Consolidation in the 'Wet Goods' Trade
Saloon owners in Waitsburg pool their resources to eliminate competition as the local market for spirits cools.
The story, cleaned up
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During the past few days, liquor dealers in Waitsburg have made a significant move to address declining receipts caused by over-competition. Martin Co., proprietors of the 'Elk Horn,' and Dent Hunt, owner of the 'Mazeppa,' have combined forces to purchase the stock and fixtures of the old Waitsburg saloon formerly conducted by Louis Grossmiller. The purchase, finalized Thursday, will see the business consolidated. Martin Co. plans to relocate into the old Grossmiller space after remodeling, while Mr. Grossmiller intends to return to Walla Walla to seek new business opportunities. Burdette Kent, a local cattleman, will take over the building currently occupied by Martin Co. to open a new meat market.
“Realizing that three emporiums of 'wet goods' were a trifle too much for the thirsty ones of this city to support and feeling the effects of the competition in lessened receipts, [they] combined forces.”
The consolidation of neighborhood businesses due to 'lessened receipts' is a hallmark of shifting economic cycles in small towns. The transition from a saloon to a meat market in the same building offers a snapshot of how main-street commercial space was recycled to serve the changing needs of the community.
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