The day after arriving in Portland, Ladd rented a small store at 42 Front Street and sent an order to Tilton for more liquor. At that time, Portland contained 6-8 saloons and Retail liquor stores, with approximately 30 Retail stores. One saloon had just received its first billiard table. Ladd only grossed $41.40 in the last two weeks of April and was unable to pay the $6 property tax, instead exchanging several nights and mornings to remove two stumps from the street in lieu of payment. Early May proved better for Ladd, selling a large amount of gin to Barrell, adding the local Skidmore's California House hotel and Ainsworth's Lot Whitcomb steamer as customers. Ladd began to branch out, adding eggs, chickens, and other local goods to his liquor store. He then earned $250 by selling goods from W. D. Gookin on consignment, adding shaving soap, tobacco, paper, farm tools, blasting powder to his store. In August 1851, Ladd's gross sales were $1000. In association with Gookin he continued in the mercantile Business for several years.