After the 1968 retirement of Benjamin W. Cohen, longtime owner of B. W. Cohen, clothiers, cousins Wilfred B. and George B. Thivierge opened Basil's, a men's clothing store at 372 High Street. The grand opening occurred on April 1, 1969. After performing my research, I wondered about the significance of the name selected for the store. Finding Draft Registration Cards for both cousins, they happened to share the same middle name, Basil.
George Thivierge, a graduate of Holyoke High School, was long associated with the retail clothing business as a salesman and was a former employee of B. W. Cohen. He was a World War II veteran and a Bronze Star recipient. He directed many local theatrical productions.
Wilfred Thivierge was a former General Manager and announcer at Holyoke's WREB-930AM radio station. He was an Army Air Force veteran of World War II. In 1950, he ran for state senator. He served as the Registrar of Voters in Chicopee from 1971 to 1991.
Basil's continued the tradition of selling quality menswear, emphasizing suits, sports jackets, dress shirts, and stylish hats. School clothing and gift items were also available. It was the coming-of-age of using credit cards to defer payment on purchases, as shown in some ads.
The cousins, along with Paul Abel, owner of Bay State Coin Company, purchased the building in August 1972, where their shops were located. In September 1973, the Thivierge cousins sold their interest to Paul Abel, who became the sole owner of the real estate.
The downtown retail shopping districts were undergoing major changes. Many retail businesses that survived the economic ups and downs were unable to continue and closed. Factories, providing many residents with employment, also shuttered or relocated to other parts of the country. The addition of local shopping malls in the late 1960s and 1970s affected downtown retailers.
It was against this backdrop that Basil's attempted to succeed. A little over 10 years after its opening, Basil's closed in November 1979.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
