Peebles

   Peebles Grocery does not belong in the Real Photo section of this site but, for now, since there are no postcards involved and I wanted to keep it near the Kroger cards, I will keep it here.
   Peebles was established in 1840, by two brothers, William Sharp Peebles and Joseph Rusk Peebles. They opened on the n. e. cor. of 5th & Race Sts. Their business outgrew their building and their capital, so they brought J. G. Schmidlapp into the business. He was known far and wide as one of Cincinnati's smartest financiers. In September, 1879 they moved into palatial quarters in the Pike's Opera House building. They incorporated in July, 1888.

Pike's Opera House

   Due to 4th Streets rapid rise in rents, in 1900 they secured a lot on the south side of Government Square which had been used by the Cavagna Grocery plus an adjacent building. On these two lots they erected a 6 story building with capacious wine cellars 20' deep. This is the store you see in the first two images below. I added the 3rd, later image, to show you who moved into these premises after they left, Kroger.

   Some of Peebles mottoes were "Not how cheap, but how good," and  "If it comes from Peebles it's good: if not, they will make it good," and "The remembrance of quality lingers long after the price is forgotten," were known all over the country. At one time or another Peebles had branches at 64 East Fourth street, northwest corner Seventh and Mound streets, northeast corner Seventh and Cutter streets, and in 1883 they opened the branch on the northeast corner of East McMillan Street and Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills which will be forever known as Peebles Corner, once Cincinnati's second largest shopping center. It was rumored that Peebles gave gifts of cigars and groceries to bribe streetcar motormen to call out "Peebles Corner" at this stop.

Peebles Corner

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Peebles departments that were used in their stores.

                       
       Liquor  Dept.                     Wholesale Liquor Dept.                     Grocery Dept.                     Section of Grocery Dept.

                        
Office & Counting Room                Retail Cigar Dept.                   Wholesale Cigar Dept.                         Fruit Dept.              

   Peebles was the first mercantile house in Cincinnati to use the Bell Telephone, the first to deliver goods by horse and wagon, free of charge, and among the first to introduce the typewriter in the office. After half a century of service to gourmets who craved French Champagne, Russian caviar, and pate de foie gras, This store and two other branches closed in 1935 during the depression. The "fancy groceries" that Peebles was noted for became luxuries that few could afford, plus competition from Kroger and A&P settled Peebles fate.

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