Winchester News-Gazette, Jan 1983.
by Rick Reed
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| Boston Store. Located on the south side of the courthouse square in downtown Winchester, Indiana. |
The Boston Store will close; It only seems fitting that when the W.E. Miller Store at 115 West Franklin St. went out of business in 1934, the building there would be taken over by the Boston Store, then owned by Louis Zaltsberg.
Zaltsberg had been in the area for about 12 years travelling from Elwood, Indiana, to set up shop in Winchester. For the first 12 years he operated the Boston Store at 120 S. Meridian where Hile's True Value currently stands.
During the early years of the century, W.E. Miller had prospered as business flourished at his three-story building. When the store finally went out of business it had gained fame as one of the nicest places to shop in the area.
Whoever would have relocated into the Miller building when 1934 and it's change in proprietorship rolled around, was going to have to fill some mighty big shoes. Had it not been for the Boston Store, a family-oriented store that had begun to flourish, the building may have had only a half era of history behind it.
When the locale change was finally accomplished it didn't take long for the new store to expand. As many as 11 Boston Stores eventually were involved in the Zaltzberg chain. Many of the chain stores were located in Ohio.
In 1950, when Louis Zaltsberg died, his two sons, one of which was Harold, husband to current sole owner Sue Zaltsberg and a son-in-law became new Boston Store owners. Eventually the Winchester store became Harold's when the other two would move on to their own stores.
Since that time the store has been successful with their most prospective years in the 1950's and 1960's. Now, after nearly 60 years of service to the community, the building will be sold.
Current owner Sue Zaltsberg reported that her license to operate the store will expire on Jan. 27. The store is currently conducting a 'going out of business sale" to distribute its remaining stock.
Remnants of both the W.E. Miller and the Boston Store still exist within the building and probably will as long as it stands.
Although the Boston Store did not utilize the upper two floors, they did create a tradition in software on the main floor while using the basement for stock and supplies.
In taking a tour of the building last week, it seemed an interesting venture through the past as several items from the Miller store were preserved by the Boston Store. The old cage elevator, which ran from the basement to the third floor is still there. The display sign which signified Miller's store lies on the rear portion of the third floor, and old photographs, including ones of Louis Zaltsberg and the W.E. Miller family can be found.
As the Boston Store becomes an empty building, it might be appropriate to remember its history and tradition. They were valued assets to this community.
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