Palmer’s Dry Goods & Carpets

Palmer’s Dry Goods & Carpets, Field, Palmer & Leiter, Field Leter Wholesale Dry Goods
Life Span: 1852-1871
Location: Lake Street Between Dearborn and Clark Streets
Architect: Unknown, but owners were Walter and Edward Wright, Chicago Lawyers.

D. B. Cooke & Co.’s City Directory for the Year 1859-60

Palmer P. & Co.

Halpin & Bailey’s City Directory for the Year 1863-64
Palmer P. & Co., whol. and retail dry goods and carpets, 112, 114 and 116 Lake

Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Shay J. B. dry goods, whol. and ret. 112, 114 and 116 Lake, r. Brooklyn N.Y.

Chicago Tribune, September 30, 1858

A BUSINESS PALACE.—It is less than a year since, with attendant horrors that will give to the Great Calamity of Oct. 19th, 1857, a place in our annals never, as we trust, to know a parallel, were totally destroyed, with their costly contents of merchandise, two of our most splendid five story store, on Lake street.

These stores with the their joining, occupying four lots, giving each a width of twenty-eight feet and have been restored to their original fine proportions and now stand as probably one of the finest and most costly blocks in the United States, reflecting the highest credit upon the liberality and taste of Messrs. Edward and Walter Wright, their owners, and worthily filling their fine location on our finest business street.

The two new stores with their ample and lofty basements, giving an aggregate of two floors each fifty-six feet in width by one hundred and fifty in depth, have been by arches thrown into an immense establishment, and opened as a first-class Dry Goods House by P. Palmer, one of our best established and most widely known merchants, who removes from his old stand on the south side of Lake street and one block west, carrying with him to new quarters, a business reputation and standing in itself a fortune to any house, and prepared, or rather necessitated by the actual demands of his business, to expand to the complete occupation of his new premises.

The west division of the main floor is devoted tp a magnificent sales room fitted up tastefully and well, and after the manner of first-class stores in the matter of securing convenience and comfort to shoppers. Everything here as elsewhere on the premises is subject to the necessary and inviolate rule of perfect system, as much to the convenience of patrons as to the advantage of all parties.

The east division is devoted to the Carpet Hall, the connection being midway in length of the store through a wide archway, where is stationed the cashier’s desk, thus commanding the entire area.

At the rear of the carpet hall, a gem of an apartment which the fair shopper will readily appreciate is set apart as a shawl and mantilla room, adjacent to and yet distinct from the general departments, and, just the place as regards location, light, and its luxurious fixtures, and attractive stock, to be visited once and again, and be widely well spoken of by its fair visitors.

The basements are devoted to the wholesale department, and are lofty, airy and well lighted.

The new establishment throughout is one eminently credible to Chicago in all its complete appointments, and is worthy of especial notice, as being a growth instead of a promise, a development of Mr. Palmer’s already established success, rather than a brilliant venture on future business. As the latter, it would be noteworthy, as the former, even more so.

Chicago Tribune, January 7, 1865

Chicago’s Dry Goods Market.
Since the commencement of the new year, several important changes have taken place in the Dry goods trade in this city. The firm of Farwell, Field & Co., has been dissolved by the withdrawal of Messrs. Field and Leiter, and is succeeded by the firm of John V. Farwell, C.B. Farwell, S.N. Kellogg, W.D. Farwell and J.K. Harmon. The latter gentleman is a young man long and honorably connected with this house, and who would be an acquisition to any wholesale establishment in the city. We are glad to see him attain a position which he has long since earned. The other gentlemen are well known to the trade.

Messrs. Field & Leiter, we understand, have purchased the wholesale establishment of Potter Palmer, and will take possession immediately. The stock of goods is very heavy, and is an enterprise of no common magnitude; but Messrs. F. & L. are young and active, and having all that experience and thorough business qualifications can impart, there is not much doubt but they will be successful.

Chicago Tribune, January 10, 1865

THE DRY GOODS TRADE.
An Important Business Change.
The immense dry goods establishment of Potter Palmer & Co., which for years has maintained a controlling influence over the dry goods trade of the Northwest, and has been as familiar in the mouths of the ladies as a household word, opens to-day under the auspices of Messrs. Field, Palmer & Leiter, Where Mr. Palmer has left off, they will take up and go on, and we make no uncertain prediction in asserting that the same success which has crowned it in past years, the same careful attention to business, the same energy, and the same intuitive knowledge of the wants, ag well as the same unvarying courtesy to customers, will mark the administration of the new firm.

All of ite members are well known to the business public, as well as to the jobbing trade of the Northwest. Messrs. Field & Leiter embarked in business in 1856, with Cooley, Wadsworth & Co., continuing with Cooley, Farwell & Co. Mr. Field became a prominent working member of the firm on its second organization, and both he and Mr. Leiter were of the firm of Farwell, Field & Co. Mr. M. J. Palmer, also a member of the present firm, and who for a number of years had the management of the re ail department, will continue to give it his careful supervision.

Every element of success is in the hands of the new firm. The stock is immense and carefully selected, was purchased at a heavy discount on present prices, and will be sold at less than New York figures, Every one of the members of the firm bas been prominently and favorably identified with the business of the city for years. Their knowledge of the trade is thorough in all its details, their business principles correct and based upon punctuality and energy, and all the departments of their immense establishment are systematized into the most perfect harmony of movement with these elements. The reputation of their predecessor will be continued, and if capital and energy can accomplish it, will be even further extended. Itis not often we are called upon to chronicle such important changes as this, which constitutes a milestone in the history of the business of our city, and it is not often that we hail the advent of a new firm with sincerer pleasure or more confidently predict its success.

The ladies should remember that the new institution opens its doors to-day, and that the well stocked shelves and counters are their command. In the meantime we cannot but recommend country dealers 10 send in their orders. They may rely upon prompt attention and transmission.

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