A History of Andersons Limited
"Personal Use of Junior’s Time: Junor [sic] employees
must not be sent out on the personal errands of the other employees of
the store."
~ Book of Rules ~
On April 27, 1896 partners John Northway and Robert Marshall Anderson opened a dry goods store in St. Thomas. The Northway and Anderson store was originally located in the former Griffin and Wright dry goods store in the Arkell Block at 262 Talbot Street, between Queen and Metcalfe Streets.
To provide much needed space for the growing business, the store's second and third floors were extended to the rear of the building in 1900. Despite these changes, the store soon outgrew its original premises and in 1902 the partners purchased the outstanding stock of dry goods merchants Lindsay Brothers and established a second location in the former Lindsay Brothers premises at 410 Talbot Street between Hincks and Southwick Streets. The new store opened for business on April 23, 1902; the original location at 262 Talbot Street remained open until July 1902 while inventory was consolidated at the new location.
Northway and Anderson occupied the first and second floors in their new building, and shared the street level with the Stephen B. Pocock Shoe Store. A small business college occupied the third floor, but it would vacate the space by 1903, allowing Northway and Anderson to establish a tailoring and dressmaking department.
In 1906 R.M. Anderson purchased Northway’s majority shares and reorganized the business as The Anderson Company Limited, with himself as company President.
In 1908, Anderson purchased the Pocock shoe store and converted the space into an expanded men’s department and administrative offices. In 1919 the demand for additional space led to an extension of the third floor to the rear half of the building, while customer service, convenience and accessibility were improved with the installation of washrooms for store customers and St. Thomas’ first elevator.
In 1920 R.M. Anderson incorporated his business as Andersons Limited.
By 1929 the store again needed to expand, and an excavation of the basement of the building provided additional space for a new housewares department.
In 1932 the store entered a new era when Donald Hume Anderson joined his father as a member of the Board of Directors and manager. In 1939 the store acquired additional space fronting Hincks Street, and the building to the rear of the store was purchased and converted into a cold storage warehouse for fur coats.
When Robert Marshall Anderson died on August 24, 1940, D.H. Anderson became company President.
Under the Anderson family's stewardship the store became a landmark institution in the local business community, widely recognized as a leader in retail sales, labour relations and customer service. Robert Marshall Anderson was one of the first businessmen in Ontario to implement a 40 hour work week and, beginning in 1921, also offered his employees sick benefits. By 1946, D.H. Anderson had established an extremely generous employee pension plan. Andersons Limited was the first commercial establishment in St. Thomas to install restrooms and drinking fountains for its customers, an elevator, free delivery of purchases, ladies’ tailoring, and customer parking facilities.
In 1967 a third generation of the Anderson family joined the business when D.H. Anderson's son Robert Morley Anderson became a member of the Board of Directors.
Andersons Limited continued as a full-service retail operation selling housewares, fine china, clothing and furs until the doors were closed for the last time on October 8, 1988, ending 92 years' of service to the citizens of St. Thomas and surrounding area.
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