Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-10-28
THE RETAIL LIQUOR BUSINESS.

THE RETAIL LIQUOR BUSINESS
A Br~oklyn saloon Keeper says tina
the Days when There Was Zig
Money II Have Passed.
"The DAYS when big mon y wa,
made in the retail liquor business nav,
passed." sad II saloon keeper to {
Brookiyn EaJIe reporter, while h,
quaf1ed glass of ambar-colorel liquid
in his place of business near the city
hall. 1.-THE statement seems highly
improbable, but yet It S true. When
say there isn't the money in the bust
ness there used to be have reference
TO the liquor stores which nave been
established within two or three years.
Show me saloon which has been started
within that time that is making money.
You can't do it. You always thought
that the retail liquor business paidP
So did until recently. | have been
running this store for over year. but
my daily receipts have averaged less
than $25. That is no money for a sa-
loon in a neighborhood where rents are
high and where drinkers congregate.
l will tell you why this saloon doesn't
pay the profits it should In the first
place, I'm not well known in the neigh
borhood, and that is every thing in n sa-
loon-keeper. | have not been establish
ed long enough TO attract customers
away from their favorte drinking plac-
es"
DO all men prfer to do their drink
ing in the same saloon?
Il have found it So A certain class
of morosc, uncOmpanionable men don't
care where they drink, or the quality
of rum they pour down Their Threats,
but the large majority of drinking men
are attracted by the surroundings of a
place. One man likes n certain bar
tender; another, the fitting of a saloon,
and still another enjoys the society he
meets there. The popularity of man
greatly depends on how much business
he will do. In saloons situated near
the bridge and Fulton ferry the per-
sOnility of man makes but little
difference in the amount of trade he
does. His saloon is patronizcd simply
because it is handy His customers
would not cross the street to drink at
his bar, because they know neither the
man nor they are not particularly
charmed with his place, 1t is the
quiet, well established, and out-of-thc-
liquor stores which pay. BrooNynites
doing business in New York are there
educated TO appreciate $4,000 paint
ings in bar-rooms, and when they 90
out in the evening for a drink they like
to take their nip surrounded by the same
evidences of luxury which they find in
their own homes. The rude and sim
pie drinking places, with their hard
wooden benches, which were in vogue
in the old Dutch inns of the early set
tiers, are not appreciated by the pres
ent generation. The age calls for
extravaganza in the shape of high
ly decorated bars, cut glass de-
canters' and elegant decorations.
The total amount paid by Brooklyn
chop-hou'e and saIoon-kr"P'rs for
pictures alone toots up nearly $4,000
Nowadays all the daily and week., pa
pers must be furnished to customers
and fact every indurym"mt hoId out
to attract the trade of the fastidious
A Little over year AFRO vacant ore
next to IN old cstabI shed saloon in
Broohl'n was hired by a liquor. cal"r,
who opened 2 r-"ou' place. lie did
everything to attract custom, but last