It was 100 years ago that Alexander Samuel Cooper signed a purchase agreement granting him the stock and trading rights of what is today, A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd.

Located conveniently on Front Street, in what is now Butterfield Place, the Bermuda Furnishing & Supply Company flourished; benefitting from Mr. Cooper's years of experience gained while working at some of the Island's better stores.

According to his son Gilbert, in an interview which appeared in a 1945 issue of The Bermudian magazine, the store was initially typical of the type one might expect to find on an island -- selling everything from sunglasses and fireworks to hairpins and sacks of salt.

There was however, always china and, as a result of Alexander Cooper's personal love of fine things, all general stock soon gave way to china, silver and antique furniture.

As explained in The Bermudian : "Eventually, after the tourist trade began in real earnest, Mr. A.S. Cooper began to eliminate very nearly everything in order to accentuate the china and glass. Really good china was twice the price in the United States as in Bermuda, so the eyeshades, fireworks, hairpins and bathtubs gradually disappeared to make way for the Wedgwood, Doulton and Goss china.

"In the heyday of the Bermuda tourist traffic, the premises of Messrs. A.S.

Cooper and Sons was a veritable treasure house of some of the world's most beautiful china and glass. Here could be found a great variety of Wedgwood; among them embossed Queen's Ware, Bone china, service plates, vases and jars of the blue and white bas relief and the black basault. There was a great display of Doulton figurines, famous all the world over; delightful table decorations of Bermuda flowers in Crown Staffordshire and countless other masterpieces of ceramic art.

"For several years both Gilbert and his brother Arthur travelled all over Europe making their purchases from the pick of European showrooms and factories and because of their impeccable good taste the show rooms on Front Street became a landmark for the wealthier visitor.'' In those days, the side of the Cooper shop which later adjoined the Bank of Butterfield, was occupied by the London Clothing House -- operated by Josiah Henry Cooper, elder brother of Alexander. In 1932, the stock of the London Clothing House was purchased and this section of the property was rented from the estate of Charles Robinson. The alleyway through the centre of the two buildings was filled in and the stockyard in the rear of the building was covered, forming a link between the two buildings.

According to store records, Mr. Cooper continued to trade under the name of the Bermuda Furnishing & Supply Company until 1936, at which time he changed the name to A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd., retaining the former name for his company's wholesale Growth the result of hard work, determination and quality goods operations.

However, it was not until after the Second World War, when the airport opened up for commercial traffic, that Bermuda's retail trade began to really flourish. And, at the head of the pack was A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd., with the company purchasing the Front Street building from the estate of Charles Robinson in 1946.

"Cooper's consolidated their entire crystal, china, silver, and gift department in the Front Street store and opened a ready-to-wear clothing shop in the Cooper's building on Reid Street,'' state store records. "It was not until 1962 that this department was shifted to Front Street. The single shop at the corner of Burnaby Hill and Reid Street which then housed Cooper's tailoring division, was extended to include the adjoining premises and the furniture business was moved to this store.'' With success came problems however, as residents and visitors demanded more and more of the store's quality merchandise. The only solution was for A.S.

Cooper & Sons Ltd. to expand, but finding a suitable location which could adequately house its wares was difficult.

According to the records: "No walls could be found to house the entire operation. It was not until the end of 1973 that (Cooper's) learned that the Ingham & Wilkinson building on Front Street extending through Reid Street, would be available.'' Their offer for the building was accepted at the end of January, 1974, with work commencing on the new building in June of the same year.

"It was the desire of the Board to create the most beautiful retail shop in Bermuda -- one that would take its' place amongst the finest in the world.'' As a result of the Cooper family's long association with the Wedgwood family, Arthur Bryan, board chairman of Josiah Wedgwood & Store for today and also the future! Sons Ltd. offered the services of Rainer Muller, one of his top interior designers, to assist in decorating the new store. Mr. Muller was assisted by David Radcliffe, a store layout designer for the Jaeger Company and Cooper's own Judith Swift and Jennifer Pengilley.

"It was decided that the theme of the store should be of a modern, classic design. The advantages of modern, well-lit shop fittings were not to be ignored, but the relaxed tranquillity of a Bermuda shopping atmosphere was to be closely adhered to. Classic shapes and colours were therefore utilised throughout the store to correspond with the mood of the merchandise in each department.'' The move from Butterfield Place to Cooper's present location at 59 Front Street and 26 Reid Street, placed the gift department in the Front Street entrance, just as it was with the old store. Collectors' items and figurines helped accentuate the area. The re-location also saw the installation of Bermuda's first-ever escalator which carried customers to the second floor; still in use today, it then led buyers to the men's and ladies' departments.

The front section of the second floor, then and today, houses the dinnerware department and was especially useful in displaying oven-to-table ware and a gourmet selection of cookware. The boardroom, also on the second floor, was furnished as a dining room enabling sales staff the opportunity to set the table with dinnerware patterns if customers so desire.

The third floor, at the Reid Street level, served as home to Cooper's Interior Decorating & Design department, the home furnishings department and the Bermuda Furnishing & Supply Company. The fourth and fifth floors housed the company's many offices, a staff recreation room and its advertising and display departments. Today, a varied selection of infantware and products for young children are available on the fourth floor.

"Care was taken to preserve the beautiful old balcony of the Ingham & Wilkinson building which co-incidentally is practically identical to that of the old A.S. Cooper's,'' state the records, "and is presently a facade in keeping with Bermuda tradition. Inside, a sparkling new world has been created.'' As a result of the efforts of a dedicated team of people, A.S. Cooper's is able to tell its story today of 100 years of trading. Hotel shops have been opened over the years at the former Bermudiana hotel, the Princess, Castle Harbour and the Southampton Princess. And plans for the future are already in the works.

With planning permission already having been received, A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd.

is poised for upgrades to the 59 Front Street store and the creation of a new building over the 26 Reid Street entrance, expected to house offices of international and local companies.

"26 Reid Street will be an entirely new building, modern and well equipped to meet the requirements of a busy international company,'' read the plans. "An individual and quite distinct entrance provides access to the new building which has a singular, major advantage over any other office space currently available in Bermuda -- it is located on Front Street; not at the East or West end of Front Street, but right in the very centre of Hamilton's premier commercial real estate.'' Comprising 27,066 square feet and four floors, the office building will be located between Bermuda's two main banks, offering a Front Street location and a Reid Street address. Each of the four floors will have breathtaking views of Hamilton's signature asset, its Harbour with each boasting an accessible terrace overlooking the area.

"Virtually adjacent to 26 Reid Street will be the department store owned and occupied by A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd. Concurrent to the construction of the offices, the three retail floors of the store will be entirely renovated to become Hamilton's finest shopping address.'' For the Coopers, the renovations will complete the vision held by A.S. Cooper when he first opened his business 100 years ago.

"The new shop on Front Street was the culmination of a dream for the directors of A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd. and the entire Cooper family who always wanted to find a suitable Front Street property to house their Hamilton retail operations under one roof. and the planned renovations will perfect that.

"Thus, the dream of A.S. Cooper and his sons will culminate in premises both beautiful and functional; an expression of our pride in being merchants, our inherent love of our trade and our deep faith in Bermuda's future. Alexander Cooper would be pleased to witness the evolution of the business which he bought for 100 100 years ago. Today, A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd. stands as our family's tribute to him.'' Alexander Samuel Cooper Site of the first A.S. Cooper & Sons Ltd. shop, located at 26, Front Street, and recognisable today as Butterfield Place Alexander Samuel Cooper's five sons -- Arthur, Charles, Thomas, Edmund and Gilbert COOPERS 100 YEARS BUSINESS BUC