The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-03-31
D. B. FISK & co.

"
importers and wholesale dealers in millinery,
straw goods, ladies furnis hing, fancy goods, and
trimmings, whose store is represented by the
above engraving. 1t is the pioneer wholesale
millinery house of the Northwest, was established
in the spring of 1888, on Wells street, between
Lake and South Water and was regarded at the
time n hazardous experiment. The city then
numbered about 10000 people, the surrounding
country was new and sparsely sattled, railroads
were not, money was scarce, and the people poor.
In 1854 they moved to l34 Lake street. From 1855
to 1857 they were mt lG5 and l67 Lake street. up
stairs. In the spring of 1851 their business having
steadily increased, they removed to the splendid
iron building whore they are, occupying the
second and third floors. Two years ago their bust
ness had so outgrown their accommodations that
they took the whole building-the two floors
above them for manufacturing and packing
rooms. and converted the two stores below into
one, for n salesroOm and counting roOm-and fit
ted it throughout in the most substantial and ele
CANT style, with toilet rooms the first floor for
their lady customers
AN ACRE AND A 2 6Abs OF MILLINERY
So that, including the basement, they now have
six floors 80 by l6j feet-l93l3 square rods er
nearly an acre and Il quarter of floor room for the
display and sale of millinery goods-it being the
largest store devoted exclusively to the millinery
trade in the United States.
EXTENT OF THEIR TRADE.
Their trade extends from the Wabash to the
Pacific, and from the Red River country of Brit
ish America to Texas. beginning with annual
sales Of few thousand dollars, they have swelled
by 33 per cent. tho sales of the year previous.
Western people are more liberal in their expel.di
lures than Eastern people, and the ladies, eSpe-
caly in our thriving W estern cities and villages
require even more fashionable and costly styles
of dress and millinery goods than their Eastern
sisters.
SYSTEM AND PROMPTNEsS.
Everything in this house is systematized and
their arrangements with the telegraph and ex-
press companies are so perfect that they can send
orders to their buyers in New York on Friday
night and have the goods ordered delivered at
their store in Chicago Mt o'clock on Monday
morning, in season for their morning customers.
LARGEST AND FRESHEST STOCK.
They have always the largest freshest and most
complete stock of goods in their line to be found
under one roof in this country, thus saving their
and the extra freight on their goods and reducing
the time between purchasing and ordering their
goods from days to hours.
REASONS OF THEIR SUCCESS.
Their great success has been achieved by their
enterprise Sagacity, atiability, integrity indus
| try, good taste in the selection of their stock
promptness in securing the latest and best styles
pie means and rare facilities for making the manuac
lures of their goods both in the Old World and in the
New, tributary to their wishes; thorough acquaint
ance with the wants of the trade and constant atten
ton to the interests of their customers and by keeping
only those in their employ who efficient and trust
worthy assistants and who take personal interest il
| the business of the firm.
| WHAT SUCH MEN HAVE DONE.
1t is such they who have transformed Chicago
within few years, from mud village, struggling fol
existence between waste of waters and painless will
derncss into gigantic city, whose business houses,
| mammoth proportions, are substantial marbl,
and iron make them whose temples of science art
and religion rival those of cities hundred years old
whose trade and commerce embrace both hemsp heres
| and whose name has gone abroad into all the earth