Back in June, I was watching the local news and saw a story where a photo of an old building in the Warehouse District of Peoria was featured. The name of the building was briskly displayed in large letters “Chic Manufacturing Co.” The front of the building was crisp and clean and looked like it had just been finished. The short story attached to the image was about how this particular building is being offered by its developer to be converted to apartments, as numerous other old manufacturing buildings have been. The story gave a brief history of Chic Manufacturing Company that noted it had four locations, Peoria, Chillicothe, Vandalia, and Bellville.

As it happens, I had researched the Chillicothe Chic Manufacturing building. You may recall the article, that showed the gayly painted front depicting a chest full of “repurposed” treasures. You’re right, it is Dawn Childer’s building situated on the NE corner of Second and Elm Streets. Many readers will recall when the building became known as the “Princess Peggy Building.”  Those of us who grew up in the 50s and 60s probably know of the Princess Peggy line of women’s wear. My mother bought selections from the Schradzki’s Clothing Store in the 200 block of South Adams in Peoria. Schradzki’s also had stores in Sheridan Village and Northwoods Mall before closing in 1986. Some information claims Schradzki’s had been in business since the 1850s. However, some of that time it was known as the Salzenstein Clothing Company. Both the Salzenstein and Schradzki families ran clothing stores in two storefronts in the 200 and 300 blocks of South Adams. Solomon C. Salzenstein family members incorporated the business first as the Chic Apron Company in 1909. The company bought the property at 1001 S. Adams in 1909. They expanded their product line and re-named the company the Chic Manufacturing Company in 1912. By 1914, the company was producing 15,000 dozen items per month (2,160,000 pieces) annually in the Peoria factory. This business was truly a Salzenstein family business for over a century. I wasn’t able to locate much information on the Schradzki store’s operations.

The Chillicothe property had originally been the site of St. John’s Reformed Episcopal Church (1885-1911), then Conver’s Steam Laundry and two automobile dealer sales and service businesses. Fires consumed the laundry and the automobile dealership building before Arnold R. Salzenstein bought the Chillicothe property in 1944. Local contractor C.W. Brown erected the building. But what brought them to Chillicothe in 1944? Several factors probably worked together that brought Salzenstein to Chillicothe. They had earned a contract to provide garments to the USA military. Chillicothe was an established economic center with two railroad stations, as well as reliable motor truck cartage and transfer capability, and the White Star Bus Line that could carry passengers and freight. Another connection may have been Herman Mehl, owner of the Mehl fish markets in Peoria, Chillicothe, and Ottawa, Illinois. Mehl was also owner of the excursion boat Columbia, which he wintered in Chillicothe in 1917-18. The Columbia sank at Pekin in 1918. Mehl had owned the Second Street property when he lived here and served on the City Council. Mehl sold the property to Elmer J. Gaylord in 1935, who sold it to Salzenstein in 1944. Social connections could easily have made a difference. The Reformed Jewish congress in Peoria was filled with many successful and active businessmen who owned commercial properties in Peoria County, including Salzenstein’s, Mehl’s, Schradzki’s, and Lehman’s. These men held memberships in the Illinois Valley Yacht Club, Creve Coeur Club, North Shore Country Club (Shore Acres), Kiwanis Club, and other social clubs, most associated with business. 

As WWII wound down, Salzenstein converted production to concentrate on the development of their low-cost wash-and-wear pull-on ladies’ dresses called “Princess Peggy.” Their commitment was made clear when they put “Princess Peggy” on the front of the Chillicothe building. Salzenstein ran the business here until early 1958, when it sold it to a Milwaukee business, which would operate under the name of Chillicothe Garment Company. This company would also manufacture ready-to-wear women’s dresses. Salzenstein had employed 53 women and reported their weekly payroll was $2,300 per week ($27,000 in today’s real wages, but the impact value of those wages on the local economy would be approximately $80,900 today). The new firm claimed they would hire more employees than Princess Peggy had. I do not have in information on that issue.