The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-04-19
OPEN TO-DAY.
Complete Revolution in the Grocery
Trade

SOhplctc xScNOlut1On III tuC SASSCAy
Trade
This morning will see the introduction of q
new feature in the grocery business Of Otta-
wa, which cannot fail to have a great effect
on that line of business, in this county.
Mr., II. j. Gillen has long felt the necessity
of providing Ottawa with grocery establish
ment that shall be able to compete, not with
other Ottawa or La Sale county houses, but
with Chicago retail and wholesale establish
ments.
There are in this county large numbers Of
buyers who have been in the habit of going
to Chicago to buy a barrel of sugar or 10 or
20 pounds OF tea or coffee, and such like.
They generally get bit" enough on the tea
to get a barrel Of sugar at cost, and think they
have made money. Now all that trade has
been lost to Ottawa, because it has not been
convenient to make proper arrangements for
handling package trade" and be able to
convince men that in Ottawa they can obtain
as low prices as in Chicago, or any city in the
west
To this end the enlargement of Mr.. II j
Gillen's business was undertaken; and to-day
his new cash grocery, wholesale and retail, is
open, and ready for business. 1t will be con-
Quoted on the methods that have become fa-
milar to all during the existence of this house
for the last quarter of century or more:
thorough honesty in the representation of
goods, thorough reliability of merchandise,
and the lowest cash seller.
To this last he is now more than ever pre-
pared to substantiate his claim. Having in
viewthe introduction of wholesaling as prom
inent feature of his business, he has perfected
all arrangements for his supplies of mer-
chandise and secured such freight rates, as
shall enable him to place his goods in this
market at the very lowest rates, and himself
in position to sell man 80 pounds, barrel
or 80 barrels of sugar, a package or chest of tea
or a dozen, a sack of coffee or a dozen, and
such like, at rs low price as they can be
bought at Chicago wholesalers, or can sup
ply country merchants as cheaply in Ottawa
as they can buy at their wholesalers at Chi.
cago.
The advantage of such a system to large
and small individual consumers of this coun-
ty cannot be Overestimated. They are as
sured the lowest prices on all goods. They
are assured that in buying in bulk they get
what they buy and not something else. They
are assured that If they get bargain in sugar
they will do equally as well on teas coffees,
or anything else. They are assured of fresh
ness and excellence of goods at all times.
But the advantages Mr.. Gillen has now to
offer need not here be cataogued. The judi
cious buyer can readily estimate them for
himself; and the effect on the grocery bust
ness in this county, as before remarked, can
not fail to be great. The country buyer will
be particularly benefited, for in addition to
he has also this advantage, that all his pro-
duce, butter, eggs, poultry, &c, will be taken
and paid for in cash at the highest market
price. 1t win be seen therefore that the sys-
TEN is as nearly perfect as can be for n per
feet, low priced cash grocery. MIR. Gillen
has always had mania for low prices; but
it has always been with this reservations: he
has never allowed his trade to be deceived
nor would touch inferior goods for the pur-
pose of making low prices. These are the
''tricks of the trade" he has never allowed
in his house and never will
His new quarters are a model of neatness
and convenience. The room has been thor
oughly renovated New bins have been
made, new shelving put in, the walls cleaned,
papered and painted, and the floors purified.
All is neatness and cleanliness: an elevator
connects his cellars with the upper stories, 50
that eyeryfoot of room is TO be utilized in all of
the three buildings he occupies so that there
is not more complete grocery house in the
west, nor better.