Grossman's building has long history
Before people purchased products from Grossman, they did business with Bradley.
Daniel Bradley's business, a "forwarding house," was once located on the site of the now-vacant building that most recently housed Grossman's Bargain Outlet on Erie Boulevard.
Plans to redevelop the long-vacant parcel were announced last week.
According to city reference books and historical notes, Bradley's transportation company was located on the site in 1864. Cindy Seacord, archivist for the Efner History Center in Schenectady's City Hall building, said Bradley was moving goods.
The Jay Street resident did not stay in the transport business for long. In the 1871 edition of the Schenectady City Directory, Bradley was listed as the proprietor of a stone and quarry business. He also worked as a nurseryman, gardener and farmer.
By the latter part of the 1800s, the Delaware & Hudson Canal Co. (later the D&H Railway) had set up shop in the former forwarding house. The D&H freight business was listed on Erie Boulevard in dozens of city directories through the late 1960s.
In some directories, the freight yard was listed in the 1400 block of Erie Boulevard.
In the 1966 book, the yard was located near several vacant properties. By 1968, Grossman's Distribution Center was open at 1410 Erie; the freight yard was listed at 1401 Erie.
Updates Nov. 27, 2018
- Ex-Grossman's on Erie Blvd. partially collapses in Schenectady, Nov. 27, 2018
- Scenes from the partial collapse of the Ex-Grossman's, Nov. 27, 2018
By 1980, Grossman's retail lumber store was at 1410 Erie. Grossman's remained at the site in 1984, the last directory available in the Schenectady Public Library.
