Martoo's

With the help of his mother, Bacelie Martoo opened his first store in Ipswich in Watson's premises in Upper Brisbane Street c1902.  The store may have been a drapery selling clothes, fabrics, boots, haberdashery & household items in the beginning, however it became more like a general store. 

Martoo dealt in insolvent stock and had auction rooms as well as a retail store.

The business would operate from several locations in central Ipswich.  In 1908 Martoo's was located on Brisbane Street opposite the Australian Joint Stock Bank, which was at the corner of Bell & Brisbane Streets. (Watson's Buildings were also on Brisbane Street and opposite the A.J.S Bank.)  In 1911 Martoo's shop was situated at the corner of Brisbane & West Streets. This is described as being near the Club Hotel and Whiteheads Studio. Then at one stage between 1902-1917, it was found opposite the Palais Royal Hotel in Brisbane Street, and in 1919 Martoo's was located in Brisbane Street adjoining the North Star Hotel, which stood on the northeast corner of Brisbane & Ellenborough Streets.

In February 1923 the store finally moved to Limestone Street, adjacent to Martoo's Olympia Theatre. For a few months Martoo's had been operating from both the Limestone Street and Brisbane Street locations. Since the premises in Limestone Street were larger, Bacelie took the opportunity to widen his stock range. Now the store also sold stationery, meat safes, tinware, saddles, flowerpots and more. The store would only be located here for about 3 years. In 1926 it moved back to Brisbane Street.

Although Martoo's had been a retail success in Ipswich for some 25 years or so, Bacelie's death in April 1927 seems to have initiated its decline. 

Bacelie Martoo also opened stores in Rosewood, Marburg, Gympie and Brisbane. His brothers Nicholas and Vangie also had businesses in  Ipswich.