Frank J. Dettenthaler

Founder Last of Old Time Provisioners to Quit Monroe Street - New Firm Big Concern

Article from the Grand Rapids Herald, 1910

Dettenthaler's Market Is Sold.
Established November 3, 1883
Peter Smith and Son of Detroit To Become Possessors Friday Morning

F. J. Dettenthaler has sold his Monroe street market and Friday morning Peter Smith and Sons of Detroit, the new firm, will take charge with J. Henry Smith as proprietor.  The inventory now in progress will be completed tomorrow night. With the sale goes the good will of this old and most widely known of any market in western Michigan. The new comers are one of the most widely known of any firm in this and adjacent states.  Peter Smith and Sons are wholesalers as well as retailers and besides their big establishment in the city of the straits, they have a big branch in Indianapolis. The firm is the heaviest dealer in wholesale and retail groceries in the state and, long established.  Mr. Dettenthaler in selling desires to thank the public for the large patronage his market has enjoyed and bespeaks for his successors a continuance of his valued clientele. Mr. Dettenthaler did not sell the liquor department to the new firm and will continue to close it out at retail and will wind up business by May 1 as the license will not be renewed. Speaking of the sale last night, Mr. Dettenthaler said, " I have been in business at this stand 26 years and 5 months and for the past three years I have not taken a day off and I think I have earned a vacation.  I am going to be a boy again and shall just loaf and fish and have a good time around the state, after I close out the liquor department, till next fall.  By that time I think I will be thoroughly rested and ready for business if I decide to engage in it, but it will not be in the grocery and provision line, for I have sold the good will of my market to the new and enterprising firm. I am the last of the old fellows on Monroe street in the grocery and provision trade to retire.  A majority of them are dead and some failed while others engaged in other lines of business. I started in business on Monroe street where I am located November 3, 1883, with a single store, but business growing continually I took in the adjoining store on the east in 1894 and added the two stories above.  Today the market fully occupies all the space and three basements." He bought out H. M. Bliven who ran a fish market.  He continued the fish and game market.  After leasing a second store and remodeling the two into one, he added everything for the table and a home baking department.  The demand for fresh roasted coffee became so urgent that he installed a roasting plant. "I am the last of the old timers in trade to leave the street.  There is not one of those engaged in the meat, game, fish and grocery business on Monroe street when I bought out H. M. Bliven, over 26 years ago, that are there now.  I recall Ira C. Hatch, Rice & Moore, E. J. Herrick at one time, Herrick & Randall, Bemis Brothers, A. B. Wykes, John McGowan, Bummeler & Son, Elliot & Co., Lynch Brothers, L. E. Patten and the Scott Bakery, succeeded by C. S. Jandorf.  All these have left the street.  Some of the people mentioned are dead and others are either in other lines of business, like E. J. Herrick or are located in other parts of the city. In my experience I have found that to make a success a man must be up to date, give the people what they wanted and when they wanted it.  I built up my trade on these lines.

 

Transcriber: Evelyn Sawyer
Created: 23 Aug 2004