A family that has operated businesses in Holyoke for three generations is quite an accomplishment and undoubtedly worthy of telling. This story centers on the senior member of this notable family, Samuel Rome, and Samuel's Store. His son, Gerald P. Rome, and grandson, Gary Rome, are very prominent names in the retail automotive business in Holyoke.
By the early 20th century, the High and Maple Street downtown area was the center of much of Holyoke's retail business activity. Much of this was centered on High Street near City Hall, the district having moved up the hill from Dwight Street at the turn of the century.
One of the stores north of the High and Dwight shopping area was the Samuel's Store operated by Samuel H. Rome. The store was located at 166 High Street, neighboring Napoleon Bail's Shoe Store. The shops shared the two-storefront Allyn building, constructed circa the early 1870s. It has been challenging to determine when Anderson and Samuel B. Allyn acquired the land and when the construction was completed. The Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) points to 1871.
Samuel H. Rome was born in Lithuania and arrived in the United States during his early childhood. Mr. Rome served in the U. S. Army during World War I.
On Saturday, December 4, 1926, he opened The Samuel's Store at 166 High Street. This was a men's clothing store that carried garments from head to toe, but not shoes. After all, the neighboring merchant was Bail's Shoe Store, which had purchased the building in 1922.
On June 25, 1943, the real estate was transferred to Dorothy Rome, Samuel Rome's spouse. The property had been owned by Louis Ricklas, Dorothy Rome's father. Mr. Ricklas had acquired the property on September 2, 1925.
The Samuel's Store continued to serve its customers for 42 years, at times, solely by Samuel Rome. In 1967, Mr. Rome fell ill, and the store was closed for three months. His wife, Dorothy (Ricklas) Rome, died on June 4, 1967.
The store reopened in October 1967 and remained under Mr. Rome's ownership with new managers. On March 6, 1968, a full-page going-out-of-business sale advertisement was placed in the Holyoke Transcript. May 4, 1968, marked the business's final day of operation after 42 years of serving many residents in Holyoke and surrounding areas.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Hampden County Registry of Deeds, Springfield, Massachusetts
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS), Boston, Massachusetts
No comments:
Post a Comment