Birmingham, Mich. : its past, present and future.

BIRMINGHAM, ITS PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

WHITEHEAD & MITCHELL,
Drugs, Groceries, Crockery, Books and Stationery.
Central Office Michigan Telephone Co... PERHAPS ONE E
of the most striking
examples of what perseverance and enterprise, together wsith
straightfor ward business methods, will accomplish, is furnished
by the wonderful success of the firm under
consideration. StartALMERON WHITEHEAD ing in business life, as GEORGE H. MITCHELL.
Messrs. Whitehead and lMitchell did, with only a few dollars, and
an unlimlited amount of energy. perseverance and enterprise as their
capital, they have built up a sound business, and reputation, of
which not only they. but the Town of Birmingham, may well be
proud. The business was established in Ic8I with a very limited
stock of goods, but as their trade increased they were enabled to
enlarge it from time to time. One line after another was added to
the grocery and drug stock, as the demands of their trade increased,
until now they carry one of the largest and best stocks of drugs.
groceries, crockery, bools and stationery and: novelties to be found
in any part of the county. Their enterprise, however, did not stop
here. As late as 1887 the town of Birmingham, with its many and
varied business interests, was without banking facilities of any
kind, and its merchants were compelled to lock their cash in their
office safe, carry it home with them or bank it in another town.
It was then that Messrs. Whitehead and Mitchell established the
Exchange Bank, a solid institution in every way, with a good
working capital, and first-class equipment. The management of
their extensive business was then divided, Mr. VWhitehead talking
the entire charge of the bank, and Mr. Mitchell that of the general
stores. Nor is this all. Messrs. Whitehead and Mitchell are the
publishers of The Birimingham Eccentric, a live up-to-date weekly
newspaper. The Birminghanm postoffice is located in their stores.
They are also the Biriningham representatives of the Michigan Telephone Company. Thus it will be seen that the interests of Messrs.
Whitehead and Mitchell and Birmingham are identical, and perhaps no two men in Birmingham have done more to advance the
interests of the town than they. Their general stores and bank
building, known as the Masonic block, are substantial brick structures, aggregating sixty by eighty feet, two stories high. Mr.
Almeron Whitehead, the senior member of the firm, was born in
Waterford. Oakland county, and remained on a farm until he was
twenty-one years of age. He then came to Birmingham and
clerked with J. Allen Bigelow in the grocery business. Later he
engaged as traveling salesman for the Detroit Paper Company, with
whom he remained about one year. At the expiration of that time
he returned to Birmingham and formed a partnership with Mr.
Bigelow, with whom he remained for some time. He next engaged
in partnership with Mr. Mitchell with whom he has remained
ever since. Mr. Whitehead has been township clerk for eleven
years and has held various other positions of trust. He is a pleasant and courteous gentleman to meet. Mr. Geo ge H. Mitchell, the
iunior memnber of the firm, was born in Birmingham and attended
school here. His first business experience was as a clerk for J.
Allen Bigelow, with whoml he remained for about two years. His
next occupation was that of clerk and telegraph operator for Mr.
Frank Hagerman, which position he retained some eight years. He
then formed the partnership with Mr. iWhitehead which is still in
force. Mr. Mitchell is a conscientious. upright. business man, has
been postmaster for four years, and has friends by the score. His
fund of good nature is never exhausted.
JOHN M. RAINEY,
Shaving Parlors.
Cor. Saginaw Street and Maple Avenue.

MR. RAINEY started business in his present location in Septenmber, 1896, and secured a good trade from the start. His business has
been increasing steadily. He is a barber of the first order, and the
man who is looking for a first-class shave or hair-trimming, will not
be disappointed if he calls on him. Mr. Rainey enjoys a wide circl4
of acquaintances, and is thoroughly reliable.

DAVID M. DOTY,
Marble and Granite Monuments.
Saginaw Street, South.
MONUMENTS HAVE served the purpose of marking the
graves of the dead for past hundreds of years. The Romans and
Egyptians were, perhaps, the most extravagant in their use. Marble and granite have at all times been the favorite material out of
which monuments have been constructed. The cutting of marble
is an art to that requires years of practice to become proficient in.
Mr. Doty has had years of experience in this line and may fairly
be said to have mastered his art. He started in this business ni
Birmingham some eighteen years ago, and we may say that- his
work is admirable. No need of going outside of Birmingham for
a fitting monument, wheni such a skilled workman is near at hand.
V. NIXON,
General Store.
Saginaw Street South.
THIS ENTERPRISING business house.:has begn in existence since 1884. Mr. Nixon
handles a complete and full line of dry goods,
groceries, boots and shoes, clothing, hats,
caps and gentlemen's furnishing goods. He
occupies a commodious two-story building,
twenty-five by eighty feet, and does an extensive business. He is one of those bright,. cheerful men, who are never found complaining, but always looking upon the bright
side of everything. He is kind and obliging
v. NIXON. to a degree, and during his long residence
here has made a host of friends, whose name are legion. Always
on the alert to secure the latest and best in his several lines, his
store presents an attractiveness that deserves considerate attention.
Mr. Nixon was born in Southfield and attended school there. He
first engaged in business here with a Mr. Carson, which continued
for three years. Disposing of his business, he worked for Mr. J. S.
Stockwell for some time, and later went to Pontiac, where he
clerked for Mr. A. M. Knight and for John Pound successively.
He finally returned to Birmingham and again started in business
with Mr. F. Blakeslee. Mr. Isaac Mabee soon succeeded Mr.
Blakeslee as partner, and continued with Mr. Nixon for three
years, when he retired. Mr. Nixon has since continued the business alone, and by diligence and enterprise has built up a solid and
substantial business. He is thoroughly reliable and trustworthy,
and deserving of continued success.
C. H. SCHLAACK & CO.,
General Hardware, Stoves, Farming Implements, Tinware, Glass,
Paints, Oils, Etc.
West Side Saginaw Street, Opp. Middle Street.
THIS FIRM is composed of Mr. Charles
H. Schlaack and Mr. Frank Ford. This
solid and extensive business was established
Sin 1849 by Mr. Hugh Erving, and was purchased in 1892 by Messrs. Ford and Schlaack,
who have materially increased the patronage
of the concern. In order to fully appreciate
the large quantity and variety of goods carried in stock, a visit should be paid to their
store. They carry everything in the line of
builders' hardware, household utensils, farmCHARLES SCHLAACK. ing implements, tinware, paints, glass, oils,
etc. They have also a first-class tin-shop in connection with the
store, and do galvanized iron work. Some idea of the size of the
business may be obtained by the fact that they occupy about 6,00ooo
feet of floor space. The firm is located on the west side of Saginaw street, opposite Middle street. Mr. Schlaack, who has the
general management of the business (Mr. Ford being a silent
partner), was born and reared in Troy, Mich. He learned the
wheelwright trade and worked a great deal in theWest before
locating in this town. He is a live, active business man, and of
the kind that help to make a town progressive. By hard work and

close attention to business, he has earned acknowledged success.