Morris Stein came to Durango in the mid-1880s with experience selling gentlemen’s clothing. At first, he worked for the Lazarus-Rapp Clothing House for several years. In 1889, he married Jennie Hart and went into business with his father-in-law in the Schneider Block (southwest corner of Ninth Street and Main Avenue) at L. Hart Gentlemen’s Furnishing. By 1903, he was running his own clothing store at 864 Main Ave. After a fire in that building in 1907, he moved his establishment to the Crystal Block on the northeast corner of Eighth and Main where the Durango Welcome Center is today. This photograph shows Morris proudly standing to the right of the utility pole soon after opening The Stein Mercantile Co. in its new location. Morris’ son Nate learned the business from his father and later opened his own store, at first on the east side of Main. In 1939, he moved his store across the street to 736 Main, later Stuart’s of Durango. Morris died in Durango at 84; Nate died in 1988 at 97. They left a long and well-respected legacy in the Durango business community. – Ed Horvat for Animas Museum, [email protected] (Catalog number: 89.14.1 from the La Plata County Historical Society Photo Collections)
