by Steve Green

One of the most successful businesses in the village of Penacook, it was built in 1855 by brothers, H.H. and J.S. Brown. The store was located on the spot the Davis and Towle building now sits. Through the years it had a number of proprietors, one of the first was a gentleman named Greenough McQuesten. He was also a Deacon at the Congregational Church up until the time he took a position with the Concord Railroad. 

Then there was Deacon William H. Allen, who ran a successful business up until 1862 when Deacon David Putnam took over the business. He took a partner named Moses H. Bean and together ran the store under the name Putnam and Bean.  In 1865 Mr. Putnam took a new partner, Lyman K. Hall, they ran the store under the name Putnam and Hall until 1870 when Mr. Hall took a new partner, Charles T. Foote.

In 1875 Lyman Hall left the business and David A. Brown, brother to the builders, joined Charles T. Foote in the business. It ran under the name Brown and Foote until David sold his interest in the store to his nephew Stewart I. Brown in 1886. At that time the store was renamed Foote, Brown and Co. as it appears in the photo.