History threads — Healey Shirt Co. expands in 1920

This is the latest in an occasional series of posts about the history of the garment industry in Warren, Washington and Essex counties.

The Healey Shirt Co. was set to hire an additional 100 workers in 1920 once owners J.H. Healey and Adolf Bronne completed renovation of their factory at South and Park streets in Glens Falls.

“The second story of the building, which has formerly been apartments, is being made over into a large stitching room in which will mean that about 100 more will be employed than at the present,” The Post-Star reported on April 26, 1920.

Work was expected to be completed in mid-May.

Carl Bronne, another member of the Bronne family, was president of Glens Falls Shirt Company, which operated at that time at South Glens Falls Village Hall.

The Post-Star reported on April 6, 1920 that the South Glens Falls Village Board voted to hire contractor W.F. Combs to put a new roof on the building after a leak damaged the company’s merchandise.

“Mr. Bronne of the shirt company stated that many dollars worth of goods were damaged by yesterday’s storm,” The Post-Star reported. “Two members of the board investigated the conditions of the roof and reported as above. The (new) roofing is to be the heavy grade … material and to have a definite guarantee with it.”

Click here to read the most recent previous post in the series.