The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1886-11-26
THE RETAIL LIQUOR BUSINESS.
A Brooklyn Saloon Keeper Says that
the Days Whom There Was Zig
Money in II Have Passed.

ITO uul Wutu VIZ "ohSy w.
made in the retail liquor business have
passed." said saloon keeper to q
Brooklyn Eagle reporter, while h"
quaflcd glass of ambcr-colored liquid
in his place of business near the city
hall. ''l'he statement seems highly
improbable, but yot Il Is true. When
say there isn't the money in the bust
ness there used to be | have reference
10 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 i until recently. have been
running this store for over year bul
my daily receipts have averaged less
than 1925. That is no money for sal
loon in neighborhood where rents arr
high and where drinkers congregate.
l will tell you why this saloon doesn't
pay the profits il should. In the first
place, I'm not well known in the neigh
borhood. and that is everything in sa-
loon-kcepe;. / have not been establish
cd long enough to attract customers
away from their f.vorite drinking plac-
es."
''Do all men prfer to do their drins
ing in the same saloon"'
Il have found il so. A certain class
of morose. uncompanionable men don I
care where they drink, or tho quality
Of rum they pour down their threats.
but the large majority of drinking men
are attracted by the surroundings Of u
place. One man likes certain bar
tender; another, the fitting of 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.
sonality of man makes bnt Little
difference in the amount of trade he
does. His saloon is patronized 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, we'll established, and out-of-the
liquor stores which pay. Brooklynites
doing business in New York are there
educated TO appreciate $4,000 paint
ings in bar-rooms, and when they 60
out in the evening for drink they like
to take their 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-house and saloon. keepers for
pictures alone foots up nearly $50, 600.
Nowadays all the daily and weekly pa.
pers must be furnished to customers
and, in fact, every inducemcnt held ont
to attract the trade Of the fastdious.
A little over year ago vacant store
next to an old established saloon In
Brooklyn was hired by liquor-dcalcr,
who opened a gorgeous place. He did
everything to attract custom. but last
week was sold out by the sheriff. In
stead of losing any of its patrons the
old saloon gained many new ones.
Drinkers nowadays love old assocla-
tons. and stick close to the. saloon
which pleasos their eye and taste. My
advice to young men about to start in
the liquor business is--don't.
'Do you intimate that all men who
engage in tho liquor business in q new
locality failP'
.Asa general thing, yes. For years
past any one who by some daredevil
act or proves has gained an hour OF
notoricty opens a place, but while his
success Mt first may be marked. it is
not lasting. Within year or two
Brooklyn pug lists, one pedestrian. and
two ward polite ans have given up the
liquor business as Improbable. While
there is not quite so much money In