Hennessy's
Encyclopedia
Hennessy's was an American
department store
owned by Mercantile Stores
and was headquartered in Billings, Montana
. When Mercantile Stores was acquired by Dillard's
in 1998 the 100 year old name was retired in favor for Dillard's.
" Marcus Daly
, a powerful businessman from Butte, Montana
, had a falling out with his business associate in Missoula, Montana
, A.B. Hammond. Daly decided that Butte needed a store that would compete with Hammond's Missoula Mercantile to sell goods to miners in Butte and lumbermen in Missoula. He found fellow businessman, Danel Hennessy. Hennessy owned and operated a successful store in Butte. With the clout of financial backing from Daly, Hennessy hired Frederick Kees, an architect from Minneapolis, to design one of Butte's most elegant buildings.
Hennessy's department store opened for business in 1898. Inside, shoppers encountered marble staircases, oak counters, and solid bronze balustrades. Customers found every type of merchandise in 17 different departments from the basement level, up through the first three floors. At its opening, the Butte Hennessy's store employed 200 people.
Hennessy's stores expanded from Butte into locations in Missoula, Billings
, and Helena
. The chain was acquired by Mercantile Stores
in the 1970s and headquarters moved to Billings in 1980. The Hennessy's chain closed the Butte store in February 1980 after years of difficult business. In 1998 Dillard's
acquired Mercantile Stores
and the Hennessy's brand was dropped in favor of Dillard's. At this time Hennessy's operated three stores in Helena, Billings, and Missoula.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
owned by Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names...
and was headquartered in Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
. When Mercantile Stores was acquired by Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
in 1998 the 100 year old name was retired in favor for Dillard's.
History
Hennessy's history began when "Copper KingCopper Kings
The Copper Kings, industrialists William Andrews Clark, Marcus Daly, and F. Augustus Heinze, were collectively known for the epic battles they fought in Butte, Montana and the surrounding region during the Gilded Age over the control of the local copper mining industry, a fight which had...
" Marcus Daly
Marcus Daly
Marcus Daly redirects here, see also Marcus Daly Marcus Daly was an Irish-born American businessman known as one of the three "Copper Kings" of Butte, Montana, United States.- Early life:...
, a powerful businessman from Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
, had a falling out with his business associate in Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
, A.B. Hammond. Daly decided that Butte needed a store that would compete with Hammond's Missoula Mercantile to sell goods to miners in Butte and lumbermen in Missoula. He found fellow businessman, Danel Hennessy. Hennessy owned and operated a successful store in Butte. With the clout of financial backing from Daly, Hennessy hired Frederick Kees, an architect from Minneapolis, to design one of Butte's most elegant buildings.
Hennessy's department store opened for business in 1898. Inside, shoppers encountered marble staircases, oak counters, and solid bronze balustrades. Customers found every type of merchandise in 17 different departments from the basement level, up through the first three floors. At its opening, the Butte Hennessy's store employed 200 people.
Hennessy's stores expanded from Butte into locations in Missoula, Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, and Helena
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
. The chain was acquired by Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names...
in the 1970s and headquarters moved to Billings in 1980. The Hennessy's chain closed the Butte store in February 1980 after years of difficult business. In 1998 Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
acquired Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names...
and the Hennessy's brand was dropped in favor of Dillard's. At this time Hennessy's operated three stores in Helena, Billings, and Missoula.