St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-05
LOCAL MENTION.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Of Interest About the Greatest
Dry Goods Firm West of New
York

Of Interest About the Greatest
Dry Goods Firm West of New
York.
No one will attempt to dispute the
truth of the statement that Partridge &
Co, of Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit,
Rockford, Kansas City and Buffalo, are
the heaviest retail dealers in Dry Goods
west of New York city. But compare
lively few persons would be able to
form an idea of the immensely of their
business from this. And it was only
when the Minneapolis house was estab-
lished, in October last, that these few
began to understand upon what a stu
pendOuS scale this great concern does
business.
Partridge & Co. have altogether nine
stores in the cities named, four of which
are in ChicagO-the headquarters.
These stores last year sold something
keep constantly employed about $500
persons.
AS may be imagined, the floor space
is very large-nO less, in fact, than 400,-
600 square feet, or more than nine acres!
This is greater than most entire cities
of $4,000 to 10000 people can boast in
dry goods concerns. And it must be re-
membered in this connection that the
larger part of these nine stocks are very
closely packed, and in some cases a
square foot of floor space bears bur-
den of from 81 600 to 81 500.
These figures were very carefully
prepared, and represent fair, close eS-
innate of the entire business of the con-
Germ.
All this has been built up since the
great Chicago fire of 1871, which not
only flattened out the house of Par
bridge & Co., but left them 500, 600 in
debt. With true Western spirit, they
declined to remain tlattened out, and
were soon on their feet again. Their
present standing in the commercial
world points moral of great effect, and
adornS a tale-if told-Of a tremendous
struggle for supremacy that ended in
success of the most astonishing, glitter
ing variety.
But about the store in Minneapolis;
that vast collection of dry goods, car
pets. boots and shoes at Eighth and
Nicollet, which most people in this sec
ton have probably visited. This is
much more substantial in its makeup
and future plans than most concerns of
its kind. The two floors are equal in
size to twelve ordinary store rooms, are
filled with perhaps the grandest as
sOrtment CT medium, popular-priced
goods to be found in the Northwest.
No special effort has been made to dec
crate, beyond displaying the goods to
the best possible advantage, with due
regard for light and general conven-
fence. The idea of the managers of this
house is to sell at as small margin as
possible, depending upon large sales
for percentages in the aggregate. This
plan has made the house exceedingly
popular with people who buy closely
and are thoroughly posted on values.
The past winter has compelled a greater
number than ever to adopt economical
methods in purchases, and the house
that offered the best variety at the
smallest price drew the trade. The
same careful, economical system of
purchasing must necessarily obtain in
the spring trade. Partridge & Co. will
continue, as heretofore, to offer their
goods at the minimum profit, thereby
retaining the good will of the masses,
which they have earned in the past four
months.