May 21, 1961
Norton Brothers Inc., one of El PESO'S oldest business firms, was founded in 1903 by Charles F. Wilkcn, L, Blakesley, and J. G. Freeman, as the International Book and Stationery Co., Inc., and thus rates as one of the Cities oldest business establishments
The original location was at 107 South El Paso street , now the site of the Capri Theatre.
On Oct. 4, 1907, the firm was purchased by Fred W. Norton of Sedalia, Mo., and was moved the same year to the old Herald Building facing Pioneer Plaza, in the approximate location of the present Plaza Men’s Wear.
The ground floor was devoted to sales and display, with storage facilities in the basement. Eight persons were employed, including a delivery boy with a bicycle.
In 1912 Fred’s brother, Ben, joined the firm as vice president after having sold his own business, the Douglas Engineering and Assay Office in Douglas, Ariz.
The business prospered and in 1916 more space was needed. The brothers leased the second floor, enlarged the office furniture department and added a line of sporting goods. Heretofore the sales area had been confined to El Paso County, but in that year Ben Norton began representing the firm in Old Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and West Texas, and expansion continued.
On May 22, 1920, at the 18th annual stockholders meeting, the name of the firm was officially changed to Norton Brothers, Inc.
In 1929, after 33 years in the same location, more space was needed, and Norton Brothers moved to it’s third location, 237 E. San Antonio street. Here the store ran the entire width of the building through to Texas avenue, giving it the advantage of entrances on two main downtown thoroughfares.
Fred Norton, Sr., died on Sept. 5, 1951. His brother, Ben, now is chairman of the board of directors of the pioneer firm.
Great job done by Norton Brothers.This blog shows the effort of those brothers in expanding their business.And it shows their intelligence and business skills.It is a great task to bring out such business and at the same time succeed in the field in a country which has a great competition.
Posted by: ריהוט משרדי | July 07, 2011 at 09:13 AM