The story of Kempton's is a rarity in Holyoke's downtown landscape. It enjoyed two tours of retail service to the community. Kempton's was a women's clothing store that sold various apparel items for juniors and adults.
Kempton's was part of a 19-store chain of women's clothing stores serving New England. The chain's owners resided in Boston, Hingham, and Malden, Massachusetts. The store opened for business at 335 High Street in August 1944.
In 1945, the store space Kempton's leased was sold to New York buyers for 40% over its assessed value. When the lease ended in mid-1947, Kempton's closed its doors. Gerber's Jewelers subsequently moved into the space at 335 High Street.
On March 26, 1952, Kempton's, Inc., now owned by New Yorkers, announced it was returning to the city and would be located at 369 High Street, at the corner of Appleton.
As an aside, this was the site of the Holyoke Y.M.C.A., which was destroyed by fire in 1943. In October 1945, the Y.M.C.A. sold the corner lot to Carlisle Store Realty Trust. A two-story building was erected and leased to Margo's, a women's apparel store. By January 1952, the storefront was empty.
Kempton's opened in April 1952, five years after its initial 1947 closure. Its lease with Carlisle was for 10 years. Kempton's subleased the basement to Morton's Shoe Store, Inc., which had access to window space for advertising purposes.
The shop frequently advertised its new apparel and sales in the Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. It participated in many civic and charitable causes and was active with the Chamber of Commerce in promoting downtown Holyoke as a shopping destination. David Cantor, the store's long-time manager, was one of the Chamber of Commerce's top membership recruiters.
In 1964, its 10-year lease expired, and Kempton's moved again to 311 High Street, remaining on the same block between Appleton and Suffolk. Kempton's signed a 10-year lease for this space, which provided potential for expansion. The building, badly damaged by fire in December 1961, would undergo over $100,000 in renovations and modernization.
Dorothy Dodd's Inc. was the building's owner and had been previously located at 311 High St. This store had moved to the former Adaskin-Tilley Furniture building at the corner of Suffolk and Maple St.
Kempton's operated at this location for 15 years. In March 1979, Dorothy Dodd's Inc. principals announced they were selling the building to Oscar Bail and Son Shoe Store. Kempton's closed the store on April 28, 1979, after unsuccessful attempts to secure a suitable new location.
Kempton's was the fifth store in downtown Holyoke to close within several weeks. The others were Foucher-Potvin Furniture, Jake's Men's Clothing, Ed Moriarty Shoes, and Bishop's Jewelers. The mall's early success significantly impacted downtown Holyoke's vitality.
Source of news articles: Newspapers.com (Paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript-Telegram; Publication dates are as shown.
Photo Credit: Facebook, Growing Up In Holyoke, Massachusetts
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