Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-21
OUR WHOLESALE TRADE.
The Grocery Concern of Hnn, Andrew'
a. Thomas.

# EAe GrOcerytOnccFh III AAHh, hhuEo"'
a. Thomas.
The admirable geographical posi-
ton of the city of Roanoke, coupled
with It's superior distributing facilities
has made this place the seat of tlon-
ishing jobbing trade.
A firm that has had much to do il
the development Of the wholesale gro
cery trade of this city, is that o.
Messrs. Huff, Andrews & Thomas
who occupy the commodious building
on the corner Of Commerce street and
Railroad avenue.
The gentlemen who compose thi;
firm are all comparatively young men,
full of energy, enterprise and business
sagacity. They are Messrs. b. P
HUFF, J. B. Andrews, IT. b Thomas
and w. FL. Thomas. Mr. Huff is a
native OF this county; he was raised
on the farm, where he learned in a
practical manner the thorough efllca-
cy of persistent industry and tireless
energy. In 1878 he was a salesman
here with p. l.. Terry l. Co., and three
years later he acquired IN interest in
that firm, which in 1888 was dissolved,
and the new house Of Huff, Andrews
& Thomas soon after came into eIis'
tence.
Dir. Andrews, the second member
of the firm came here from
Rocky Mount, Virginia, and was long
a salesman with Ferguson & Gam
bill, and later on became member OF
the firm of >. NJ. Gambill g. Co., re-
tanning this interest until the present
business was organized.
Mr.. +. B. Thomas, the next mem
ber came to Roanoke from Mont
gomery county in 1915. He was with
Fishburne Brothers & Taylor, as
salesman, for a long time, and after
wards went on the road for Turner,
| Trout & Co. and 8. w. Jamison &
| Co., respectively. He subsequently
became one of the tobacco manufac.
turing firm of Trout, Huff & Thomas,
in which enterprise he continued for
several years, when hs joined Mr..
Huff and Mr.. Andrews in the present
business.
In July last younger brother OF
the foregoing, Mr.. w. H. Thomas, who
had been previously connected with
the house in the capacity of travelling
salesman, was admitted to the firm.
The business has met with crafty,
ing success from the start, attaining
| increased volume from year to year,
the business of 1899 being over hooper
cent. greater than in was in 1888.
Two men are kept on the road, and
they thoroughly canvass broad ter
ritory, embracing Southwest Virginia,
East Tennessee, the southern portion
of West Virginia and parts each of
Kentucky and Ohio. The firm
does not only an exceedingly large
shipping trade but enjoys local bus
mess that is kept worked up by Major
Andrew Pitzer. All told, nearly TWEEN
ty men are given employment by this
house, and at times OF unusual actlv-
ity a large number OF men are EN-
ployed.
The present building of Messrs.
Huff, Andrews 4 Thomas is fifty by
one hundred and twenty feet, -four
floors, and every floor full as can be
with the widest assortment of goods.
The firm carries heavy lines OF staple
and fancy groceries, of provisions, in
Guiding flour, meats, lard, corn,
oats, hay and mill feed. This
firm has bought this year over
twelve hundred tons OF hay. Huff,
Andrews & Thomas are agents for
large Western and Virginia roller
Touring mills, and their facilities for
supplying the trade with high grades
OF -four, and at the lowest market
prices are unsurpassed. They are also
the largest dealers in manufactured
plug and smoking tobacco, cigar and
cigarettes in this section. Placing an.
nual orders for two to three thousand
boxes Of plug tobacco.
4 heavy line Of tobaccos and cigars
are kept in stock, also staple drugs,
spices, extracts, CONNECTIONS, and
fruits. They also handle in large
quantities, salt, lime, plaster, seeds
and diversity of additional goods
that would take a column to emu
merate
The firms quarters though large
are already too limited for the car
rying on of so great a bulk of trade
but the arrangements for receiving
and shipping goods are very conve
nient. An elevator runs through
every story and side-track extends
along an outside platform where 9
onmber OF cars can be loaded and un-
loaded at the same time.
AS we have before stated, all the
members of this firm are comp arative.
ly young men; they are likewise cour
teous, obliging and full OF that quick
perception that is one of the most i'm
portant factors in business su CESS.
|