The Altamont Enterprise in 1935 had high praise for Egg Auction, Inc. of Albany (praise inspired by the company’s advertising in the newspaper’s special section – common practice then and now).
“In North Albany at 10 Learned Street is one of the reliable institutions of this section and doing an extensive business throughout this territory. It pays the top market price for eggs and is one of the popular dealers in this line. This is one of the institutions that has materially aided in the development of this section of the state and has especially been instrumental in aiding the progress of diversified farming in the community. They furnish the farmers with the most advantageous market for eggs, and therefore operate an institution that is of great commercial value to the public.”
Well, really, there’s only so much you can praise you can heap on a place that buys and sells eggs.
“The management has been closely allied with the large business interests of this section of the state for some time and has been instrumental in upbuilding their section of the country and the institution should receive the patronage of the entire people.” Note a failure to even mention the eggs.
In fact, the egg auction was a big deal, having been formed in 1933 after two years of organizing efforts by poultrymen in area counties, forming a cooperative that would provide a uniform method of grading and selling eggs. The Learned Street location was meant to be temporary, until space could be procured at the new regional market in Menands.
10 Learned Street is now part of the outside lot of Silver Fox Architectural Salvage. It’s been some years since any eggs were to be found there. But when this article was written there was significant food wholesaling going on in the former lumber district, including the Central Warehouse (does anyone else miss the warehouse fire?) and a number of food wholesalers.