Remember This? The longevity of H.R. Lash

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

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Remember This….Keeping Sault Ste. Marie Fashionable for more than 100 years

There have been many successful family businesses in Sault Ste. Marie over the years, however few epitomize this more than H.R. Lash Ltd., which has been owned and operated by the Lash family for four generations.  

Herbert Rosevear Lash was born in Bay City, Michigan in 1888. In 1900 at the age of twelve, Herbert Lash moved to Sault Ste. Marie with his family where he went to school and got a job as a delivery boy for the C.J. Lash grocery store located on Cathcart Street. 

In 1912, while delivering groceries he met Vivian Keith, a young Romanian woman who was about to be deported. 

In order to keep Vivian in Canada Herbert married her. Two years later, in 1914 he purchased the property at 308 John Street from Ed Stubbs and opened H.R. Lash, Ltd.  

Sault Ste. Marie Public Library archive photo

H.R. Lash started out as a small business, with the sale of shirts and shoes but soon expanded to include more clothing items. 

His great grandson Herbert J. Lash referred to the store as the “Walmart of Steelton” because of the size of the workforce. 

When H. R Lash originally opened the store it shared the building with a barbershop and the police station.  Over the years it has grown to take up the entire building. 

In 1951 Herbert R. Lash’s son, William H. Lash took over the business; however Herbert remained active with the business until just prior to his death later that same year. 

William H. Lash continued as the owner until 1976 when Herbert Alan Lash took over the family business.  

In 2014, Herbert Johnathon Lash became the new owner, making him the fourth generation to continue the family’s legacy. 

This also marked a significant year in the history of H.R. Lash Ltd. when they celebrated their 100th anniversary, making it a member of a handful of local businesses to achieve this milestone.  

H.R. Lash didn’t just cater to men’s fine clothing they also catered to the working man as well. 

Their location in Steelton and their close proximity to Algoma Steel gave them the opportunity to supply work boots and clothes for many Algoma Steel workers throughout the decades. 

H.R. Lash has endured and survived a great deal during its history including two World Wars, the Great Depression and a few recessions. 

In his youth, Herbert Alan Lash remembers cleaning up from floods in the basement, moving the inventory so it wouldn’t be damaged, however he enjoyed the work since it meant that he didn’t have to go to school the next day! 

Over the years H.R. Lash has had to update and adapt to stay relevant as times change. 

However the one aspect that has not changed in this modern world is their commitment to provide the personal one on one service that they began with over a century ago.  

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Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provides SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more Remember This? columns here