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America had thousands of menswear stores. A small town might just have one. Large cities would have several. Of course HBC could never collect information on all of these stores, but details on representative stores are useful in understanding period clothing and retail marketing. These stores handled clothing for men and boys. The age of boys served varied from store to store. We suspect that styling was also a factor. They probably did not handle clothing for boys until they were breeched. Tghis meant school age boys, perhaps 8-10 years of age. Hee we are not precisely sure. A good example of these stores is E.F. Holmes & Co., Clothiers and Gents' Furnishers, located in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. The town is located in the Flint Hills. It is the county seat of Chase County. The main streat is Broadway which leads to the Chase County Courthouse.
Broadway was a brick street so wide you can turn a horse-drawn carriage around on it.
We have a advertising card, presumably given to clients. It is a colorized picture/ ad of two boys dressed like sailors. Unfortunately it is not dates, but the style and lithofraphic color suggests the 1890s to us. The back of the card has the names E.F. Holmes and Chas. M. O???ory at the tom. I'm not sure who the second peron was. The heading is E.F. Holmes & Co. Exclusive Dealer in Men and Boys' Wear. The message read, "We desire to express our appreciation for the liberal patronage we have enjoyed iun te past and to assure the trade tht under the New Firm the business will be conducted on the same general plan as heretofore, 'The Best Goods at the Lowest Possible Prices." Our Stock will always be found complete and made up of the best qualities. To enableus to give the cloesest prices possible the business will be conducted on the cash ystem. All goods marked in plain figures and sold strictly at one price. Respectfully, E.F. Holmes & Co, ?????, E.F. Holmes."
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