For three-quarters of the 20th century, the High Street area teemed with various retailers. One of the more notable retail clothing stores during this period was Dorothy Dodd, owned by the Kramer family.
The store's founder was Isriel Kramer, a native of Russia who relocated to the United States in 1904. He lived and married in New York before coming to Holyoke in 1936. He was the President of the corporation until he retired in the 1960s.
Dorothy Dodd was initially a women's apparel store, that opened on March 14, 1936, at 315 High Street. The store's location was part of the old Lynch building. It was owned by the Joseph E. Lynch Trust, with Mary Lynch acting as Trustee.
The store's manager was Jack Kramer, the son of Mr. Isriel Kramer. When Jack Kramer left in 1940 to manage a store in New York, Isriel Kramer's brother-in-law, Robert F. Newman, became the store's new manager.
In the 1940s, the store offered customers clothes alterations, fur storage, and extended store credit.
In 1952, the store's success led to an expansion into the neighboring Buckingham Building at 311 High Street. The plans included merging the second-floor spaces for merchandising. Business offices would occupy the third floor at 311 High. An elevator would be installed in the building. Katherine F. Ladd of Boston represented the syndicate that owned the property.
The newly expanded store, offering triple its former space, opened on December 12, 1953.
In October 1956, Dorothy Dodd issued S&H Green Stamps with purchases.
In August 1959, a sub-teen shop was opened.
Fashion shows, raffles, heavy newspaper advertising, and other promotions attracted buyers into the store.
This was truly a family business. Isriel Kramer's sons were Jack Kramer, who was the Treasurer and General Manager, and Charles Kramer who managed the Children's Department and was a buyer for the company.
In time, Charles Kramer's children, Steven and Marci, and Jack Kramer's son, Clifford, all had significant roles in the success of the family business during the late 1960s and 1970s.
On December 15, 1961, a major fire devastated the Dorothy Dodd Store and Ed Moriarty Shoes. There was minor smoke damage to the P&Q Men's Clothing Store and several business offices.
After the fire, a temporary headquarters was set up at the former Jacobsen's Brothers clothing store at 352 High Street.
On February 1, 1962, a temporary Dorothy Dodd store was established at 57 Suffolk Street, the site of the former Adaskin-Tilley Furniture Store.
The Kramer family planned to rebuild on High Street. Currently owning 311 High Street and leasing 315 High Street, discussions were initiated with the Lynch Trust to acquire the building at 319 High Street. The Kramers purchased the 319 High Street building from the Lynch family. The former ground-floor business, Ed Moriarty Shoes, planned to move across from City Hall on High Street.
In the meantime, the temporary store was working out better than anticipated. On July 3, 1962, Dorothy Dodd's principals signed a 20-year lease with the owner, Leo J. Simard, for the 57 Suffolk Street location. Dorothy Dodd would be the first tenant in the building since Mr. Simard purchased it from the Tilley family in 1955.
The plan was to have retail on the first two floors, offices, shipping and receiving, and clerical on the third floor, leaving room for expansion and other uses for the top three stories of the six-story building. The building was constructed in 1907 by John Tilley. The buildings at 309/311-315-319 High Street would either be sold or leased.
In 1964, all the High Street holdings were sold to Isriel Kramer, who subsequently purchased the adjoining building at 321 High Street in 1968. There was a positive belief in downtown Holyoke's future success.
In 1970, an enlarged women's specialty shop opened, adding 6,500 square feet of retail space. The ground-level addition featured coats, suits, rainwear, and dresses. The entire second floor was devoted to children's clothing.
Work began on the first level in January 1970. 1,000 square feet of space would be allotted to selling men's clothes and furnishings. The men's area would be called Mr. Dodd. Additional women's sportswear would also be added to this floor.
A shoe department, managed by Harry Rivkin, was added in 1971.
Dorothy Dodd opened a children's store at the Eastfield Mall in Springfield in 1974.
On October 16, 1975, a Dorothy Dodd store opened in the Fairfield Mall in Chicopee.
The building at 57 Suffolk Street was sold by the Simard Trust to the Kramers in 1977.
In 1978, the company announced it would lease a 2,000 square foot space in Hadley's Hampshire Mall. The store opened on March 1, 1979, and it closed a year later in May 1980.
On December 13, 1982, it was announced that all remaining Dorothy Dodd stores would close due to declining sales. A liquidation sale was held from December 14 through December 16th, when the doors were shuttered one final time.
The 57 Suffolk Street building was sold to insurance man Robert J. Saex in 1983.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Dorothy Dodd, 315 High Street Location (1936-1961)
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