Well, Charles A. and Stella were married on 14 October 1880 and seem to have traveled at once to Crookston, Minnesota, where Charles A. was about to open a general store. Later, his brother Luther-Rudophe joined Charles A. as a partner. But alas for them - CHINIQUY BROS. was not to be a MACY'S or DAYTON-HUDSON or MARSHALL FIELD (which all started the same way, after all) but was only one of the many that must have sprung, full of hope and good intentions, in the new metropolises of the frontier - only to fade when the metropolis did. Or - failed for other reasons, of course. Crookston thought a good deal of itself in those early days - it was going to be a Chicago, a Detroit, a St. Louis. Read on - we'll get back to the letters! TRANSCRIPT OF 1882 ARTICLE ON STORE OWNED BY Charles A. CHINIQUY AND HIS BROTHER RUDOLPH CHINIQUY (photocopy given to VEC by a clerk in the offices of John Millard, Crookston attorney, and a copy sent to Carol Anne Chiniquy. Transcription done by Carol Anne on 7.2.99.) [begin quote] MANUFACTURERS OF CROOKSTON, MINN - 1882 - C. A. and J. R. Chiniquy It would be a revelation to many who have never visited the Red River Valley, to find here such a large and handsome store and so extensive a stock of dry goods and clothing as are displayed on the counters and shelves of this establishment. Here is a comparatively new city; scarcely a decade has passed since the first settler built his primitive shanty, and yet today you find a solidly built, compact town containing one of the largest stores in the Northwest, and furnishing an opportunity for the purchase of any article from a pin to a complete suit of clothes. If the question is asked; "How can a large store like this find sufficient support in a town which, if it was located in one of the eastern states, could not support one of half the size?" the answer would be, that Crookston in five years will have more than doubled her present population; that she is surrounded on all sides by an enterprising, industrious people who know and feel that their interest and hers are identical, and who consequently join with her citizens in contributing to the maintenance of any institution which, whilst it offers to the public everything they could obtain in the large eastern cities, is a home enterprise interested and aiding in the development of the city, which is something desired by all parties. It is this custom of patronizing home concerns which has contributed more than anything else to make Northwestern business houses so large and enterprising; for while the public takes a pride in their merchants and their system of doing business, the merchants pride themselves and strain every nerve to satisfy the demands of the public. But lest it may be thought that we exaggerate, we will briefly describe first the store, then the stock of the "Chicago Dry Goods House" for such is the name by which the establishment of the Messrs. Chiniquy is known. The store is a large, two story, brick structure, fronting fifty feet on Main street with an even depth of eighty-five feet. The entire front on the ground floor is taken up with large, handsome, plate glass windows in which are attractively displayed samples of the various goods for sale. On entering, the centre of the store is found to be occupied by a long counter filled with show cases, and along the side and rear walls are shelves and counters with a wide passage between them and those in the center of the store. This arraignment is a most excellent one, as it affords an easy and expeditious means of viewing the stock without being interrupted and annoyed by other customers crowding and pushing while you are making your purchases. Each department is distinct, and a stranger on entering can easily ascertain at a glance the exact place where any given article is to be had. There are calicoes, linen goods, silks, worsted goods, material for dresses of all kinds, table and household linen, cotton goods of all descriptions, and in a word everything to be found in the largest dry goods store, in large quantities and great variety. There is a hat and cap counter, a boot and shoe department, and, a recent innovation, a complete millinery department under the charge and supervision of Miss Jessie Pratt, a lady who for several years was employed in the Chicago House of O. R. Keith & Co., one of the largest and most prominent millinery establishments in the country. There is an immense assortment of men's, youths', and boys' clothing suitable for all sizes, ages and pocket books. It can be easily understood that an establishment of this kind requires a manager of large experience and personal business ability. Mr. Chiniquy previous to coming to the Northwest was in business in Chicago. He first opened a store in Fargo, but shortly discontinued it and moved to Crookston, opening his store here in November, 1880. Mr J. R. Chiniquy came to this city direct when the business had grown so large that it was impossible for his brother to conduct it entirely alone. They immediately formed a partnership under the present style, and are daily adding new features, purchasing new stock, and making every effort to keep their house up to the equal of any similar one in the country. Men endowed with the spirit of enterprise and perseverance can not fail, and it is not surprising to learn that their sales for the past six months show an increase of over fifty per cent. [close quote] Sounds like a near-miss for Field's - doesn't it???