William Harvey Moore - the inspiration behind the Five and Ten

William Moore gave Frank Woolworth his first job at his Augsbury and Moore Dry Goods Store at American Corner in Watertown, New York. Four years later, when Perry Smith had replaced Morgan Augsbury as Moore's partner, the store also took on Charles Sumner Woolworth.

Moore's store went on to become the nexus for the giant Woolworth company, training many of the early managers, including Fred Kirby, Carson Peck and Alice Coons.

Frank Woolworth recalled his training in an interview with B.C. Forbes in 1917. William Moore had been patient as he fumbled to learn the trade. Frank admitted to Forbes that he had been useless as a clerk. He had asked too many questions and had been so nervous that he had not seen things that were right under his nose. Moore had responded by assigning his charge behind-the-scenes work in merchandising and display. It was under Moore's supervision that he had developed his passion for bold displays in the windows and on the counters in-store. It was also in his time in the Dry Goods Store that he had first come up with his red and gold colour scheme, which became part of the universal five-and-ten identity not just at Woolworth's but also at Kresge, Newberry and Kress.

But Moore was also a tough boss. When Frank demanded a pay rise and threatened to quit, he was shown the door. Woolworth returned with his tail between his legs a little over a year later.

Although Moore was much too modest to mention it in later life, it was he who gave instructions for the setting up of the fixed price five cent table which inspired Frank's first 'Great Five Cent Store'. He also underwrote that original venture, advancing $300 of stock to help his former clerk to get started.

Frank never forgot. When Moore's Dry Goods Store hit hard times, Woolworth bailed him out, giving him the money to restructure. Keen to protect Moore's self esteem he did not suggest a buyout or takeover. Instead he helped his mentor to establish a Five-and-Ten chain of his own. Later, when the friendly rivals merged to form the giant F. W. Woolworth Co. in 1912, Frank made a particular point of recognising William Moore and his son's stores separately.

The move brought a windfall to the Moore family. They received almost half a million dollars for their Watertown and Shenectady stores and William's shares in F. W. Woolworth & Co., which he had held since 1905.

71 year old Moore senior was elected an honorary Vice President and Director of the new Corporation.  Frank continued to value his friendship and advice and was shocked when his mentor died suddenly after going to the dentist in 1915. Woolworth never visited the dentist again, despite very bad toothache.

As a memorial to his hero Frank Woolworth rebuillt the American Corner store. Inside it was given every modern convenience. The exterior appearance was preserved, save for one significant detail. The fascia above the main entrance read ''birthplace of the 5¢ and 10¢ business". It remained a talking point until 1997. The location also served as the chain's Principal Office and hosted stockholder meetings for much of the twentieth century.