like many stores which operated at this time, the former clewett's building was occupied initially by locally-based merchants. this changed from the early 1890s when large southern firms, attracted to the area by the wealth of the mount morgan gold mining company and rockhampton's rural hinterland, established branches in rockhampton, supplanting many local stock and station agents, wool produce brokers and others in the chain of commerce. amongst the first was dalgety and co, which opened an office in quay street in 1891.