Benson Plans Big Hardware, Boat Center, Appliance Store
Arvid Benson Supply Co. Moorhead, which recently purchased the Cass-Clay Creamery Inc. property at Main Avenue and 9th Street in Moorhead, will open a new retail hardware, appliance, boat, outdoor motor and sporting goods establishment there October 15.
Benson has a crew literally tearing out the insides of the 225 by 150 foot building area.
The structures, including main building and former garage, provide some 40,000 square feet of floor space. Of this about 23,000 square feet will be devoted to the retail store operation, the remainder for warehouse storage.
Benson purchased the building and land, with a frontage of 225 feet on Main Avenue, from Cass-Clay Creamery, Inc. in July. Also included in the transaction were three 25 foot lots, each 150 feet deep on Main Avenue on the west side of 9th Street which will be used for parking.
The project, including property insurance, represents and investment of more than $150,000.
The original Cass-Clay Creamery building, 40 by 100 feet, has been torn down, providing additional parking space along the Northern Pacific railway right-of-way.
Cass-Clay was organized in 1935 and in 1941-42 built an addition to the original structure, adding a garage and warehouse in 1947-48. A new plant in Fargo was occupied in 1957.
Features of the new Moorhead layout will include a large display area for hardware, a room for display of light fixtures, a “marine center” in the former garage space for display of boats, outdoor motors and sporting goods, a large area for display of electrical appliances, a large office area and warehousing facilities.
Two freight elevators serve the buildings and room is provided for a packing and shipping department, and storage areas. The area is on the Northern Pacific trackage.
The “marine center” will be a highlight of the display area. It will be reached by main double-door entrances off Main Avenue and a parking lot through an arcade-type corridor flanked on either side by large lighted window displays.
The center will be fitted with equipment resembling a ship’s deck, with some marine type railings and a balcony on one side over-looking the display area. The balcony will overlook the display area, where boats will be shown on an aqua-colored floor.
The marine center will occupy 10,000 square feet of floor space and the balcony will be 110 feet long and 65 feet wide.
On an upper floor occupying the front of the main structure, 1,500 square feet of rental office space will be provided. This area will be reached by a separate entrance off Main Avenue.
Space also has been provided for shops to repair and service outboard motors and electric appliances.
The Benson firm will move from its location at 1625 1st Avenue North. This property 90 by 150 feet has been put up for sale or lease.
The firm will continue as an S & Q (formerly Jamney-Semple-Hill) outlet for hardware merchandise, also as a General Electric, Scott Motors, and Aluma-Craft and Glastron boat dealership.
Representatives of the supply houses have been here for two or three weeks assisting in setting up the new merchandising display areas and they say the new establishment will be one of the largest hardware, appliance, boat and motor establishments between Chicago and the West Coast.
Benson recently established the Benson Oil Co., distributor in the Fargo-Moorhead area for the Carter Oil Co.
Evenson is a native of Cooperstown, North Dakota. He was graduated from high school at Hannaford, North Dakota and a short time later entered the hatchery business there. He became associated with M. W. Cousineau in the hatchery business in Moorhead in 1937 and in 1949 purchased Cousineau’s interests. He changed the name to Arvid Benson Supply in 1950 and moved the business from Center Avenue in Moorhead to the 1st Avenue location.