THE DENHOLMS LEGACY

VINCENT PACIFICO

The Denholm and McKay company opened its department store for business in 1870 on the corner of Main and Mechanics Street at its former location. After just a few years of success the company moved to its new 200,000 square foot building at 484 Main Street which was perfect for a growing facility of its time. The building stood 6 stories with a beautifully ornamented Victorian styled facade, which was later converted to a modern facade featuring long bands of windows which can still be seen on the building today.

Denholms was one of the largest and most unique department stores of its kind in New England at that time. People came from all over to experience a new way of shopping and the convenience of buying all in one place. The retailer sold a wide variety of items including jewelry, clothing, kitchenware, home decor, beauty products and even a bakery making it a one stop shop. In 1963 the company had escalators installed in the building to make the customer shopping experience even easier and more enjoyable. These are said to be the first escalators ever installed in Worcester. During Christmas time, Denholms had its famous holiday tree display which lit up the facade of the building. You could see string lights from the ground floor all the way to the roof in the shape of a Christmas tree and topped with a glowing star. This tree became a tradition that was expected around the holidays and was a sight for anyone who came to see it.

Denholms was famous for its window displays especially during the holidays. The windows were large storefronts right on the sidewalk of Main Street and were typically used for advertising new lines of merchandise throughout the store. In those days, window displays would draw customers in and were one of the best forms of advertising retail. I remember my mom telling me the story that in the late 50’s around Christmas time, she would take the train with her parents from Webster up to Worcester just to see the Denholms holiday window displays and do some holiday shopping once a year. At that time it was a big event to get up to Worcester but well worth the trip.

In 1973 Denholms closed its doors for business due to bankruptcy. Nearby suburban malls, shopping outlets and large retail chains definitely brought competition to the retail store which led to its closing. Today the store is currently occupied by office and commercial tenants most of which are nonprofits. The building is in desperate need of repair and the cost to maintain the infrastructure is enormous.

In August 2022, the building was purchased by the Worcester Redevelopment Authority who released a request for proposal in hopes to work with a developer to either adapt and reuse the existing building or demolish it and build new on the site. It’s definitely a tough building to work with. The amount of repair that could go into repairing the infrastructure alone could be enormous. It’s tough to say what the greatest and best use of the building might be. One of the most needed building typologies in the city is residential but due to the buildings lack of windows and access to natural light, it may make it nearly impossible to convert into housing and its current use as an office building may be in question after the post pandemic diminished need for office space.

I think the Denholms building still has a home in downtown Worcester and should remain as a historic landmark for years to come. Just because a new use doesn’t pop out immediately doesn’t mean we should resort to tearing down another one of the city's lasting significant structures. Good planning takes time and good design doesn’t necessarily have to be more expensive. With the right project team, a developer with a vision and the support of the community, the Denholms building may have the chance to support a new generation in the city for another century.

photo source: http://denholms.blogspot.com/