Gilbert B. Moran came from Island Falls to the area that would be Millinocket in 1899 and established a men’s clothing store and shoe store on Penobscot Avenue (later Bishop Block, now empty lot near traffic light).
Millinocket was just beginning and the woods extended right up to the north side of Moran’s store. Moran told the Journal in an interview (1940’s), “in the old days tote teams used to leave here around 6:30 in the morning for Sourdnahunk at around 6:30 in the morning and the store would open at 7:00 AM, oftentimes remaining open until midnight.” After three years, Moran moved his business to the Hayden Block (later Newberry’s, Miller’s, now owned by Our Katahdin).
Moran sold that block to J. J. Newberry and purchased a small lot next door from GNP and proceeded to construct the brick building that would become the newest location of G.B. Moran’s Men’s Clothing Store. (The Millinocket Journal, Aug. 19, 1946)
One of Moran’s newspaper ads reads, “Your Clothier for the past 21 years and still solicitating your trade is G. B. Moran. A fine store, well-stocked where he carries men’s and boys clothing as well as furnishings of every description.” Moran stocked Hart, Schaffner & Marx, a popular clothing line. He sold Mallory hats, Van Heusen shirts, Munsing and Haines underwear. Other well-known product lines sold were Florsheim and Sundial shoes, Fownes gloves and Oakes Brothers sweaters. “The well-dressed man knows that in buying here he will get superiority of goods and workmanship.”
In addition to men’s clothing, Moran advertised that their trunk department carried “classy luggage and compact bags for week-end trips and larger ones for longer trips.” One ad mentions Moran’s was also a licensed agent for Boy Scout materials.
Moran lived in the neighborhood near his stores. One source mentions 83 Highland Avenue (1902) and 81 Highland Avenue (1911). He and his family then purchased and moved into the big house on the corner of Highland Ave. and Central Street (built by Heebner and more recently known as the Young House, now a bed-and breakfast). The museum has a photocopy of the deed to the house. Moran paid GNP the sum of $2000 for the house. The deed is dated May 11, 1929 as a quit-claim deed and filed at the registry of deeds, Penobscot County.
Gilbert Moran was an early Millinocket settler and entrepreneur who ran a successful men’s clothing business in town for half a century. He served on many town boards and committees. Gilbert Moran died suddenly in 1951 during the town’s 50th birthday celebration. His son Burton sold the house in 1953 to Dr. Young. Burton Moran carried on the family business until 1968.
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