A closer look at Newcastle’s mercantiles

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
With Leonard Cash
 
Join us on a virtual stroll down Main Street as historian Leonard Cash begins a new series on lot 11 of block 10 after wrapping up lot 10 in last week’s installment of “History on Main.” However, because this historic building was built as a tri-unit structure, some of the information presented will cross between the two lots and will be repeated information from the previous series. 
Starting with the courthouse files, we will backtrack through the history of the McCrea and Newcastle Mercantiles, which occupied both lots. 
As stated in previous series, lots 9 through 11 were built as one unit. Lot 11 was originally owned by D.W. Roderick and Co. and was called Sweet Temptations until Roderick opened his grocery store in 1890 before going bankrupt the following year. That is when Meyer Frank took the building over, according to warranty deeds from 1891 and 1893, and the mercantile began. McCrea Mercantile was on lot 10 and Newcastle Mercantile was next to it on lot 11. 
According to the Feb. 1, 1895, edition of the local paper, E.P. Bowman purchased the interest of Charles Calvin in the grocery business of McCrea and Calvin Mercantile. 
“McCrea and Bowman will be a strong one and will doubtless continue as the previous firm has done to have a good share of the trade,” the
article says.
By March 8, 1895, stockholders met to replace Calvin’s name on the store with Bowman’s. The following issue reported that the store owners planned to build a 25-by-50-foot warehouse in the rear of the store. 
A shipment of Minneapolis flour arrived at the store, around March 29, 1895, and the Minnesota city “has long been noted for the manufacture of the best flour in the world.” 
The May 17, 1985, paper announced that a line of hardware was being added to the store, and by the end of the month, the warehouse was completed. 
Two years later, an article reported on Aug. 27, 1897, that the store
changed owners and was renamed McCrea & Douglas. 
According to the Feb. 4, 1898, paper, Meyer Frank and R.S. Douglas were going out of town to purchase a new stock of goods for the mercantile. 
“By selecting goods in person they will have a great advantage over those who through salesmen they will have the entire market to select from which will not (only) enable them to get the most stylish goods but also to opt in the lowest price and the people therefore will reap the benefit,” the article says. 
The store purchased a new delivery wagon, announced the July 22, 1898, paper, and around this time, John McCrea of Greenville, Pennsylvania, accepted a position in the grocery department. Frank succeeded Douglas’ portion of the store and “will continue business the large double store,” reported the Feb. 3, 1899, and Oct. 6, 1899, papers. 
The next article in Cash’s records comes from July 13, 1900, when a new warehouse was being erected at the McCrea & Frank Mercantile, and it was going “to be quite an addition to their already commodious department store.” By the following issue, the “large” warehouse was almost done.
The July 12, 1901, paper announced that the company received a new delivery wagon. Not only did it receive a new warehouse and wagon, but in the Oct. 2, 1901, issue, it was reported that the excavation for the cellar was complete and the enclosing process had begun.  
Former owner E.P. Bowman and his wife came to Newcastle before preparing to move to Meeteetse, Wyoming, according to the Oct. 25, 1901, paper. The next article in Cash’s record reported on Nov. 15, 1901, said that Neil Holden was working on the foundation for a new wagon scale that was being built at the store. 
A big change was taking place at the mercantile because according to an announcement from the May 9, 1902, Newcastle News Journal, Newcastle Mercantile bought out McCrea & Frank. However, Cash said it was more like a partnership, and the store names were still kept separated while business was conducted together. 
“The new company will collect all accounts and bills due and will assume all liabilities of the McCrea-Frank Mercantile Co., and the business will be carried on as before, and a continuance of the liberal patronage is respectfully solicited. We will adhere to the old motto—‘The Best Goods
at the Lowest Prices,’” the advertisement says. 
A news report from June 27, 1902, announced that W.J. McCrea was placing “a neat little partitional office in the grocery store” of the mercantile. And by Aug. 22, 1902, both mercantiles had large signs painted on the front of the stores. 
According to the Jan. 23, 1903, issue, the Newcastle Mercantile Co. set up a tasteful shoe window display “where you can see all styles and sizes of shoes.” 
A year later, an article from May 20, 1904, reported that the interior of the McCrea Mercantile Co.
grocery store was treated to a coat of “yallar paint.” 
The Oct. 20, 1905, issue of the Journal announced that Hart and Harlow Construction completed the cellar at the mercantile. The following edition followed up on the article and said that the cellar was furnished, and the material for the foundation was being hauled.  
The Dec. 7, 1906, paper reported that the mercantile purchased the grocery stock of David Kosh Grocery Co. The manager at David Kosh switched over to the McCrea Mercantile, where he was to take over the bookkeeping. 
On Wednesday morning the week of April 26, 1907, the counter was set farther away from the shelving, and the narrow passages were made wider to “accommodate the puffed up condition of Sammy Jones,” whose wife gave birth to a 12-pound baby girl. 
“Mother and babe are progressing nicely, and Sammy is getting back to a normal condition as rapid as could be expected,” the article says. 
Later that summer, by July 12, 1907, the store was the recipient of another change when C.W. Dow repainted and re-wallpapered the store.
The president of Newcastle Mercantile, B.F. Russell, went on an eastbound vacation, reported the Sept. 4, 1908, paper, including a visit to Omaha, Nebraska.
“He is combining business with pleasure and will make a purchase of winter and spring goods before returning,” the article says. 
The Feb. 11, 1910, issue announced that the interior arrangement of McCrea Mercantile was “improved” by moving the office to the rear of the main room and putting the shelving where the office previously was. 
The wholesale department of the mercantile was very popular, according to the Dec. 2, 1910, edition of the Journal, and “the firm will continue this department with increased attention and facilities.”
And that concludes this week’s installment of “History on Main.” Cash will continue his discussion on the mercantiles in next week’s issue.