Chain: Pearl’s Department Stores, Inc.
Date Opened: March 14, 1940 (16th store in Chain)
Date Closed: The store was closed in January 1943 due to the lease running out and war limiting merchandise.
Street Address(es) when open (Building name/block) [Current Address]: 101 Railroad Street (Randall Block) {Current 430 Rail Road Street].
Former Store(s) in Location(s): ?
Later Store(s) in Location(s): Parker Drugs (temporary), The Boston Store, Endicott Johnson Shoe Store
Do buildings still exist?: Yes, 430 Rail Road Street. Per Stacey Jewell, Town Clerk (7/14/2021), 101 Railroad street is now 430 Railroad Street. On 11/16/1945 it was owned by Eugene P Cray, In 10/29/1973 owned by Paul & Jeanne Ravel, 1/10/2013 owned by Bruno Ravel. There are apartments upstairs. There was a fire in the building about 5 years ago and it was completely remodeled.
It currently houses the Verizon Store and Artisans Guild.
Owners, Managers, Employees:
- Harry Kropsky, the first manager – March 1940 – March 1941 (Left Pearl’s to start own store in Lyndonville, VT (Hill’s)
- Maxwell (Max) Fisk, the second manager – March 1941 – 1942, transferred to Canton store
- Wilfred (Bill) Cohen, the third manager, 1942 – January 1943, came from the Alburg store
- Ken Alpert, an assistant manager, transferred to the Keeseville store in August 1940
- Miss Margaret (Peggy) Fisher, an assistant manager, transferred to Keeseville in 1942
- Mrs. George Hall, clerk – 1940
- Virginia Bedard (Nee Day), clerk – 1941
- Mrs. Leo Lahar, clerk, 1942
- Marian Fisk, wife of Maxwell Fisk, clerk 1941- 1942
- Miss Hazel L. Wilkie, replaced by Marian Fisk in 1941, opened The Budget Store on 1 Portland Street
- Miss Velma Donaldson, left in 1941 to open The Budget Store with Hazel Wilkie
Subsequent Owners if sold: Not sold, just closed
Articles, Pictures, Ads:
Pearl’s – St. Johnsbury – Harry Kropsky from Potsdam opening St. JohnsburyJPG (The Advance News Ogdensburg 2-6-1940 p8)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury remodeling was done by inhouse Guernier (Burlington Free Press January 31, 1940 p11)
Pearl’s St Johnsbury – remodeling personnel return to Alburg (BFP 02-05-1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Article on store opening (St. Johnsbury Republican 03-11-1940 p1)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Opening article part 1 (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 13 1940 p1)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Opening article part 2 (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 13 1940 p8)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Opening ad (The Caledonian Record Mar 12 1940 )
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Grand Opening ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 12 1940 p3)
Pearl’s St Johnsbury opens 3-14-1940 (BFP 3-11-1940p8)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury -Apartment wanted (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 15 1941 p3)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_May 24 1940 p2)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Mrs. George Hall (The_Caledonian_Record_May 24 1940 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Ken Alpert (The_Caledonian_Record_June 28 1940 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_June 28 1940 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Bathing suit contest (The_Caledonian_Record_July 20 1940 p3)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_July 29 1940 p2)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_July30 1940 p8)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Fri__Aug_16__1940_ p4
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Ken Alpert (The_Caledonian_Record_Aug 23 1940 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Sep 13 1940 p3)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Sep 21 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Football Contest (The_Caledonian_Record_Sep 25 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Sep 28 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Football pool (The_Caledonian_Record_Oct 01 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Oct 05 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Oct 12 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Oct 19 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Oct 26 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Nov 02 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Nov 09 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Nov 16 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Nov 23 1940 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Christmas ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Nov_27_1940_ p13
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Santa prize (The_Caledonian_Record_Nov 30 1940 p1)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – PTA Annual Sale (The_Caledonian_Record_Dec 14 1940 p3)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Dec 24 1940 p14)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Green Mountain Grange (The_Caledonian_Record_Jan 10 1941 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Arlington PTA prize (The_Caledonian_Record_Jan 28 1941 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – National Guard Emergency Fund (The_Caledonian_Record_Feb 15 1941 p4)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Dollar Days (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 18 1941 p8)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Max Fisk – new manager (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 19 1941 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Harry Kropsky, former manager, opening new store in Lyndonville (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 22 1941 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Hazel Wilkie leaves, Max Fisk’s wife replaces her (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 22 1941 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – WIllkie and Dickinson (The_Caledonian_Record_Fri__Apr_11__1941_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad for The Budget Shop (The_Caledonian_Record_Apr 11 1941 p7)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Bathing Beauty prize (The_Caledonian_Record_Aug 09 1941 p1)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury -Grange Beano prize (The_Caledonian_Record_Sep 18 1941 p2)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Virginia Day- employee (The_Caledonian_Record_Thu__Oct_16__1941_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Summerville PTA prize (The_Caledonian_Record_Dec 4 1941 p1)
William Cohen visits St Johnsbury from Alburg (BFP 2-19-1942, p10)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Mrs. Leo Lahar employee (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 18 1942 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Mar 31 1942 p3)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Maxwell Fisk Manager to Canton, Bill Cohen new manager (The_Caledonian_Record_Fri__Apr_17__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Mother Day ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Tue__May_5__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Price Control Meeting (The_Caledonian_Record_Fri__May_15__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury Wilfred Cohen moves from Alburgh to STJ as manager (BFP 05-19-1942 p5)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Fisher (The_Caledonian_Record_Tue__Jun_2__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Peggy Fisher (The_Caledonian_Record_Jun 19 1942 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Peggy Fisher -Asst Mgr (The_Caledonian_Record_Thu__Jun_25__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Joseph Cohen visits (The_Caledonian_Record_Fri__Jun_26__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Legendre employee (The_Caledonian_Record_Tue__Jul_14__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Mrs. Wilfred Cohen visits Alburgh (The_Caledonian_Record_Wed__Aug_5__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Mrs.Wilfred Cohen visits Alburgh (The_Caledonian_Record_Thu__Aug_6__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Aug 25 1942 p12)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Thu__Sep_17__1942_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Summerville PTA prize (The_Caledonian_Record_Dec 14 1942 p6)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – ad (The_Caledonian_Record_Jan 28 1943 p4)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Cohen Farewell Party (The_Caledonian_Record_Mon__Feb_15__1943_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Wilfred Cohen returns to Malone (Malone Evening Telegram 1943-05-13 p3) Fulton Search
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Parker Drug in Pearl’s old location (The_Caledonian_Record_Fri__Jun_11__1943_)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Parker Drug temporary after Pearl’s closes (The_Caledonian_Record_June 11 1943 p1)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Randall Block bought Part 1 (The_Caledonian_Record_Sat__Nov_17__1945_p1)
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – Randall Block bought Part 2 (The_Caledonian_Record_Sat__Nov_17__1945_p6)
Pearl’s St Johnsbury – picture of Railroad Street – based on cars around 1952 (Source unknown).
Pearl’s St. Johnsbury – 430 Railroad Street- Google Earth 2021 – (Building where 101 Railroad Street was)
Recollections: