J.C. Penney, decades ago a visitor to Antigo. |
75 years ago, J.C. Penney spent a day at his store here Oct. 26, 2009 J.C. Penney spent today, 75 years go visiting his store on Fifth Avenue in Antigo.
The retail giant was making a visit to his Upper Midwest stores and came to Antigo from Green Bay and on Tuesday, planned a stop in Wisconsin Rapids.
The Antigo Daily Journal noted that he was “of medium size with a very pleasing personality and was greeting customers at the J.C. Penney Store today.” He was a little late getting to the Antigo store because he came across a herd of Jersey cattle on the way, and since he raised livestock in Florida, decided that looking over the animals was a must.
He told the newspaper’s representative that the firm he heads has had a remarkable increase in business during the past year. “As one studies the man at close range, one can understand the reason for the unusual success that he has met with,” the Daily Journal reported.
C.W. Melgaard, the Antigo manager who had been with the organization for 20 years, drew praise from his employer.
“I learned to know Mr. Melgaard when he first came to the organization,” Penney said. “The efficient manner in which he handled the business from the very beginning attracted my attention.”
When he visited Antigo there were 1,500 stores spread across the U.S.
On his stay, he spent time with the Melgaard family.
Penney died in 1971 at the age of 96 and the Antigo store closed in May, 1996.
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