John Pillsbury

Title: Advertisement for Pillsbury's Hardware Store
Type: Advertisement
Date: 1871
Source: Minneapolis and St. Anthony City Directory

Description: This advertisement promoting Pillsbury's hardware store appeared in the city directory.
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Activities:

1. What in this advertisement could suggest to you that Pillsbury was not the only owner of this hardware store?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The name of the store lists "Pillsbury and Co." and Woodbury Fisk's name is listed above "Co.", which would suggest that Pillsbury was not the only owner.
2. Advertisments are purchased according to the number of words printed or the size of the advertisement. Knowing what you do about Saint Anthony at this time, why do you think Pillsbury would have made an effort to mention the "Mill Furnishing Goods" in his advertisment?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Since milling was a large industry in St. Anthony, advertising for the materials and supplies that a mill might need for maintenance would possibly draw customers.
3. Most hardware stores we know today sell building tools. Why might there not be any tools mentioned in this advertisement?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Advertisements usually do not list every product a store has in stock. It may be that Pillsbury's store does not sell tools, but it is more likley that readers would assume they could purchase tools there and that it would be more helpful to list some of the more unusual or hard-to-find items he sells, such as the "Mill Furnishing Goods."
4. Because there is no phone number listed on this ad, can you conclude that the phone hadn't been invented yet?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: No, you cannot make that conclusion without further research. As a matter of fact, Minneapolis did not have phones at this time.