupies the space, after having abandoned State Street years ago. The Boston name still lives on though, enshrined in brick on the face of the mechanical tower tucked behind the massive facade. Check out Friday's Snippets for a view.
See more of the action at State & Madison at: Relics of Retail, Chicago Savings Bank Building/The Chicago Building, and Street Numbers. Plus the old Sears Store at: A Flexible Structure, along with another Holabird & Roche, Champlain Building.
Posted by designslinger at 5/16/2011 2:20 AM 
Categories: Architecture, Adaptive Reuse, History
Tags: Holabird and Roche State Street retail conversion
Categories: Architecture, Adaptive Reuse, History
Tags: Holabird and Roche State Street retail conversion
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