130 Years

Bachrach History

Excerpt from the Decatur Herald Sunday September 28, 1930 edition, titled:

“But Before Long His Store Was a Favorite Through-out Central Illinois”

“It is improbable that Henry Bachrach, when he suddenly decided on a day 53 years ago, to abandon his plans to go to Iowa and instead start in business in Decatur, had any idea of the position that the store bearing his name would take in Decatur and Central Illinois.

It may be that he foresaw it, for he was of a keen and forward looking mind. At least he consistently followed a policy that would make a business grow into what his did.

He opened his first establishment just north of the Millikin National Bank on Water Street in 1877. His way a happy temperament that reached out to people and it was but a little
time until his store was a popular gathering place for men not only from Decatur, but for miles around. Emory Ward, now a member of the firm can remember when the Wise boys of Boody, who had a stringed orchestra, would come to the little store and play”.

This article goes on to say, the store was not only a place for doing business but became a social center. Henry loved people and delighted to have men gather in his store. His policy of the time that made him famous was “honest merchandise, honestly handled at low prices”. This was how the name Cheap Charley came about.

Goods at the time were measured in cheapness, because money was very scarce and a dollar went a long way. Cheap had a much different meaning then than it does today.

[submitted by Greg Braswell, SVP/GMM Merchandising]