Thinking back on retailers, grocers, or specialty markets that have remained in operation for over a century, Schermerhorn's Fish Market rises to the top of the list. If, upon reading this, you know of any others, please respond in the Comments or by email. In any event, it's time to explore the long history of Schermerhorn's in Holyoke.
On January 21, 1915, Schermerhorn Fish Market opened its doors at 360 High Street. This was a branch location of the Schermerhorn Fish Co. of Springfield, which was formed 14 years earlier by Winfield and Burton D. Schermerhorn and Charles J. Butler. Mr. Butler was the manager of the Holyoke site.
The advertisements on this page showcase a variety of fish and shellfish available to customers. The company stated that it was the largest fish business in Springfield.
In September 1915, the business incorporated, including both the Springfield and Holyoke locations.
On June 6, 1918, Schermerhorn relocated, opening at 15 Suffolk Street at the northwest corner of Newton Place, opposite the Suffolk Theater. Alderman William E. Bosworth, who operated Bosworth's Spa, had signed a lease to operate at Schermerhorn's former High Street location.
In early 1923, Peter Proulx became the manager of the Schermerhorn Fish Market. He, along with several family members, would be associated with the business for about 70 years.
Peter Proulx was born in Holyoke in 1890. His parents, Hilaire and Mathilda (Dadeboncouer) Proulx, emigrated from Canada in 1887 and settled in Holyoke. Peter Proulx was educated in Holyoke schools and attended Assumption College. For a period of time in the late 1910s, he worked at National Blank Book Co. The 1920 Federal Census indicated that he had moved on and was working as a clerk in a fish market.
After managing the market for many years, Peter Proulx purchased the Schermerhorn interest in the city in August 1946.
As the neighboring Gleason's Rathskeller planned to expand into the Schermerhorn's space, Mr. Proulx needed to move from 15 Suffolk Street. In September 1946, he purchased a 60-by-90-foot lot on Division Street from Joseph and Leopold Isenberg. The plan was to expand the market by building a modern 1-story facility equipped with the latest cooking and refrigeration equipment. The project cost was $27,400. The fish market opened in its new building at 19 Division Street in March 1947. By this time, sons Robert and Donald were active in the business, joining Peter Proulx's wife, Helen, who had contributed to it for many years.
Merchants in the High Street area had long sought additional parking for their customers. In 1955, the city unveiled a plan to raze all the buildings on Division Street to create an additional 208 parking spaces adjacent to Holyoke's downtown shopping area. There were protests to this action by the Division Street shopkeepers. A petition was circulated, which over 12,000 people signed, in hopes that the city government would skuttle its plans.
In March 1956, the Proulx family found a suitable spot to relocate. They purchased the space owned and occupied by the Leo E. Pin heating company at 255 Appleton Street. The advantages of this space were that it was still downtown and that its back door would lead to the new Division Street parking area.
Also in 1956, the Proulx Fish Company had hoped to purchase the 3 Schermerhorn locations in Springfield. This did not materialize, as the three markets were bound by leases.
Further changes were forthcoming and will be explored in the concluding chapter.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
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