Growing up, many of us remember the thrill of collecting trading stamps at the grocery store. After saving enough, you could redeem them for household goods like dishes and silverware. The most well-known of these were S&H Green Stamps. The idea originated with Shelley Byron Hutchinson, who first used stamps to promote his family’s shoe business in Battle Creek. He later partnered with Thomas A. Sperry, leveraging Sperry’s financial backing and business connections to found the company.
The Hutchinson Mansion is a prominent historic home located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Construction on the mansion began in 1902 and was completed in 1904. One of the largest homes in Ypsilanti, the 30-room mansion was designed to be a lavish residence for his bride, but it was sold in 1912 after the couple divorced. Today, the property is used for various commercial businesses. The S&H Green Stamp program peaked in the mid-1960s but saw a decline in the 1970s due to recessions, and the company was sold in 1981.
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