Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-01
A BUSINESS STATEMENT.
METHODS OF BUSINESS.
HOW THE PEOPLE OF CITY AND COUNTRY
ADUANTArEn


A FEW PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS WORTHY
CAREFUL PERUSAL AND THOUGHT.
There is scarce man, woman or child
of intelligence in California but has heard
of the Mechanics Store, Sacramento
(Weinstock & Lubin, proprietorsl, K and
Fourth streets.
Its history is phenomenal, but not more
so than its methods of business.
Its growth has no parallel in the COM
mercial annals of the State.
But this growth has been the legitimate
result OF the strict application of business
principles all men should understand and
practice.
Its growth, too, clearly illustrates the
advantages of Sacramento as a natural and
desirable trade center-advantage fully
set forth elsewhere.
The Mechanics Store began few years
ago in a single confined room, and with a
hatful of stock.
1t now has five store-rooms, with a front
of 100 feet and depth of 100 feet, two Of
the store-roo having three, and all hav-
ing two floors.
Its floor area is 1880 square feet it's
shelving, 10000 feet and over in length,
or over two statute miles.
The sales counters aggregate in length
over GOO feet.
The trade of the house is both wholesale
and retail, and is conducted exclusively
and unwaveringly upon cash basis.
More than this, {" one price is the uni
form rule with rich and poor, high and
low, friend or foe-a rule as unalterable as
the laws of the Modes and Persians.
The firm is direct importer, and re.
Gently has so perfected its system that with
greater truth than ever it may be said it
has almost entirely done away with middle
men, and brought manufacturer and buyer
face to face at the counter in Sacramento.
1t is manufacturing firm, and makes up
mems and boys underwear, in all lines,
boys suits, ladies', ehildren's and misses
cloaks, clothing for the shop, the laborer,
etc., working up cotton, linen, wooden and
mixed goods in large quantities.
Its factory machines are operated with
an engine, and is upon one of the lower
floors of the house. In this department
twenty-four operatives find constant en-
ployment, with forewoman, a cutter, tive
special workers and two boys.
One of the reasons of the success OF the
firm is found in the lowness of the prices
of the goods offered.
But this does not imply cheapnees of
material
On the contrary. the rule is, the best
article possible for the lowest price pos
sible."
1t follows that there must be small profit
and rapidity in handling the stock.
These two are, with many houses,
deemed sufficient arguments to carry con-
viction OF the truth of the statement, that
they sell cheaply.
But the Mechanics Store adds others ::
First, absence OF the credit system; second,
uniformity of price.
BY this is meant not only an infexible
retail rate marked in plain figures, but
rate, wholesale in character, to retail
buyers in all retail departments, and an in
flexible wholesale rate for wholesale buy
ers in their department, and which the re-
tail purchaser has no access to.
Thus, "a, buying at any of the retail
departments single article, gets it for cash
only and at the same rate as s'B, +" who in
that department buys hundred of the
same articles.
Thus small aud great buyers are placed
ON a level, and the middleman and in
terest evils are still further crowded from
the retail business.
All purchasers buy at the Mechanics
Store, because the price and the articles
are to their advantage not because they
find credit or favoritism, as In SO many
other establishments.
Whoever buys at the Mechanics Store
does so on a level with all other buyers and
under the assurance that neither favor,
affection, patronage or friendship gives one
an advantage over the other, and under
the guarantee that at this establishment all
men are treated alike as purchasers.
A child can comprehend the justice, in
dependence and fairness of this system.
But in matter OF judgment favor isshown,
not to one, or class, but to all How?
By placing all buyers upon an exact level,
as all goods are plainly marked and unde-
viatingly rated, the poorly posted or i'll
Judging customer stands exactly in the
same relation at the counter OF the Me-
chances Store as does the most skilled ex-
pert. Whatever either buys he gets there
for his moneys worth, for he pays no more
in any case than the fairly and lowest pos
sible rated value OF the article
By the system Of this house the dealer is
enabled to buy in small packages. He Is
not forced to make "a bill, !" as commonly
understood, in order to secure advanta-
geous rates, or to suffer an interest rate or
It's equivalent. He may buy 81 worth or
$1,000 worth OF goods at precisely the