Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-06
An Odd Sort of spscu1at1on.

Am Odd Sort of Speculation.
 He was a nervous, bIack-eyed, sharp fea- tured, restless little man, and the New York reporter, while lighting cigar that he had just purchased, asked where he had met him before. Ths black-eyed man smiled medita- lively.
 s'You might have seen me" said he rapidly, "when kept a grocery in Third ayenue {: or when had my fruit store in Thirtieth street or when I wRs-''
 "Enough, said the reporter. "I fear am tiring you. You have been unfortunate in your business ventures. Perhaps you will do better here"
 q cannot say have been unfortunate, " said the little man, smiling once more as he lighted 8 cigar. T don't mind telling you how it is that you are likely to run across me at any time, in almost any part of the city. am professional mover. People say that I cannot be making money because am con- stantly moving, but that is precisely how do make it. In city like New York there are always great many business changes In the smaller stores along the avenues and in most of the cross business streets above Canal, you can find parties every day who are ready to sell out if they can only close up without any very heavy loss. There is an equal, or perhaps greater number of men who are ready to jump into any little busi- ness which seems to promise them modest competence. All do is to step in and re- lieve the seller at the lowest figures I can persuade him to take, and accommodate the buyer at the highest price I can get him to give. The difference is my profit. "
 ''But do you find it easy to sell out 8 busi ness 2'' asked the reporter.
 ''No, not if I sell it out Just as I buy it ; but put new aspect on the face of affairs. buy the business, renovate it, repair it so to nd if Q liryhf hafora hn buyer. In almost all cases where a man wants to sell out, his business has run down, his stock is as small in quantity as it is pooI in quality, the proprietor is spiritless and iuettentiVe, and his place has thin, shabby, dilapidated look; he finds it hard to dispose of it. My business is to buy it, freshen it right up, give it brisk business air and if I cannot really infuse new life into 1t, give 1t all the appearance of prosperity A few economical but artistic and effective touches will do this, and little modest as- surance will sell the concern out.
 ''For instance, bought out this little ci gar store two weeks ago. I had my eye on il for some time, and noticed the premonitory symptoms of early dissolution. I inquired in the neighborhood when the mans rent would be due. Two days before that time made my appearance and got into easy con- versation with him, in the course of which he proposed selling out to me. Then obtained the very lowest price for fixtures, stock and the business separately. The upshot of it was that I would pay nothing for the busi- ness, because there was none, and cut down the prices of stock materially. I Iappeared to him to be about to make the offer, when mentioned the rent. Then I told him ] could not assume so heavy an expense at the start, and went away. The next day, being the day before the rent was due, stopped in again for cigar, and the man resumed kha ryY3Ios TV TVa lad Iak agreeing to pay half the rent. demanded immediate possession, and obtained it. gave myself 24 hours to put on the fancy touches. Scrubbers started in first, and were instantly followed by cheap paper-hspgers and whitewashers. Then the whole stock was brushed up, the fresh sides of the boxes were turned outward, unsightly objects were flung into the yard or under the counter, and cheap but extremely lively oil cloth was put down where it would make the best show. Then came the stocking up. This is an art by, itself, and great deal of your suc- cess in this business depends upon it. You see, you must so arrange that in selling out you will not only get paid for your business, which has cost you nothing, but make a profit on your stock, which has cost y6u next door to it. Of course, choose the cheapest but showiest articles for business like this, as the man sell out to must be green one. A good many of that sort buy small cigar stores, for there is @ current opinion, largely held among certain buyers of city plants, though it is an erroneous one, that anybody can run cigar store. Of course, make the window bloom, and almost always put in . new and brilliant chandelier of many burners. I always insist that the incomer shall settle the gas bill. Then hire an assistant and advertise for purchaser. I can soon tell if I have found the right kind of chap. l talk to him very quietly and say little. Sel- E., ImIs.. the whole point is in hitting the mans fancy. You have fixed up your place with special reference to this idea, and you can soon tell if he likes the style. If he does, let his imag- ination work. If not, you can say nothing useful. In either case you can tell him you are little busy and get him to come in al night-things always look more lively then can.
 There is an interesting little point here which some unprincipled men in our prefes- sion are only too apt to play. I need mol tell you, sir, that neverabut you would not suspect me, know. They make an ap. pointment with would-be purchaser to call at, say, o'clock in the evening. Then they take hundred or so of good cigars in their pockets and visit all of their neighbors who keep open at night, give them three or four cigars, tell them they would be pleased to see them now and then, and wind up by asking them to step ln m the course Of that evening and see how good cigar can be sold for 10 cents. We'll, the men have already accepted some of the cigars, and the chances are that full half of them will call in for a minute or so in the course of the evening and keep the dealer and his assistant passably busy. Meanwhile he has stationed his probable buyer in an obscure corner, and if he plays his cards properly he will greatly impress him with the extent of his trade. Of course I don't go as far as this myself.
 ''Oh. yes I have bought out all kinds of plants. I started in originally with paint store. This venture was not a success. But paint stores are so everlastingly hard to sell that obtained my present knowledge of this kind of traffic while was working that plant of my hands. I know one man who makes speciality of selling liquor stores. The way puaehAAS.'S.Ss get 'caufht in such transactions is by paying for the9 busi- ness Now, business is apeculiarly &phem- eral thing. You may sell bit of stock to a man, but you positively cannot sell him a customer. Most customers are, in fact, as easily blown away as though they were this tie down. It is very different in the old country. Of all people on earth, Americans have the reputation of being the hardest to make ousfounerg n