R. H. Stearns and Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department store) |
| Founded | 1847 |
| Founder | R. H. Stearns |
| Defunct | 1977 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy and closure |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | Boston metropolitan area |
Key people | R. H. Stearns (founder) |
| Products | Department store goods including yard goods, fans, fancy goods, stationery, laces, dress trimmings, buttons, parasols, corsets, shawls, infant apparel, household linens and more |
R. H. Stearns & Company, often referred to simply as Stearns, was a department store positioned within the upper-middle market segment and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The enterprise was established by R. H. Stearns in 1847.
Its main location, known as the R. H. Stearns Building from 1909 onward, stood on Tremont Street, directly across from Boston Common, situated just a few blocks away from its chief rivals, Filene's and Jordan Marsh, which were located along Washington Street.
Stearns distinguished itself by emphasizing superior customer service compared to its competitors and was regarded by some as Boston's premier "carriage trade" establishment. However, by the mid-1970s, shifts in the retail landscape affected the store adversely. Unlike Filene's and Jordan Marsh, which benefited from ownership by large national retail conglomerates, Stearns lacked comparable financial support. At the time of its closure, Filene's was part of Federated Department Stores, while Jordan Marsh belonged to Allied Stores.
History
In 1847, Richard H. Stearns launched a modest one-room retail outlet at 369 Washington Street, adjacent to the Adams House, specializing in yard goods, whalebone, and thread.[1] Over the following twenty-five years, he relocated his business multiple times within a few blocks of the original site. By 1885, Stearns prepared for a significant expansion.[2]
The Boston Masonic Temple, erected in 1830 on the former site of Washington Gardens at Tremont Street and Turnagain Alley (later Temple Place), was sold to the federal government in 1858 for use as a courthouse. In 1885, this building was auctioned and purchased by the estate of William Fletcher Weld, which promptly leased it to R. H. Stearns and Co.[3]
Stearns undertook an extensive renovation that involved elevating the temple's walls and inserting two additional iron-and-glass stories beneath them.[4]
The revamped store opened its doors on June 2, 1886, occupying the basement and first two floors; upper levels with a separate entrance at 10 Temple Place were leased to various small businesses.
The reception from the public was favorable, as noted by the Boston Evening Transcript.[4]
By this time, the product range had broadened well beyond whalebone and thread.
In 1886, merchandise included fans and fancy goods, stationery, laces and handkerchiefs, dress trimmings, buttons and sewing materials, parasols, bustles and corsets, shawls, infant apparel, supplies for art embroidery and upholstery work, baskets, as well as medium- to high-quality household items such as linens, blankets, and quilts.
As demand grew for more space but with a prime location advantage—situated within Boston’s central retail district opposite the Park Street subway station and served by streetcars on both Tremont Street and Temple Place—in 1908 Stearns resolved to demolish the old remodeled temple structure to erect a new eleven-story department store designed by Boston architects Parker, Thomas & Rice.
Bankruptcy and Closure
On March 28, 1977, R. H. Stearns & Company sought protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The main Tremont Street location ceased operations on May 28, 1977, with the subsequent shutdown of five suburban outlets occurring within the following three months. The final store to close was the South Shore Plaza branch, which ended business on September 1, 1977.
References
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBG1977 - ↑ Stearns' brother George briefly joined the business; an 1855 advertisement listed R. H. & G. Stearns.
- ↑ Watkins 1915, p. 130
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
Sources
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External links
- R. H. Stearns & Co. at The Department Store Museum
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