Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-01-01
A REMARKABLE BUSINESS.

A REMARKABLE BUSINESS.
REVIEW WHICH SHOULD BE READ-GooDS
BY NAIL AND HOW To GET THEM.
THE METHODS AND CAPACITY OF THE RED
HOUSE ESTABLISHMENT, SACRAMENTO.
The Red House, C. q. Gilman, pro-
prietor (7O6, ia and 7l6 j street,, is dry
goods, boot and shoe, clothing, hat and cap,
fancy and variety store. Admittedly one
of the institutions of Sacramento, natural
outgrowth of her trade advantages. The
wholesale and retail department occupies
three floors, each 20 by 100 feet. In the
basement goods are stored and bulk broken;
on the main flooor is the retail dry goods
and fancy goods department and on the
upper floor is the wholesale department Tor
cotton, cloths, cassimeres, hosiery, wooden
goods, furnishing goods, etc. The clothing
department. is 20 by 60 feet in area. The
hat. cap, boot and shoe and holiday stock
department., has 20 by so feet Of floor
space.
/
In the dry goods retail department are
six statesmen, and in the fancy goods de-
partmcnt are seven In the wholesale de-
partment there is one manager, with relays
of assistants. In the clothing department
two employees are engaged attending only
TO retail customers In the hat, cap, boot
and shoe department seven to eight sales
men are engaged, and these also superln-
tend the annual sale of holiday goods The
Red House has branch in Marysville,
where an even and general line of goods
like that at the parent house is kept.
AGENCIES ABROAD AND WHAT THEY Do
The Red House has several buying
agents, tive constantly in the San Fran
; cisco market, attending trade and forced
sales and auctions an agent in New York
to secure advantages in the dry goods and
fancy stock lines in hats, caps and other
specialties an agent IN Boston, who at
tends to the Red House boot and shoe
stock. This Red House boot " is spe-
cialtv. and is in great favor. The boot Is
made to the order of the house. 1t is whole
stock kip, made half double and whole tap
sole, and for both men, boys and youths is
the most serviceable heavy boot known.
The same agent keeps up the supply OF
miners hob-nail boots, pillow shoes, and four
kinds of brogans. The stock of ladies and
children's shoes is from leading houses, and
equal 'sto all tastes and demands. " About
half the prints and muslins are bought di-
; rect from the factories, and about half the
hats and caps are had from the original de-
pots at the East.
THE REsULT-A STRONG ARGUMENT.
The Eastern goods from first hands are
credited with share of the bargains Sc
cured by auction and trade sale purchase,
, and thus uniform low prices prevail
throughout the stock The cloths sold at
the Red House come from Eastern and
from local mills, and in part from trade
sales as also blankets, fannels and other
: wooden and part wool goods. In flannel
underwear, cottonade shirts, overalls, cot
tonade pants and common pantaloons, the
house buys the raw material, brings 1t to
Sacramento and has it made up here, en-
ploying from twenty to thirty seamstresses'
This is
A SPECIALITY,
, And the goods are presented with strong
claims because of the personal supervision
of the manager, and because Barbour's best
| linen thread is used The help outside the
store.rooms always outnumbers the en-
ployes inside. In hats and caps the Red
House has a constant full line of the best
J stock. The hat and cap stock comes about
one. half from manufacturers and one-halt
from auction, trade and forced sales. Ot
, the clothing department the same is to be
said the stock is as full and varied In
quality as is to be found in any clothing
establishment in the city, while the prices
are as varied as the market, watched as 1t
is by Red House agents, possibly affords
IN HOLIDAY GOODS
There is annually laid in large assorted
stock at astonishingly low rates, which the
, Red House offers more as an accommoda-
, ton than with a view to large profits. 1t
: embraces toilet and fancy goods, toys,
dolls. work boxes, smoking sets, vases,
etc. In show case and fancy goods the es,
tablishment has always very fine and full
: line of goods, such as ribbons, laces, lace
) goods, trimmings, gloves, ties, dress but
tons. braids, collars, and all the line OF a
| fancy goods and trimming establishment
, also much millinery.
FOR THE READER ABROAD.
The Country Order Department is almost
the most important of the whole business.
e Thousands of dollars worth of goods are
e sent weekly by mail chiefly and by freight
and express to every part of the State, to
5 fill "letter" orders Skilled men are en-
gagged constantly in acting for buyers not
e present in person, and have orders to act
in every case as if buying for themselves
4 or families. The result is universal salts
r faction. Thousands of people, from Wash
: ington Territory all the way to New Mex.
e leo, send orders for goods by mail and
e many by express, trusting TO the judgment
of the Red House. The reputation of the
house thus beng at stake, even SreaIel
than ordinary care is exercised III behalf OF
! the buyer.
SAMPLE ORDER DEPARTMENT.
: Here three employees are constantly en-
$ gagged Samples of goods are sent out by
e mail or otherwise, throughout the length
e and breadth of the country, IN response to
e all calls so made by letter. Here, too, all
orders are received and invoices made out,
5 and here all inquiries by letter as to prices
v are answered free of cost, in detail and with
5 care. The manager has never yet, he says,
e sent out price list at higher rate than
o the goods are charged for when sold over
: the counters of any department, and the
e people of the interior have come to realize
/ this fully, and now trust to the department
s implicitly, knowing that personal presence
s is not necessary. Thus are distant buyers,
:, either by the dollar or by hundreds of dol
i. lars, placed on level with city buyers.