H. Noll Stock Company

You may be surprised to learn this building at 838 Water Street is more than 100 years old.  It was erected about 1906 for the H. Noll Stock Company, a general store.  It was built of rusticated concrete, shown below.

 Rusticated concrete was made to look like stone and was very popular from about 1905 to 1930.  This is not the only building downtown have this material.

The H. Noll Co-operative Stock Company operated on a co-operative profit-sharing plan, which seems to be similar to REI today. 

It advertised thus: "Save your rebate checks until you have $100 worth, return same to the Company, who will issue to you a $5.00 Stock Certificate.  Remember that stockholders are entitled to 5 per cent rebate on purchases, besides the annual dividend on stock.

Under our system every customer shares in the profits he helps to make; it’s a proposition that is worth considering. Become a stockholder and enjoy the benefits of co-operation. The more stockholders, the larger will be the dividends

By this plan families can save from $15.00 to $20.00 on their purchases.”

Henry Noll died in 1926.  In 1927 his family closed the business.

Saenger’s M-System Store next opened here.  The fixtures were in black and white and arranged in the shape of the letter M, making it convenient for shoppers to see all the merchandise and serve themselves.  Self-service was a new, modern concept in the 1920s.

It was shortly followed by Neely’s Pay-Way Grocery “the Cleanest Store in Town”. A series of other businesses followed, including auto service.  More on that another time.