The year was 1945, and the end of World War II had just occurred on September 2. It was also the year that Holyoke lost a civic contributor and longtime retailer, Augustus Truman Gallup, who passed on September 13, 1945, at the age of 76.
Mr. Gallup was born on January 21, 1969, in Melbourne, Canada, where he was raised and received his public school education. He was a 1886 graduate of St. Francis College, an affiliate of McGill University. He briefly worked in a railroad freight office and as a bank cashier, but neither job worked out to be his passion.
His uncle was a partner with William Currier, who owned a retail store in Salem, Massachusetts, and had several other outlets. Augustus Gallup was placed in the company's Brockton store as a sales clerk. During challenging economic times, his pay was cut to $5 a week, and his room and board were $6.50.
Shortly after, Mr. Gallup and his uncle operated a store in Manchester, New Hampshire, which they sold at a profit. At the time, Woolworth Company was erecting a new building in Manchester, and Mr. Gallup was interested in leasing a portion of the space for his business. He received an invitation to a meeting and met a man outside, whittling a piece of wood as he sat. He was offered a position with Woolworth's, but declined, as 5¢ & 10¢ stores were not considered admirable career choices. However, he successfully leased the space. The man he met with was Mr. Woolworth.
In 1892, while working in a retail store in Boston, earning $6 a week, he was approached by William Currier, who offered him a job managing his Holyoke store. The store was not doing well, was dysfunctional, and needed a change in direction. The salary offer was nearly double his present salary, so he accepted. His uncle opposed the idea, believing that, given the current condition of the Currier & Company Holyoke store, the results would ruin his reputation in the clothing retail world.
Augustus Gallup turned the business profitable through staff changes and merchandising. He became the new manager of the Naumkeag store, named after the Naumkeag Mills of Salem. Although his pay was lower than his predecessor's, he saw it as an opportunity to gain valuable experience in his role.
In the 1890s, the north side of Dwight Street below High Street was Holyoke's shopping center. His store at High and Suffolk was removed from the other major stores and was not considered a prime shopping location. However, the devastating late-19th-century Windsor fire on Dwight and Front streets prompted a movement of merchants to High Street. This, along with the arrival of Albert Steiger's department store, helped shape Holyoke's High Street shopping district.
Through his skillful management, his stores survived several major recessions and the Great Depression. He was not discouraged or swayed by those who sought to deter him from operating his store at its Holyoke location.
Previous chapters have followed the subsequent chronology of Mr. Gallup and the store's history. The story continues with A. T. Gallup Inc., managed by Prentiss Gallup, the next generation.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
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