Dutchess County Historical Society Yearbook Vol 054 1969

Page 41

LUCKEY, PLATT & COMPANY 100 Years of Service One of the leading retail firms of the Hudson Valley celebrated its 100th birthday on March 22, 1969 when Luckey, Platt & Co. of Poughkeepsie gained that distinction. The community showed its admiration for the store by honoring the president, William M. Smith, at a testimonial dinner given by the Poughkeepsie Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Poughkeepsie Council, and the Retail Management Department of Dutchess Community College elected Luckey, Platt & Co. to the "Century Club". The forerunner of the Hudson Valley's largest store was a small dry good store started in the late 1840's by Isaac Dibble, who later admitted Robert Slee as a partner. Mr. Slee was a prominent citizen of Poughkeepsie in the middle of the 19th Century, serving on the first Poughkeepsie Bridge Committee and on the first board of directors of the First National Bank of Poughkeepsie. The First National was the first bank to be organized under the National Banking Act. Mr. Slee soon assumed the entire ownership of the store and engaged as the "boy in the store", Charles P. Luckey. Later the firm name was changed to Robert Slee & Company, revealing the fact that Mr. Luckey had been taken into the company, and in 1860 this company advertised the opening of a "new store at 328 Main Street". The firm had been located at 245 Main Street in the Brewester Block which was on the north side of Main Street at present New Market Street. Robert Slee & Co. was succeeded by Luckey, Vail and Mandeville in 1866, and this firm in turn became Luckey and Platt on March 22, 1869. Edmund P. Platt, who had started his apprenticeship as a merchant in the store of W. S. & H. W. Crosby in 1859, bought the Mandeville share of the business and thus a long and distinguished career of a Poughkeepsie store began. Luckey, Platt & Company was formed in 1872 when Smith L. DeGa,rmo became a partner. It was during this time the policies and ideas of the company were formed, and at the same time the concern added the second floor to its business located at 328 Main Street. In 1872, Luckey, Platt & Company added another first to their list. They established and maintained a "set price" policy. The price of each piece of merchandise was to be plainly marked . . . and there was to be no deviation from that price. In February of 1878, telephone service for customer shopping at home was first introduced at Luckey's. The same year 334 Main Street was included in the store. The premises were still farther enlarged by the addition of 336 Main Street about eight years later. The Spring of 1882 saw another first in Luckey's innovations. The buildings of 334 and 336 Main Street were serviced by an elevator, the first passenger elevator in the city. 39


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