Boston Stores
by Pete Zizka
12-3-2022

Almost everyone who lives or lived in Willimantic remembers “The Boston Store”. The term was normally used for the originally named “H.C. Murray” block on the corner of Church and Main Streets. But, for a time, Willimantic had three “Boston Stores”. Interestingly, Boston store, or Boston Dry Goods Store, refers more to a type of store more than a location. “Boston stores” could be found across the United States. They were large department stores and many had either elevators or escalators. Two of the most famous were the Boston Store of Chicago, which, in 1913, featured 19 escalators, and the Boston Store of Washington, DC, formally named The Woodward & Lothrop department store, or Woodies as Washingtonians knew it.

    We’ll begin with the “Boston Store” almost everyone remembers. Hugh. C. Murray, opened the original store in 1879 as “H.C. Murray” Dry Goods and Carpets. It was first located in the Loomer Opera House Building. An article in 1889 said, “So far as the name Boston Store is concerned, that depends upon the prevailing characteristics of genuine " Boston stores," but if the chief of these are the carrying of an extremely heavy and varied stock, the quoting of bottom prices and the extending of prompt and polite attention to every caller, then Mr. Murray's establishment is indeed a " Boston Store " in the full sense of the term.” Murray’s store needed more and more space in the Opera House and so he built the three story building that opened in 1894. At that time Murray employed almost 30 assistants. Murray became well known for his honesty, his good rapport with customers and his ability to train his workers to be well informed and courteous and to “cheerfully show the stock”. In following Boston Store tradition, Murray was known to always “quote the lowest market rates”. Murray died in 1919 but the company remained in business until 1967. In the 50s and 60s, the store contained 15 departments, covered 31,000 square feet and employed 35 people. For those of us who remember the store, it seems that the elevator was the most prominent feature. People still have vivid memories of riding in the elevator, operated by Calvin Harris who was remembered as, “a wonderful and kind man”. One person remarked, “I remember riding in the elevator. It had one of those folding gates which had to be closed before the elevator would operate.” Others mentioned the fragrance counter and the fact that many cosmetics and powders would be custom blended in the store. (29) After Murray’s closed in 1967, Hurley’s took over the building in 1968 and remained in business there until 2001.
     Willimantic’s third “Boston Store” was Edward F. Casey’s Boston Furniture Store. Casey started his business in the Lathrop Building at xxx Main Street and was in business until about 1940 when he sold out and the A&P moved into the building. True to “Boston Store” layouts, Casey’s store was comprised of four floors, and included twelve rooms featuring a multitude of departments. One could go there to purchase furniture, carpets, crockery, stoves, ranges, and everything in the house furnishing Line. If you wanted to go on vacation, you could purchase a steamship ticket. Casey also did undertaking and carried a line of coffins, caskets and funeral goods. He placed one interesting asd that read, “Undertaker. Coffins, Caskets, Caps, Shrouds, &c. Hearse, Hacks and Everything Pertaining to Funerals. Particular attention given to Embalming and Preservation of Bodies, without the use of the cumbrous ice-box”. Another local ad said of him, “He gives careful personal attention to all departments of his business, and not only offers a very complete assortment of honestly made goods to choose from, but quotes bottom prices on every article.” Remember? That same “bottom price” claim was also applied to H.C. Murray. (43) Casey was originally from Monson, Massachusetts but made Willimantic his home where he became well known and served for a time as the city tax collector. Finally, Willimantic did have a third store with the name “Boston”. James Clune’s “Boston Shoe Store”, however, existed for only a short time in the 1880s and 1890s in the McAvoy Block on Main Street and was a fairly small operation. It sold “beaver and rubber goods”, boots, shoes, and slippers and claimed that, “everything is first-class Foot Wear to be had at the lowest prices”.
   <<HOME>>                    <<back to Historical Articles index>>