Stone & Thomas
Encyclopedia
Stone & Thomas was a United States
chain of department stores. Based in Wheeling, West Virginia
, the chain had stores located in West Virginia
, Virginia
, Kentucky
, and Ohio
. The company was bought out in 1998 by Elder-Beerman
, an Ohio
-based chain of department stores.
Stone and Thomas was founded in 1847 in Wheeling, West Virginia
by Elijah J. Stone and Jacob C. Thomas. Also referred to as Stone's or "The People's Store", it was a West Virginia
institution for 150 years. From its flagship store in downtown Wheeling, it expanded into Huntington in the 1910s, Charleston in 1928, and in most of West Virginia's major cities. In 1956 Stone and Thomas bought out Broida's of Parkersburg, and for a short time it was called Broida's, Stone & Thomas. The chain grew up to 19 stores in West Virginia, two in Virginia
and one store in Ashland, Kentucky.
Stone's was a very teenager-friendly store. It sponsored high school fashion shows, held tea parties, and had a Stone-agers program for teens. Throughout the 1990s, the company wanted to focus more on its suburban stores and closed several of the older downtown stores in Huntington
and Clarksburg
.
In 1998 falling profits forced Stone & Thomas to sell itself to Elder-Beerman
for $38 million. All existing Stone & Thomas stores were converted to Elder-Beerman by 1999. Six locations were sold to Peebles
and three more locations were sold to Belk
. To this day, the Huntington store remains vacant awaiting use, still bearing the S & T logo, while the downtown Wheeling store is currently being converted into office space. The downtown Charleston
store, built in 1948, is currently unoccupied.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chain of department stores. Based in Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, the chain had stores located in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The company was bought out in 1998 by Elder-Beerman
Elder-Beerman
Elder-Beerman is a U.S. chain of department stores founded in 1883 and owned by The Bon-Ton. The chain is based primarily in the United States' Midwest region...
, an Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
-based chain of department stores.
History
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
by Elijah J. Stone and Jacob C. Thomas. Also referred to as Stone's or "The People's Store", it was a West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
institution for 150 years. From its flagship store in downtown Wheeling, it expanded into Huntington in the 1910s, Charleston in 1928, and in most of West Virginia's major cities. In 1956 Stone and Thomas bought out Broida's of Parkersburg, and for a short time it was called Broida's, Stone & Thomas. The chain grew up to 19 stores in West Virginia, two in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and one store in Ashland, Kentucky.
Stone's was a very teenager-friendly store. It sponsored high school fashion shows, held tea parties, and had a Stone-agers program for teens. Throughout the 1990s, the company wanted to focus more on its suburban stores and closed several of the older downtown stores in Huntington
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
and Clarksburg
Clarksburg, West Virginia
Clarksburg is a city in and the county seat of Harrison County, West Virginia, United States, in the north-central region of the state. It is the principal city of the Clarksburg, WV Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.
In 1998 falling profits forced Stone & Thomas to sell itself to Elder-Beerman
Elder-Beerman
Elder-Beerman is a U.S. chain of department stores founded in 1883 and owned by The Bon-Ton. The chain is based primarily in the United States' Midwest region...
for $38 million. All existing Stone & Thomas stores were converted to Elder-Beerman by 1999. Six locations were sold to Peebles
Peebles (store)
Peebles is a department store chain in the eastern and upper-midwestern United States. It is owned by Stage Stores, which also operates under the Bealls, Palais Royal and Stage banners...
and three more locations were sold to Belk
Belk
Belk is a department store chain founded in 1888 in Monroe, North Carolina, today part of the Charlotte metropolitan area. After the founding of the first Belk store, the company grew in size and influence throughout the South via the chain in the USA, with its stores primarily located in the...
. To this day, the Huntington store remains vacant awaiting use, still bearing the S & T logo, while the downtown Wheeling store is currently being converted into office space. The downtown Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
store, built in 1948, is currently unoccupied.
External links
- Jacob C. Thomas Monument at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling, West Virginia