Historic Company Store News

 

 

Fayette Company Store on left, Snail Shell Harbor and limestone bluff ahead

Let's all drift back in time to February 11, 1882 and learn what's new at the Fayette Company Store.  According to the Schoolcraft County Pioneer (the Manistique newspaper):

"E.S. Gagnon, of Escanaba, visited this place with a splendid assortment of jewelry, and has done well, he went home again on Tuesday, but intends to be back so as to be at Manistique about masquerade time.  If you want any jewelry buy from Gagnon, and you will get a good article, and at a remarkably low price."

In case you are wondering, masquerade time refers to costume balls held in various towns in the Upper Peninsula in the 1880s.

For your entertainment here are some Company Store prices from 1882: broom-25 cents, shoes-$2.00, 1 lb dried apples-50 cents, glycerine soap-20 cents per bar,  12 bars plain soap-$1.00,  3 lbs coffee-90 cents,  3 lbs of butter-$1.05,  shirt-$1.40,  slacks-75 cents,  one ax-$2.00,  one gallon of oil-25 cents,  1 lb raisins-18 cents,  5 lbs sugar-55 cents,  1 lb tea-$1.10,  1/2 gal pickles-13 cents,  flannel-35 cents per yard,  washboard-25 cents,  can of peaches-25 cents, crosscut saw-$5.20,  shawl-$9.00,  mirror-55 cents,  mittens-$1.10,  boots-$5.00,  small lamp-50 cents,  jacket-75 cents,  fine comb-10 cents.