Dates

• Existence: 1880 - 1935

Parallel Names

• Cedar City Co-op. Cedar Mercantile

Biography

The Cedar City Co-operative Mercantile and Manufacturing Associtation (approximately 1880-1935) was a cooperative society in Cedar City, Utah.

The Cedar City Co-Operative Mercantile and Manufacturing Association was founded in about 1880. Its founders included Henry Leigh and Christopher Jones Arthur, with Leigh serving as its first superintendent. It was known as one of the most prosperous institutions in southern Utah and the company assisted in the construction of the Latter-day Saint Manti Temple. In 1897, the cooperative failed due to debt, but its parent company, ZCMI, prevented the sale and created a repayment plan for its creditors. The store opened its doors once again and elected a board of three men—U.T. Jones, Benjamin Nelson, and Francis Webster—to oversee the debt payments. Arthur served as superintendent during this transition until August of 1909 and was followed by F. B. Wood.

The movement had many different ventures, including operating a general store, grist mill, and tannery, among other services. Advertisements frequently boasted of fashionable clothes, hardware, and fabrics. It was nicknamed “The Old Reliable” by customers due to its wide variety of stock.

In the 20th century, the Co-op expanded to provide modern goods to its customers. In 1906 the Cedar City Co-op began furnishing power to the town, and in 1914 a gasoline supply tank was installed outside the building. By this time, the store specialized in apparel, home goods, kitchenware, and agricultural goods. In 1919, the co-op began requiring cash for all purchases and discouraged the use of store credit or bartering. Buildings for past ventures were demolished due to being unnecessary, such as in 1919, when a lumber shed at the rear of the co-op building was removed. The cooperative's last recorded mention was in 1935. It appears to have dissolved since then.

Citation:

Utah Digital Newspapers, via WWW, May 23, 2023 (failure; reopening; superintendents; services; advertisements; nickname; cash only; power; gasoline supply tank)

Adren Beal Olsen thesis, 1935 (free from outside influence; est. approx. 1880; existed until at least 1935) Manti Temple accounts, 1877-1888 (contributions to temple)

Found in 1 Collection or Record: