Woolworth Syndicate Stores conquer North America's big cities

Frank Woolworth's original plan was to open stores in big cities, but for more than fifteen years all of his most successful branches were in rural areas and smaller towns. Despite setbacks each member of the Syndicate persevered with openings, perhaps hoping that their growing fame would drive additional volume, or perhaps through sheer vanity. Newspapers were encouraged to report the success of new city centre stores, with press releases announcing that the branches were 'our largest ever' with 'our highest ever opening day sales'. For example Frank Woolworth gave interviews about his huge store in Rochester, New York, after its opening in the summer of 1891. He bragged that his first week's sales had beaten all records, climbing to $5,217 as word spread about his bargains. The bravado glossed over the fact that annual rental alone was $20,000. Labour and running costs were higher than in smaller towns too. Much higher sales would be required for cities to match rural store profits.

In 1895 Seymour Knox struck on a much more effective city centre formula when he opened in Detriot, Michigan. He invested in a much smarter shopfit, creating a department store atmosphere, with wider aisles, improved fixtures, brighter lighting and more attentive service. He extended the displays of items that he believed would suit city dwellers, scaling back items that were geared to the countryside. He also made certain that the store had plenty of five cent items, insisting that his manager did not pack the store with dearer ten cent lines. From its first day sales were much higher than any of the pioneers had seen before.

The initial Detroit opening was in a small store in 1895. But the shop was so popular that within two years it had expanded to take over the whole building and its neighbour. In the booklet 'Views of Detroit and Vicinity Booklet', published by S.H. Knox & Co. and sold in-store, the photograph was captioned "the most favorite spot in Detroit". Woolworth syndicate members weren't known for their modesty and understatement!

Other city centre stores for Knox included State Street Chicago, and a large outlet at Queen and Young Street Toronto. Earle Perry Charlton followed suit with spectacular openings in Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, while Frank Woolworth made major changes between his opening in Washington DC in August 1895 and Fulton Street, Brooklyn, New York on 16 November of the same year. Fred Kirby later applied the same learning when he relocated his store in Fall River to South Main Street in 1908 and his most spectacular ever opening in Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana in 1910.

Frank Woolworth's openings in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York City were a far cry from the original ramshackle displays of 1879. They had fine mahogany counters throughout, glass showcases, electric lighting and a glass tube payment system that raced payments to the office and returned receipts at lightening speed.

In 1917 the merchant flew in the face of critics and opened a fully-fledged department store at the heart of fashionable Fifth Avenue, New York. The building, which was constructed of portland stone, sported marble wall panels, escalators and smart lifts between floors, as well as a reading room and three restaurants.