Let’s talk about a Boston department store legend. I’m talking about C.F. Hovey’s. It holds the distinction of being Boston’s very first department store.
Imagine Boston in 1833. Charles Fox Hovey, a shrewd businessman, started it all. He began as a wholesale dealer in dry goods. Soon, he partnered up and opened a small shop downtown. By 1848, it was C.F. Hovey and Company. They moved to Summer Street by 1857, into a larger, newly built space.
Hovey was an innovator. He believed in profit sharing for his employees. He also implemented early closing hours. This allowed employees to enjoy leisure time outside work. Hovey valued his workers’ opinions. He encouraged them to speak their minds. His death in 1859 deeply saddened Boston. He was remembered as a kind, hard-headed Yankee. He had a fine store on Summer Street.
Hovey’s faced a major challenge in 1872. The Great Fire of Boston erupted. Loyal employees sprang into action. They grabbed woolen blankets from the counters. Soaking them with water, they covered the roof and front. This brave act protected the store from flying cinders. The fire devastated much of old downtown Boston. Hovey’s stone building stood proudly amid the wreckage.
The store continued to thrive. It expanded into several connected buildings. These buildings had storefronts on Summer, Chauncy, and Avon Streets. In 1914, the store officially became The C.F. Hovey Company. The “&” was dropped from its name. A large renovation occurred in the mid-1930s, after its 100th anniversary. At the time, Hovey’s was considered very “up to date.” It kept pace with retailing trends. Even the basement had a touch of class. It was called “Hovey’s Downstairs.”
Now, here’s a twist. In 1925, Jordan Marsh Company took over Hovey’s. They gained control of all its buildings and land. Jordan Marsh promised to keep Hovey’s separate. They pledged not to alter its identity. And, surprisingly, they kept that promise until 1947.
But Jordan Marsh had ulterior motives. They wanted to build the largest store in New England. By the 1940s, they needed to swallow all remaining buildings on the block. Chiefly, that meant Hovey’s.
In early 1947, Jordan Marsh quietly began breaking down walls. In May, they announced Hovey’s and Jordan’s would unite. They would become one super store. Hovey’s lost its independent status. It was absorbed into Jordan Marsh Company.
Jordan Marsh moved into the newly acquired buildings. They reorganized staff and merchandise. The “Hovey’s” logo appeared less and less. Jordan Marsh replaced exterior signs. Ads began referring to the “Hovey Building.” It was now just a department. By 1948, Hovey’s no longer used its logo in ads. Jordan Marsh began a massive building project.
The remaining Hovey buildings were used until the second unit was built. In mid-1950, the wrecking ball returned. All that remained of Hovey’s was a section on Avon Street. It was surrounded by the new Jordan Marsh units. Though connected to Jordan Marsh, it was still “The Hovey Building.” Stories circulated about it vibrating during construction. A safety complaint was even lodged. The customer was told not to worry. It was due to be knocked down in 1956.
C.F. Hovey and Co. thrived in Boston from 1833 to 1947. Early ads placed the founding date in 1841. Then, in the late 1920s, it suddenly became 1833. Perhaps records of Charles Fox Hovey’s early career came to light. Or maybe celebrating the 100th anniversary first was the goal. Who knows?
Today, Macy’s stands where Jordan Marsh once did. And inside, the spirit of C.F. Hovey Company lives on. So, when you walk along Summer to Chauncy Street, remember this. You are standing where Boston’s oldest department store once stood. Neat fact.