 Buren & Hamilton Furniture, c1894, at 298 Commercial St. NE. March 9, 2017 Episode. We continue in our Historic Businesses series by highlighting one of Salem's oldest family-operated businesses, Buren & Hamilton Furniture. The original furniture/undertaking business was begun by A.T. Yeaton in the late 1880s. It was common for furniture and undertaking to be combined since both used cabinetry and upholstery skills, as well as needing a large flatbed wagon. The business was sold to cabinetmaker A.B. Buren, who contracted out the undertaking side of the business. In 1894, the business was sold to a partnership formed by Buren's son Max O. Buren and Clarence S. Hamilton. They successfully operated their furniture business at three locations along Commercial Street NE: Greenbaum's Building (above), the former location of Salem Hardware Company at 120 Commercial (now Spaghetti Warehouse), and 136 Commercial NE, the original location of the Metropolitan Store. In 1908 they moved the business into a newly constructed, five-story building at 340 Court Street, now the home of Sid's Furniture. |  Buren & Hamilton Furniture Storefront, c1894  Advertisement, Daily Capital Journal, 1901 |
The Hamilton Men: Clarence (standing) with father David (seated) and sons Arthur, Clarence, and Ralph. Clarence Hamilton bought out Max Buren's holdings in the company in 1916, and reorganized the company as C.S. Hamilton Furniture Company. As the company grew, Clarence's son Ralph would join the family business in 1925. Later on, son Clarence J. "Chris" would also join the business.
Ralph was especially interested in the new technology of refrigeration. He was certified in the field of refrigeration, and had three repair stores at one time. The store was involved with the Salem community on several levels. They held a cooking school to make area homemakers more comfortable with newly available appliances. When it was determined that a new store should be built, he visited furniture stores all throughout the midwest and east coast to refine the ultimate designs for the new building.
Ralph was especially interested in the new technology of refrigeration. He was certified in the field of refrigeration, and had three repair stores at one time. The store was involved with the Salem community on several levels. They held a cooking school to make area homemakers more comfortable with newly available appliances. When it was determined that a new store should be built, he visited furniture stores all throughout the midwest and east coast to refine the ultimate designs for the new building.
 Jesse Stump family home, 1879, located at 230 Front Street NE |  Leonard Hotel |
In 1944, Clarence Hamilton and his sons petitioned the War Production Board to allow construction of a new building to house their expanding furniture store. The store would be built on land owned by the Hamilton family abutting Front Street, between Court and Chemeketa Streets. Construction would require razing the Stump-Hamilton home at 230 Chemeketa and the Leonard Hotel next door (see above photos). Construction approval was finally received and demolition and ensuing construction began. They selected family friend Ed Viesko [see previous 2016 posts] to construct the building following the designs of Ralph Hamilton. The new store would have two floors and a mezzanine, as well as a full basement for repair services and freight, and a ground-level parking lot for customers.
 Hamilton Furniture Store, Opening Day, November 1945  Kuebler's Furniture, 2017 | The opening of the new, modern Hamilton's Furniture Store in 1945 was met with grand fanfare by the Salem populace. Unfortunately, Clarence Hamilton would not live to see his new store completed or join in the celebration, as he died just a few months earlier. The Hamiltons continued to operate their store at this site for another 15 years. In 1960, their story of 66 years of furniture business in Salem ended when they sold the business to another family-run enterprise, Rubenstein's Furniture. The Rubensteins operated their furniture business here for another 32 years, closing the doors in 1992. Ralph Hamilton's forward-thinking designs for his family's furniture store continue to be viable today. Kuebler's Furniture opened in this same building in 1995, continuing the operation of a furniture store on this same site today. Quite the legacy, we account. |
Incidentally, the Kueblers are descendants of early Salem settler, Fred Kuebler, for whom Kuebler Boulevard is named. Another story, another time.
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