Why did the Seattle Bon Marché Succeed?

          Although The Bon Marché in Seattle thrived by sticking to the Parisian model, there were many significant factors in the development of Seattle that both reflected the growth of the store and helped the store to grow in and of itself. Jumping back to Seattle's status after the fire of 1889, the city needed to be built anew. Many were unemployed, but the construction work would give them jobs. The Bon Marché, carrying a dry goods department just like its namesake, was able to supply many of the items necessary to help rebuild the city, thus bringing in revenue. Counteracting this new business, however, the national economic "Panic of 1893" sent the local economy into a four year depression.[i] While the infrastructure rebuilding process was keeping the store afloat, there were three other major developments that would eventually led to a population boom, economic recovery, and a boom in clientele for The Bon Marché.

          First, individual byproducts of the industrial revolution began to reach Seattle, which helped it transform from a frontier town to a modern city where people would really want to live rather than have to live there by necessity. Gas from coal mined nearby was first used to light homes, streets, and businesses in 1873.[ii] Over the next couple of decades, this would spread to the point where most areas around Seattle had coal gas. Ten years later in 1883 telephone service reached Seattle, which would also proliferate over time.[iii] Electricity would also reach Seattle, as "the first electric light bulb to shine west of the Rockies" was illuminated on 22 March 1886 and electric streetcars were introduced three years later.[iv] These technological and industrial developments allowed people to not only want to live in Seattle thus increasing customer base, but also allowed The Bon Marché to sell goods that took advantage of these advancements such as telephone supplies or devices that required electricity.

          The second major development was in the area of improved trade, trade methods, and trade routes. Regular steamship cruises between San Francisco and Seattle began in 1875, and the Northern Railway completed a direct transcontinental route to Seattle in 1893. Combined with the later opening of trade with the Philippines in 1899 and the completion of the Panama Canal in the early 1900s, Seattle was able to gain new trading partners for its goods and easily increased the ease with which people could travel to migrate to the city. For The Bon Marché, these improvements in trade meant easier access to finished consumer goods, thus decreasing their cost and increasing their availability to Seattle citizens.

          The third and final major development, however, was the one that truly removed Seattle, and The Bon Marché, from economic depression. Ironically it was the same instigator that eventually caused Seattle to be formed in the first place. In 1897, gold was discovered in Alaska, and almost everyone rushing out to the Klondike River or Canadian Yukon area went through Seattle.[v] The city economy received an incredible jump-start as locals fleeced the travelers in everything from transportation services to speculation on prospecting. The Bon Marché was able to benefit from this boom by selling digging tools and winter clothes to travelers going north and selling consumables to those returning who had stuck it big. Sales jumped so much that the store had to relocate to a larger shop space. The Bon Marché was now in the same area as other retail stores, a perfect location to emphasize its appeal to people of all classes.[vi] With a large amount a capital to its back, The Bon Marché was easily able to expand its advertising campaign, increase its product selection, and begin to gain a significant edge in the consumer retail industry.