White Bluffs Retail Market Consolidates
The Produce Company buys out Patterson Company, effectively ending retail competition in town.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
While in White Bluffs last Saturday, E. M. Sly of Kennewick, manager for The Produce company chain of stores, made a deal with the S. D. Patterson company at the new town, whereby The Produce company takes over the grocery and hardware business of the latter firm. The Patterson store was closed Thursday morning and will remain so until the inventory is taken and the transfer made. As soon as the formal transfer takes place, The Produce company will move from its present location in the old town and go into the Beyers building at the new town, now occupied by the Patterson store. The Patterson company will move its stock of dry goods, shoes, etc., to the S. D. Patterson building in which Wm. Shahan now has his pool room. Arrangements are being made to transfer the pool hall to one of the buildings now at the town, or one to be built at once. Although the consolidation eliminates all competition, Mr. Sly says that the same low prices that have prevailed in the past will be continued in the future. This arrangement insures to White Bluffs two exceptionally good stores, and comes as near as is possible to meeting with the unanimous approval of the entire community.
“Although the consolidation eliminates all competition, Mr. Sly says that the same low prices that have prevailed in the past will be continued in the future.”
Consolidation of local retail, often framed as a service to the community, was a common marker of the 'company town' era in the Pacific Northwest. Today, this kind of business consolidation in small rural areas is usually handled by massive e-commerce platforms rather than local chains moving into the 'new town' building.
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