Todd's Dry Goods and Notions

The end of an era - Todd's dry goods to close
Joan Becker

I'm going to miss the people so much and the store. "You don't see stores like this anymore," said Grace Todd, operator of Todd's Dry Goods and Notions on Main Street. She is retiring from business in Warwick, a business that was started in 1924 by her father John H. L. Todd, Jr., when he bought Montross and Shiner, a department store that did a thriving business in the old building that now houses Gilvan's Department Store. The building went up on Main Street in 1890 and then the home of Anderson's Department Store which sold men's and women's clothes, shoes and dry goods.

Grace Todd took over the business in 1963 althought she sold the orginal building to Mike Myrow for Gilvan's. He moved from the smaller building next store which is now a camera store, and Miss Todd moved into her present store on the other side of the big building.

Formerly filled with fabric, buttons, zippers and all the paraphernalia of sewing, the shelves are now almost bare. One of the factors which brought on he decision to close was prices. (A check of the DISPATCH from January 5, 1927 shows muslin in 36 inches wide cost 17 cents.) "It took me a long time to make up my mind to sell out," Miss Todd said, " but prices have gotten so high on everything that it forced my mind." Todd's will close its doors on the first of December.

Grace grew up in Warwick in the beautiful big home on the corner of Oakland and Galloway which was built by her grandfather, M.N. Kane, a prominent lawyer. The Todd family farm at Bellvale was operated by her father, former Mayor John H. L. Todd, Jr. She and her sister, Emman McClennan, will share many memories when Miss Todd joins her in retirement in the town of Hendersonville, North Carolina.

This is from the Warwick Valley Dispatch, dated November 22, 1978. Used with permission.