Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-05-19
LAWTON BROS. q POST.
INDEPENDENCE, May s, 1877

Your most obedient
LAwToN Bios & Posi-.
INDEPENDENCE, May s, 1871.
Mr. EDrroR:-There has been so much
said of late through your paper ana by
the laxative people, concerning the
New York Store of Lawton Bros. y Post,
took it upon myself to make the store d
visit. and have to report the following as
noted down while there: On entering,
was first met by the senior partner, who
has lust returned from the East, where he
has been for the last two months seeing
to the buying for the house. informed
him of nv business for the day and was
politely told to make myself at home.
Every one seemed to be busy waiting on
from one to three customers. l hrst De-
came interested in sale that Mr.. Post
was making in the dress-goods depart
mcnt. It was very evident to me that ne
was the right mar in the right place, and
had not mistaken his calling. no long
or wondered achy the ladies bought their
dress goods at this store; he not only had
the quality and styles they wanted but
was able to tell those who were unsettled
in their mind, the latest styles, and how
certain qualities should be made and
trimmed; and to those who knew what
they wished he could suit at once. 1t
was surprising to see with what case he
could pick out, trim up, and have out OF
the way several dress patterns, and ready
for the next customer. AS soon as l
could get up to the counter l examined
the quality of the goods he had been cut
ting from, and, asking him the Price,
must admit l was astonished, and was
inclined to retract Il little from the high
opinion had been forming of him as q
salesman, and say the goods sold them
selves. They were certainly the cheapest
goods l ever saw l next became inter
ested in sale that Joe Sullivan was
making He, without doubt, had num-
Der of customers that had been running
the gauntlet, rs they were talking about
the various prices of about every store
in the city. Joe soon pleased them, how
ever, and they went away evidently
knowing that the New York Store was
the place to buy clothing. On speaking
to Mr.. Sullivan concerning the clothing
trade, he informed me that in order to
close out their stock they were selling at
remarkably low prices, which accounted
for the quick sales was about to make
some other inquiries but was prevented
by his having to leave to wait on custom
ers who were more profitable ones than
l. then started for the rear of the store,
and after being jostled one way and an
other l got to the shelves of hats and
caps. Mr.. Jerry Burr was here, fitting
up, as l should have thought, several
families in head gear. They seemed sur
prised that he should offer them equal
qualities of other houses for about half
the price. He satisfied them as well as
myself by explaining how they were
bought From that conversation learn
cd that there was much more in buying
goods than in selling, and from that mo-
ment | resolved to make it Il rule to trade
at the store which had the advantages of
buying, for all stores will put on about the
same profit, and it consequently follows
that the store which buys the lowest will
sell the cheapest. Hearing the rattle OF
sewing machines behind me, looked
around and found that Mrs Sullivan had
taken Il little room and was busy with
her assistants, cutting and making up
ladies' garments. She showed me the
latest styles and patterns, and some very
beautiful goods she was then making up.
This struck me rs very good idea OF
the New York Store in having Mrs. Sui
Ivan with them, for it frequently hap
pens that parties from the country have
not the time to run over the town for
dress and cloak makers or styles, and
here they can not only purchase what
they want, but pick out styles, buy patterns
and have them cut or made up, which
ever they wish. While East last season
noticed that all firstclass dry goods
houses have such department in con-
nection with the store. In this respect
the New York Store is certainly city like
Next to the dress department l found
Mr. N. 0. Lawton selling some beautiful
shawls am not good judge but was
informed by the lady who purchased, that
they were the best quality for the price
of any in the city. l then started fol
the Cashiers desk, being determined, II
possible, to learn the secret OF their dong
such large business. found him busy
making change and seeing to various lit
tie matters Judged likely he was try
ing to write up something for the papers
told him that saw it was true tha'
this store was all that it claimed to be
and that they were, as advertised, tne
live house of the West" l further SAID
that, if not asking too much, would lik'
to know why they were enabled to do SC
much better than other houses, who, APP
parcntly, had equal advantages viii
them. After learning that l was no'
pulling an underhand string, or intending
to open new dry goods house. ne told
me several things that will be OF interest,"
for me to remember Among many
things said noted down few, which
will chronicle here: First, he let me into
the secret of buying explained to M
how his brother was enabled, by remain
ing for couple of months in the market
to pick up rare and desirable bargains
which could not possibly be done eXcep
by constantly being there. l SPOKE
| about the great expense that must afis'
in such case. That seemed to amus'
him, and l learned that by their arrange
ment of the two it was rather a saving
He then showed me some goods pur
chased at auction and some bought reg
ularly; the quality was the same, bu
the goods purchased at auction cost les
than half the regular price. l then wa
shown some goods purchased for casi
and shown the bills of 30 and ~ days
as purchased by most merchants, the dit
ference was greatly in favor of cash buy
ing. You can scarcely imagine what
satisfaction these facts were to me, Tor
am one of those persons who do not DC
licve everything they see in print, an,
had partly concluded that the New ori
Store was an exception. The facts, now
ever, found as put forth by them, i.
told him there was one other point, thei
"cash trade" He soon settled That II
my mind. From experience they ha'
found that any reasonable persons woul'
prefer to buy for cash if they could Sc s.:
it to their interest, as they always di'
| ~, ,., o,,,,,.;nu nricpS with credit stores