Hanover Street
Warren f. witherell Co. Grocery store
Witherell originally worked for Clinton Viles who at that time owned the oldest grocery store in Boston. In 1888, Witherell bought the store from Viles and became the owner. By 1898, it was renamed to be Warren F. Witherell & Co. This became a grocery store chain throughout Boston (Boston Globe, 1919). The picture on the lower right is of a 1907 Witherell grocery store on Causeway st. in Boston. Although it is on a different street, it is still a good example of what the store on Hanover st. might have looked like. Although Warren F. Witherell died in 1919, his grocery store chain continued to grow (Boston Globe, 1919). When the store on Hanover st. was taken down in 1933, other Witherell grocery stores were still open throughout Boston.
1905 Fire at Witherell Grocery and Central Shirt Company
An article in The Boston Globe describes a fire at the Witherell grocery store and the Central Shirt Co. above it. A clerk carried a candle into the basement of the grocery store causing an explosion. It was believed to be caused by the candle interacting with an oil tank and alcohol stored there. Over 50 girls working in the shirt factory upstairs had to evacuate the building. There were luckily only minor injuries, but at least $5,000 in damages to the buildings.
The Boston Globe. "Explosion in Basement: Fire Causes a Loss of $5000 in Buildings at 201 to 207 Hanover St. and Panic Among Girls". Boston Daily Globe (Jan. 10, 1905): pg. 7. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Boston Globe.
Boston (Mass.). "201-207 Hanover Street and 84 Cross Street." Photograph. May 20, 1930. Digital Commonwealth, https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth-oai:h415rw763 .
Internet Archives, Boston City Directories. https://archive.org/details/bostonmassachuse1916112samp/page/n9/mode/2up?view=theater
Savoy Clothing Company
Solomon (Saul) Meyers owned the Central Shirt Co. that was involved in the 1905 fire. He later opened Savoy wine & importing (1916), and then Savoy Clothing co. All of these stores were at 201-207 Hanover St (Internet Archive, Boston City Directories). In this picture of Savoy Clothing co. in 1930, many sales are being advertised in the windows. In 1929, there was another fire at Savoy Clothing Co.
P.L. Riggs Jewellry Shop
This 1875 Boston Globe article tells about the robbery at the jewelry shop at 201 Hanover st.
The Boston Globe "Criminal Calendar: Another Daylight Robbery - A Hanover Street Jeweller Loses $500 Worth of Goods". Boston Daily Globe (Oct 9, 1875): pg. 5. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Boston Globe.