Part II - Business, a supplement to the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.



CHANGING STORES FOR CHANGING TIMES
In the 1884 city directory for Big Rapids an advertisement for F.W. Joslin proclaims that he carries the largest stock of men's, youths' and boys' clothing in Big Rapids. Another ad stated "cloaks and wraps of all kinds" at C.D. Carpenter's. Another ad from Joslin guarantees "first-class merchant tailoring" from his store at 104 S. Michigan Avenue. C.D. Carpenter also advocated the do-it=yourself method with an advertisement for the "best sewing machines" in Big Rapids. A.F. Freiberg offered "strictly first-class merchant tailoring, and the finest and largest stock in northern Michigan" from his Michigan Avenue Store.

^The 1905 city directory lists eight clothing stores and seven tailors, two located on Maple Street and the others on Michigan Avenue.

Today J.C. Penney and Fairman's Apparel are the only remaining new clothing sales stores in downtown Big Rapids, but a quick trip to the local malls and super-stores offer plenty more.

The J.C. Penney store pictured in this drawing by Laurie (Lundberg) Towner as a Big Rapids High School student opened in Big Rapids in 1926. Fifty years later the old store and the former location of the A&P store at the corner of Elm Street and Michigan were torn down to make way for a new J.C. Penney store that still serves the community today.

Among other clothing stores that have come and gone are (top left) Morris and Crane, which was located at 120-122 S. Michigan Ave., (Middle left) Parker Ryan Co., located i the Morris and Crane building at a later date; and (bottom left) the Clothing House, believed to have been located on the east side of Michigan between Maple and Elm.

J.C. Jensen (above) also was selling clothing at the same time as Morris and Crane from a store at 105 S. Michigan. Here firewood is loaded on a sleigh pst Jensen's store, probably delivering to the business district to heat the stores. (Pioneer file photos)

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