The A Fortune building decorated for Winter Carnival, 1911.
Courtesy of John Van Anden.
Fortune building from Blood Hill, 1909 (Library of Congress) For the full image, see the first photograph at Saranac Lake Village, c. 1909 
A. Fortune Furniture, far left, from the site of the new Post Office at the corner of Broadway and Olive Street. The Colonial Theatre, later to become Saranac Supply is at right. Adirondack Daily Enterprise, March 29, 2003. 
A. Fortune & Company, 1898 (From Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks: The North Woods City of Health and Opportunity, Mid Winter Carnival, 1909. Courtesy of the Adirondack Research Room, Saranac Lake Free Library) The A. Fortune Company, established in 1892 by Antoine Fortune, was a furniture and decorating supply store that became a funeral home. The store was located at 65 Broadway in Saranac Lake with a branches in Lake Placid; the latter was managed by Charles Stickney in the early 1900s, and provided William Kollecker his first job in the area. The Broadway store was demolished between 1969 and 1970. 1
The Fortune Funeral Home, at 40 (now 20) Church Street, is still in business. In 2003, Tim Fortune became the fifth generation of the family in the business— James Fortune took over the business in 1916, and as did Andrew Fortune, Sr. in 1936, followed by Andrew Fortune, Jr. in 1969
The funeral business evolved from the fact that the firm's cabinet makers were called upon to make caskets.
Lake Placid News, December 16, 1927
Changes in Firm of A. Fortune & Co.
Victor L. Johnson resigned late last week as manager of the well-known furniture house of A. Fortune & Co., of Saranac Lake, having disposed of his interest in the firm to Prescott Bros., of Keeseville.
William R. Shearman, for several years identified with the Fortune company, has been appointed manager. Charles J. Stickney succeeds Mr. Johnson as treasurer.
John Ling and Robert Fortune, for many years closely associated with the firm, will again become active members of the staff.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, July 27, 1955
Funeral Home Sold To Andrew Fortune
Andrew Fortune has purchased the funeral business from A. Fortune and Co., Inc., to be known in the future as the Fortune Funeral Home, 40 Church St., Saranac Lake.
The Fortune Furniture Store on Broadway will continue its operation under the direction of Earl McElwain, of Potsdam, president and general manager, assisted by Mrs. Jay Stickney, vice president and principal stockholder. Mrs. Stickney is the widow of the late Jay Stickney, who for many years served as president of the A. Fortune and Co., Inc. Mr. Fortune will have no further connection with the establishment.
Richard Harrington who has been associated with Fortune's for many years, and Michael Ryan will remain with the funeral home.
Andrew Fortune was born in Saranac Lake, the son of Mrs. Robert H. Fortune and the late Mr. Fortune. He was graduated from the Saranac Lake High School and Simmons College of Mortuary Science, Syracuse.
A. Fortune & Company ad in the Herald and Adirondack Mountain Press, October 20, 1927
He joined the staff at Fortune's in 1936. After serving in the U.S. Air Corps for four years during World War II he returned to business in 1946.
Mr. Fortune is married to the former Alvera Diego, of Northfield, Vt. The couple has two children, Andrew Jr., and Timothy.
Active in the community, Mr. Fortune is presently serving as Justice of the Peace for the Town of Harrietstown. He is a member of the American Legion and is Scout Master of Troop 6. Mr. Fortune has been associated with Scouting for the last 28 years. He served as commanding officer of the local National Guard unit for four years after the war when it was federalized.
Fortune Funeral Home ad in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, October 21, 1988
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August 20, 1956
Sears, Roebuck, Co., To Locate by Oct. 15
Sears Roebuck and Co., will open an order office in Saranac Lake and anticipate its operation by October 15.
The office will occupy one half of the lower floor of A. Fortune and Co., 65 Broadway,
A. Fortune's was incorporated in 1909 by Antoine Fortune and Charles J. Stickney. Mr. Stickney was associated with the store for 45 years. Jay T. Stickney was associated in the business for 25 years and at the time of his death in March 1955, was president of the firm. His wife, Bertha H. Stickney, is now president and manager.
Sources:
1917 Mountain Home Telephone directory. Courtesy of Betsy Minehan.
Bogdan, Robert, Exposing the Wilderness: Early-Twentieth-Century Adirondack Postcard Photographers, Syracuse University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-8156-0608-7.
- Tupper Lake Free Press, September 3, 2003, p. 7
Footnotes
1. Adirondack Daily Enterprise, November 13, 1969
