Sherman Daily Democrat
Sunday, August 27, 1922
pg. 6

A PAGE FOR WOMEN
Bass, Parrish, & Taylor Move Into Their New Home
By Mrs. William Lankford
Thirteen years ago 3 of Sherman's native sons,T--- Bass, Will Taylor, and Gus Parrish embarked in the dry goods business in Sherman, and established themselves in the building now occupied by Ely & Sons jewelers.
For reasons of----several years later they moved into the Forbes building, which they are now vacating, to put their business in a permanent home of its own.

SUCCESS FROM FIRST
From its first inception the business of Bass, Taylor & Parrish has been a continuous success and 4 years ago they purchased the Murphy building at the corner of Travis and Houston streets, then occupied by, and until recently retained by Marks Brothers.
The firm realized that it was outgrowing rental space and with far seeing wisdom, possessed themselves of the Murphy building.

REMAKE INTERIOR OF NEW HOME
Since Marks Brothers vacated the store, the interior has been practically re-made.  A new arrangement of the galleries gives an improved presentment, the walls and ceilings have been done over in old ivory, and the shelving, counters, and cabinets and balusters are in mahogany.
A complete installation of apparatus has been put in, for automatic fire protection, all means of lighting and ventilation put in ship shape, and sanitary equipment well cared for.
The original dimensions of the property which the firm brought from George Murphy, had a frontage of 75 feet on Travis street, with a depth of 150 feet paralleling east Houston street.  In July of this year the firm purchased an additional adjoining building from Mrs. Stanley Roberts, with 25 feet Houston street front and extending north 100 feet.  The available floor space is now 10,000 square feet, and the whole property has a valuation of $175,000.

IN NORTH SECTION
Bass, Parrish and Taylor will fill the north section of the building with fancy and standard dry goods, and will add a boys' department where everything for boys up to 16 years of age can be found.  They will also have a large notions department and trunks, hand bags, and similar articles will be put in the new stock.  Other features will be introduced, as demand may justify.

LIVINGSTON BROTHERS
Livingston Brothers will own and control the men's clothing department, which will be confined to the south section of the store, without intervening wall, but will be a business wholly apart from Bass, Parrish and Taylor, an exclusive business of Livingstone Brothers.

PERSONNEL
Sherman is always proud of her own boys who grow up here and utilize their talents and opportunities to become useful and successful citizens.
Tom Bass and Gus Parrish were cash boys in Scheilder's store, which was conducted on the corner now owned by the young firm.  There they received the splendid training that fitted them for larger things.  They continued there when Murphy bought the store and stock, and gathered commercial knowledge and judgment as the years ran along.
Will Taylor had his first employment with R.G. Hall and Son, one of Sherman's pioneer firms, where he learned the fundamentals of business life and he, too, later became associated clerically with Murphy, where the three original members of the firm remained until they opened their own business.
Two years ago Robert Bass bought an interest in the firms, and he too received his practical business training, with a Sherman house, Walter C. Jones and Company, remaining with them till he became identified with Bass, Parish and Taylor.

ALL PROGRESSIVE MEN
As far back as 1867, a 2-story frame building stood on the corner now occupied by Bass, Parrish and Taylor.  There was a faded sign painted on it, which said "L. Kelly" and he conducted a general merchandise store there.  Mr. Kelly married an aunt of Mrs. Tom Moody and Miss Laura Hopson, and has long been dead.  That building was replaced by a 2-story brick structure owned by a new firm, Morris and Abe Schneider, about 1868.  In 1876, a disastrous fire, which destroyed three business blocks in Sherman, also burned Schneider's store, and they then erected another 2-story brick store and continued the dry goods business.  In the meantime, Abe Schneider returned to New York to live, and Morris Schneider became general manager.
The writer digresses briefly, to pay a belated tribute to Morris Schneider.  He was not only a high toned gentleman and successful financier, but one of the best men, who helped put Sherman on the commercial map.
When George Murphy bought the business and property of Morris Schneider, he added a third story and modernized the building.  He was succeeded by Marks Brothers, who remained there 8 years.
And now the major part of the firm of Bass, Parrish and Taylor have returned as owners and proprietors, to the house where they obtained their business education as employees.

Sherman History
Susan Hawkins
© 2024

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