Stores and Markets

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There is only one market left in Woods Hole – the Woods Hole Market on Water Street. A number of businesses have been located there: N.E. Tsiknas & Company (Tsiknas’s), owned by Greek-Americans from Falmouth, was there for many years. Later it was known as “Louie’s”, run by Louis Hatzikon, manager for the Tsiknas family. In the 1800s there were markets on the upper part of Water Street run by the Howes family and later Higgins & White. These were located where Pie in the Sky and the Post Office buildings are.

There were also markets run by the family business T.E. Howes. It seems to have moved several times from beyond the north side of the Eel Pond drawbridge to the opposite side of the road. It is difficult to determine the exact location from these photos but recollections of older villagers imply that it was where Smith Building is now (89 Water Street). Their delivery wagon and its men made a handsome photo.

A market run by Eliel T. Fish, a whaling captain, existed on the upper section of Little Harbor Road (then called Government Road) along Little Harbor. It also served at times for the Post Office and the Woods Hole Social Library (predecessor of the Woods Hole Public Library). Its structure has been incorporated into a house.

Mrs. Snow ran a well-known dry goods store on lower Water Street which supplied sneakers and summer clothing to nearby MBL investigators as well as various fabrics, fancy goods, cigars, Moxie soda, photos and postcards.

Lower Water Street

 Jotham Howes store, barber shop and Howes market on upper Water Street. The man in the lower right corner is Benny Gifford, the post master. Florence Howes Gordon Collection.

Watson's store in 1890

Dr. J. Maurice Watson’s store on Water Street,1880s (present location of Coffee O). Besides being a physician Watson may have been a photographer who used large format cameras to produce skilled photo images on glass plates. He later moved to Falmouth and built a large Victorian house at the corner of Locust Street and North Main Street, still painted in Victorian style in red and cream. This is why the three-way corner is still called “Watson’s Corner.” Gulesian-Fish Collection.

Nickerson's store

The same store building in the 1890s. Photo by Baldwin Coolidge.

Snow's store

Mrs. Snow’s Dry Goods Store, lower Water Street.

E.T. Fish store

The Eliel T. Fish store on the upper end of Government (now Little Harbor Road). Besides the store the Post Office was in the same building for a period of time as well as the Woods Hole Social Library, predecessor to the Woods Hole Public Library. The building is now part of a house. Gulesian-Fish Collection.

E.T. Fish Store interior

Interior of the Eliel T. Fish store, c. 1889-1890. Gulesian-Fish Collection.

Howe's Market

T.E. Howes & Co. market building. The two Howes store-owning families were distantly related, both originally from Dennis. Florence Howes Gordon Collection.

This was the first location of the T.E. Howes market – along the shore of Eel Pond near the draw bridge. Later it was re-located next to Luscombe’s big grain store and stable (on the present Luscombe Avenue).

Howe's store relocated

Howes Market, upper Water Street. The building was torn down in the 1960s and is the present site of Pie in the Sky. Florence Howes Gordon Collection

Howe's wagon

T. E. Howes wagon at the spring-fed pump on Depot Avenue (now Luscombe Avenue). The Woods Hole Inn is above on left, ice house in the center and Luscombe’s barn on right. Florence Howes Gordon Collection.