FRIDAY, MAY 11, 1951

Frank Wilkinson, Local Luggage Dealer For 50 Years, Sells Store To Retire

The Wilkinson Luggage Shop at 327 S. Main St. has been sold by its owner and operator for almost half a century, Frank W. Wilkinson, to Herbert A. Wodke, a Milwaukee leather goods manufacturer and manufacturers’ agent who for 17 years has called on the local retail outlet.

Wilkinson, 75 years of age, will retire. He plans to spend the summer at his cottage on Eight Point Lake in Clare county.

The new owner of the store who has moved his family to their new home at 2008 E. Stadium Blvd., said he will retain the present name, staff and policies of the shop. Some renovating is being planned.

1One Of Oldest

The store is one of the oldest downtown Ann Arbor retail establishments, handling luggage,. women’s handbags and other personal leather goods and a wide assortment of miscellaneous leather items.

In a March issue of the trade journal, Luggage and Leather Goods, an article entitled "Wilkinson Luggage Shop—Big Success in a Small Town” described Wilkinson’s beginnings in a second-hand furniture shop in 1900.

Pointing out that the shop "enjoys a gross volume in excess of $110,000 a year in luggage and leather goods,” the article states:

"Strangely enough, all this started with a stock of just six trunks at the turn of the century. In 1900, Mr. Wilkinson was a young man with big ideas and $285 in cash. He wanted to go into business for himself, but even in those days there were not many businesses that could be started on such limited capital.

Bought Used Furniture

"So he invested his money in used furniture and set up shop a few doors down from his present location. The venture thrived and after just two years a contractor offered to put up a building for him. Astute Mr. Wilkinson insisted on having an option to buy, and within five years the three-story building was his.

"For the first two years, the entire three floors were kept filled with used furniture. Then the youthful businessman reasoned that many of the people who sold him their furniture were moving away, so he put in a stock of six trunks to sell to people who were disposing of their household goods. Whenever he sold a trunk, he ordered another one.

"By 1903 the luggage business began to look good to Mr. Wilkinson, and he put in a big stock of luggage, trunks, bags and suitcases. Used furniture was relegated to the upper floors and the main floor began to assume its present aspect. There is still a stock of used furniture on the second and third floors, but its presence is more a matter of necessity than choice.

“The old-timers in Ann Arbor still think of Wilkinson's in terms of used furniture and the stock is retained for them...."

The store building has a 40-foot frontage and a 124-foot depth. The building was included in the transaction which was completed last Friday.

MAIN ST. STORE SOLD: After almost half a century of retailing leather goods, Frank W. Wilkinson (left) is turning his Wilkinson Luggage Shop ledgers over to the store’s new owner, Herbert A. Wodke, a former Milwaukee leather goods manufacturer and manufacturers’ agent who for 17 years has called on Wilkinson here. Wilkinson, 75, will retire, with a summer-long lake vacation being first on his retirement schedule.