Odds and Ends From The MUSEUM!
By Trudy Wyman, Curator, Millinocket Historical Society Museum
Have a wish for something sweet? During the 1920’s and later in Millinocket you would visit a store or shop that advertised confectionery items for sale. Confectionery is defined as a business that creates food items that are rich in sugar or carbohydrates. Baker’s confections include sweet pastries, cakes, etc. Sugar confections include candies and other items made mainly of sugar. The maker of these sweet treats is known as a confectioner.
Hobb’s Candy Kitchen advertised as “Confectioner and Ice Cream. A photo shows a sign on Penobscot Avenue as “Hobbs & Parsons, Ice Cream & Confectionery.” Maxwell’s 1925 ad states, “Fruit, Confectionery & Ice Cream.” Jones Brothers (also had a dairy) boasted an “Ice Cream & Confectionery Store” in 1908 with Esther Jones Williams as owner. Also, in the 1920’s, Hikel & Simon offered a “Quick Lunch and Confectionery.”
Many businesses listed confectionery items along with other varied goods and services. McAvey & Scribner had “Groceries, Provisions, Tobacco, Cigars, Confections.” The Millinocket Fruit Company (early store, FW Freese, Prop.) advertised as a Fruit Store, Confectioner, Lunch Room, Pool Room and sold cigars and tobacco. Field’s Café and Spa had “Lunches & Meals, Cold Sodas, Ice Cream, Fruit & Confectionery – Open Day & Night.”
MD Smart’s yearbook ad sold “Confectionery, Meat & Fish, Fruits” and had a first- class bakery. WA McGowan boasted of a “Pool Room” Fruit and Confectionery, Smoker’s Supplies, Cold Drinks, Hires Root Beer a specialty.”
Jumping to the 1940’s, yearbook ads identify several businesses that included confectionery items. Mrs. John Simon ran an “Ice Cream Bar, Confectionery & Lunches” business while Given’s Pool Room sold “Tobacco, Confectionery and Soft Drinks.”
It appears that for some business owners “sweet treats” were their main selling items while for others, it was just one of many categories in their business plan. LR Lemieux’s business had a unique combination. His 1940’s ad lists “Cigars, Tobacco, Confectionery, Ladies’ and Gents Shoe Shining Parlor, Old Shoes Made to Look Like New.”
Anyone have information on any of these early businesses? Photos of the businesses or owners? Advertisings items such as calendars, letterheads, receipts? Location? Other than 2 or 3 of the above-mentioned businesses, the museum does not know their specific location. Stop in or contact us if you can help!
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