Let’s Go Shopping!
Sanger Brothers department store was a pioneer department and dry-goods store. It was first established in McKinney, Texas, in 1857. At the time, McKinney was becoming a center for fur trappers and was larger than Dallas. This made the city the perfect operations base for the new Sanger Department Store. The Sanger brothers began expanding their store to other towns around Texas and became the first Texas business to have a buying office in New York.
The Sanger Brother store started out with just two full-time employees but grew over the decades. The department store often had pageants and events to promote the store. Around Christmas time in 1911, a crowd gathered around the Sanger Brothers store to see Santa Claus on the balcony. This was an annual event and it drew large crowds each year.
A display of mannequins for the Sanger Brothers department store show off fashionable new clothing and accessories. In the early 20th century, department stores and the fashions they promoted were still heavily influenced by British fashion.
The Sanger Brothers had buyers in large cities like Boston in order to keep up with the latest trends. They would market directly to their patrons with these detailed mannequin displays that included fashionable clothing and accessories for both men and women.
The Waco Saddlery Company’s storefront in the early 20th century. It was established in the later part of the 19th century, when saddleries were in high demand in Texas and the rest of the country.
The window of Chris’s Café advertises oysters on the half shell at 25₵ per dozen oysters while a large stag hangs next to the door. The building that housed Chris’s Café collapsed during the 1953 Waco tornado.
The interior of Chris’s Café filled with patrons. Chris’s Café was unfortunately destroyed during the 1953 tornado that swept through downtown Waco.
A photo of Tom Padgitt Saddlery staff before a shipment to London in 1912. In the years leading up to the first World War, America assisted England by sending necessary supplies. Clint Padgitt is seated at the far right of the group.
Staff stands outside and poses for a picture in front of the Ruhmann Grain & Seed Co. building.
Construction of Rotan building amidst other businesses on Austin Avenue. The early 20th century in Waco saw lots of economic expansion and many new businesses were finding their way to the growing city.
Gildersleeve’s photos offer a fascinating look into Waco’s cultural and commercial past. The following photos explore other facets of Waco and Texas history not covered in the part of the exhibit.
Additional images from the Lockwood Gildersleeve Collection:
