The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-13
EXAMPLES OF THRIFT.
Men Who Have Become Successful in Bust
ness by Their Own Industry.

II like the Journals talks about successful
business men, said gentleman yesterday to
the reporter ~ want to say right here that
indianapolis is no more limited in its territory
as wholesale market than Chicago. That city
has no advantages over us as a wholesale mar
ket that are not counter balanced by advantages
in our favor. Chicago cannot go hundred
miles away in any direction where there is any
great trade without meeting competition.
The field that she has to herself is no
better than the one that Indianapolis
has to herself. Indianapolis wholesalers
are dangerous competitors for the reason that
they do business under much less expense than
wholesalers at Cincinnati, Chicago or St Louis.
By the way, in writing up successful business
men you might mention Hollweg & Reese, the
queensware men, whose success, considered by
some as phenomenal has nothing strange about
1t whatever. Their establishment is one of three
of the largest queensware houses in the West,
one of the others being in st Louis and the third
in Chicago, and Hollweg & Reese sell as much
as either or their great competitors. 1t hasn't
been many years since Louis Hollweg began
business in cellar, his stock being chiefly crock
cry, and the whole outfit not worth much more
than hundred dollars By pluck and sense he
has succeeded in building up solid and extern
SlV0 business. But ne began at the bottom, lit
orally in the cellar.
''Then there is the firm of Kipp Brothers. i'm
porters and jobbers of all kinds of sundries toys
and fancy goods. Robert and Albrecht Kpp
are successful young men. A few years ago they
were clerks. They started the business they are
in now in February. 1880, at No 80 South Me-
ridian street Recently they have added the ad-
joining business room No 81, which gives them
the finest rooms in this line in the West They
have paid strict attention to business, keeping
close personal oversight and sighting no detail.
Their business has constantly had healthy
growth, and now their travelling men not only
canvass this State and Illinois, but western Ohio
Michigan, Kentucky. Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa,
Kansas and Nebraska. There is not another
business in the city that covers a larger extent
OF territory than that of Kipp Brothers
"A few years ago there was a narrow, one
story building No. IL Pennsylvania street. ad-
joining Odd-Fellows' Hall on the north. It was
occupied by little cigar store. which was eking
out precarious existence. Well, in April 1861
a boy named Charles F. Meyer. for he was only a
boy then, took that place. He was diligent in
his business, attentive and polite. Everybody
liked him. The place soon took new appear
ance. 1t frightened and glowed with thrift. AS
time went on, the business outgrew it's
cramped quarters. In 1880 he associated with
him his brother, A. B. Meyer, ard the commo-
dious business rooms, Nos. Is and IL North
pennsylvania street, were taken. About a
month ago they opened place at the north
east corner Of Washington and Meridian All
this goes to prove that a young man may start
here on small capital and win, but it requires
the right sort of young man-one who is will
ing to labor and to wait"