Delta chief., 1884-02-27
The Grocery Of The Future.

Pecks sxn.
CT .h he groceries in America, there
is not one that makes much of an effert
to make it pleasant for ladies who trade
in them. A dry goods, or boots AID
shoe store, or book store, will have re-
ception room, carpeted, with easy
chairs, for ladies &c be comfortable
while trading, but groceries are all the
same the world over. Two counters
along the walls, with space between
filled with everything, from potatoes to
smoked halibut. Half of the customers
are ladies, and yet a lady has to stand
up, lean against sugar barrel, catch
her dress in basket of turnips, rub
against a greasy pickle barrel, or a
sticky molasses jug. Groceries that do
half a million dollars worth of business
have no place for lady TO sit down.
unless she sits on half bushel measure
or box of soda biscuit. Why is it?
Is it because grocers cannot spare a
hundred dollars to fit up decent place
for lady to sit while ordering grocer
les. That cannot be, for many grocers
spend ten times that amount in adver-
tising to get people to their stores to
trade, they give away hundreds of dol
goods. and are free and enterprising in
everything except in providing comfort
for customers. What is the use of
having everything spread out all over
the floor in a grocery any more than in
q dry goods store? Why is it necessary
to have bushel of turnips in dirty
basket on the floor or in the doorway?
Wouldn't those turnips be better IN the
cellar? One turnip would tell the tale
that the grocer had turnips for sale as
well as bushel. Why is it necessary
to have another basket filled with beans.
another with beets. a barrel of dried
apples in the way, box of crackers
opened for dogs to smell of on the
floor, and a thousand articles in
sight and under foot that every
body knows the grocer keeps in stock.
whether they are in sight or not. The
Sun has IN its eve model grocery that
will some day take like wildtire. and
when the first man opens such gro
Gerry. or reconstructs an old one on
that plan. all will follow that expect
10 get any trade. The plan would be
10 have the counter run across the
room. with nothing in front of it that is
for sale. A room big enough for custo-
mcrs. carpetcd, with a fire place. easy
chairs. lounges, everything Just like
parlor. Then the ladies could enter
and order what they wanted, have ar
ticles set upon the counter for inspec-
ton, but nothing to run over or fall
into. nothing TO dirty the clothes of
those who trade. no delivery wagons
at the front door. or boxes and barrels
on the sidewalk. everything as nice as
any store for the sale of dry goods.
The first man who fixes such a grocery
IN any city will find that people will
find il out without n page of advertise
ment in the papers. and they will go
there ~ they would go shopping any
where. in their best clothes if necessa-
~. instead Of dressing for the occasion
| in the worst clothes they have. Every
customer would be walking adver-
tisement. and after week in such a
grocery the grocer would be ashamed
of himself that he never thought of it
before. and he could not be hired 10 go
back to the old free-for-all, go-as-you-
please grocery. with baskets, barrels
and boxes living around loose. kegs
and cans falling about, any more than
the customer could be hired to 90 back
TO such grocery 10 trade. The time
will come when such groceries will be
the rule. and when the time comes aud
everybody is happy, grocers and clerks
rs well as customers, the Sun will say,
Il told YOU how it would be-" and the
grocer will send can of fixed amuui.
tion in the way of baked beans to the
cditor's house. with the compliments
of the season, while customers will con-
tribute towards testimonial in the
shape of resolutions engraved on parch-
ment. expressing the sense of the meet
ing.