The Old Store
Love that big "Q" on the side of the building.
Last week we got a chance to gawk at downtown Troy's historic Quackenbush Building as it currently stands -- empty, though that will soon change as the Tech Valley Center of Gravity is set to renovate and move in later this year.
The building had a long history as a department store dating back to 1856. So long is this history that back in 1938 an article in The Times Record (Troy) noted the "long and distinguished history" of the building -- 80 years at that point -- as the home of the G.V.S. Quackenbush and Co.* department store. The article was about the impending switch of the building to the W.T. Grant & Co. store, and all the renovations and upgrades (air conditioning!) the new owners had made.
Yep, this building is headed for at least its third or fourth life.
Anyway, we were curious about that "long and distinguished" history of the building. And the people at the Rensselaer County Historical Society were nice enough to send along this undated photo of the Quackenbush from when it was still the home of Quackenbush & Co. Or, as a sign on the side of the building proclaimed, "The Old Store."
* G.V.S. Quackenbush = Gerrit Van Schaick Quackenbush, a Capital Region historical name if every there was one.
photo: Courtesy of the Rensselaer County Historical Society, Troy NY
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Comments
What a handsome building this was back in the day. Thanks for sharing the photo.
... said Ellen on Jun 5, 2014 at 5:27 PM | link