Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-03-26
A Weird to Our Business Men.


recent period of business depression with
fewer failures and less distress, probably.
IN proportion TO its population, than any
place of considerable size in Vermont. There
has been no year in the last ten that has not
added a number of new buildings and in
ternal improvements of more or less import
ance. New avenues of business have been
opened, new and promising enterprises start
ed. The wholesale business of Burlington
has grown steadily, and employs now corps
of travelling statesmen and agents, larger than
at any previous time The retail merchants
who manage their business with enterprise
and care, have generally done well. Manu-
features have been depressed; but are re-
viving strongly. And now, as a period of
general commercial activity has fairly set in.
it becomes our business to Look alive, and
see TO it that full advantage is taken of the
turn of affairs, and that nothing be lost by
remissness and neglect. Capital is now
cheap; trade active, the general feeling
hopeful. There is tide in the affairs OF
men," in business as well as politics, that
taken at the flood leads on to fortune'-and
this is undoubtedly one of the flood times to be
seized and improved while the tide is run
ming, or the wave may pass and leave only
regrets that we did not secure from it the
benefits and make the substantial growth and
progress which We shall see other and more
enterprising places making.
We hope before long to chronicle the addi-
ton of extensive additions to the manufac
turing industries of Burlington hut to-day
we are talking rather to our merchants. The
mercantile business of Burlington, consider
able as it is, is capable of large extension.
But mercantile men must realize that re-
turn of business activity is not q return to
the flush times of the war. People are pre-
pared TO buy freely but they have learned
to count the cost and they buy more closely.
They take pains TO be posted on prices; and
they will give their trade to the men who
offer the most inducements. They will not
overlook small margins and differences and
their custom will go to the dealers who are
willingt to share profits with them. 1t behooves
our merchants to secure good balances on the
right side of their ledgers by making small
profits ON large sales. Allow no one TO see
or to say that he can buy cheaper at some
other place. Hold your old customers and
secure new ones by square and liberal deal
ing and low figures. Another and quite as
important matter is 10
ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS.
Let people know what you have got-and
what sort of inducements you have to offer
them. Ii is the only way to do business
nowadays. Burlington draws trade from
wide area The summer and pleas
ure travel now brings her thousands of peo-
pie in the active season; and they leave
good deal Of money in our city. They do
not spend great many hours at a time in
the place and have little time to study the
shop windows They so straight to the
stores whose names arc familiar to them,
from often seeing them in the columns of
their newspaper As everybody knows, the
FREE Press circulates more largely than
any other paper in the region which is natu-
rally tributary to Burlington; and our out
side readers read the advertisements. We
but state most distinct and recognized
fact. when We say that the concerns which
have made the money from the summer
business, and indeed at all times of the year,
are those that hare adrertised freely in the
FEE Press AND TINES and WEEKLY FREE
Press. Our advertisers are the money makers,
in this community. 4 word to the wise
ought to be sufficient, in this matter And
now, as the active season opens, is the time
to secure the space, and let people become
familiar with your names and what you have
to sell. 1t is the Presidential year, and every
body is taking the paper and looking for the
latest news. Advertising through the columns
of an established and widely read paper is
the cheapest kind and the most effective
and fair amount of enterprise and outlay
in the directions we have noted, will start
the tide of trade and keep it booming