Charles R. Hart & Co.

Charles R. Hart and Company began as the carpet firm Sugden & Co. in 1846 under William E Sugden. The Company went by Sugden & Co. until 1865, when Charles R. Hart (who became a partner in 1863) and L. B. Merriam, and William E. Sugden joined to form the firm of Hart, Merriam & Co. When Mr. Merriam retired in 1888 the firm name changed to Charles R. Hart & Co., with William E. Sugden, Chas. R. Hart, G. W. Curtis and S. A. Bacon as partners. When the change to a stock company was made in 1897 the Company went under the name of The Chas. R. Hart Co. The company sold carpets, wallpaper, draperies, rugs, linoleum, matting, and shades. It was located in the Sage Allen Department store building on Main Street, Hartford. By 1914, it had been bought by the Sage Allen Company.