Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-18
AN INTERESTING STUDY.
Curious but Enterprising Features OF the
Wholesale Trade.

Wholesale Trade.
The development of the wholesale traae
- p;cLrondi s an interesting study. ana
H. sona Of ia feature a curious study. Inc
tr,,th ~ thls latter assertion Is strlklhgiy,
illustrated in tho history OF the mouse Oh
John A. Kratz, wholesale fancy gr ts,
confectioner, and fruiter, no. iovo IAN
So,oIi ,yav in 1875, the centennial year. ana
there is not a man among his tnousanos OF
natrons that does not entertain the WISH
,het tbe house NAV celebrate its own CEN
tanniol The house is spoken OF rs q Wnoic-
Gale etore. but 1t is really that, q manu-
factory. and a genealogical nursery CON-
bined. o.,,,o,,ood
business he began TO branch out IN tne
direction of incorporating new ISa LUZ
upon his trade until II has assumed enoIs
mons nroportions both in the matter OF
volume and variety. His large four-story
binding. which Is packed from ROOF 10
cellar with stock. is but suggestion OF ms
enternrise and what he IS doing for himself,
has done, and Ia doing for Richmond.
TAKE ONE ITEM.
Take one item, for instance, as showing
b;a enterprise and what it has done Tor the
CITY trade in one particular article; IN
tbe carly days of the house OF John a.
Krofz Ii was common thing to pay ten
cants for n banana and two or three
lunches of the fruit was considered big
stock. Now Mr.. kratZ brings TINS dellclous
tropical delicacy to the city, by the carload
as be does other fruits, with the result OF
putting rich wholesome food WITHIN the
reach OF the poorest families almost anu
rooking bis hoIise HEADQUARTERS of supply
&c on imn,enge TERRITORY. Mr.. Kratz
has also made this large market Tor Mala-
ga grapes by handling two or three nun ia
bred kegs at o time. thus bringing Tue
price to bottom figures.
AND STILL ANOTHER.
But this was only one of Mr.. kratz's bold
and saracious enterprises. Why not, ne
asked himself, raise for his trade great
deoI of Tho domestic fruit be had TO buy,
and thereby give that trade the beneht OF
lower prices. Having arrived at the con-
clusion that this could be done, ne pur-
chased recently large tract land on the
Belt Line, in Chesterfield county. anu mas
had set ont twenty-seven thousand fIuit-
trees fifteen acres of Strawberries, and ten
acres of bleckberries. The fruits are all Sc
Iected with regard to the suitability of this
climate for their development. As one
thine leads toanother it will become neces-
sarv for MIR. Kratz to establish at the
nursery as soon as the fruits come into full
bearing preserving establishment. inns
he proposes to do, as he not only antici:
patas large crops, but will have the best OF
railroad facilities for shipping the pre-
served Goods to all points-North. South,
East, and West. lie will also be able 10 I'LL
orders for fresh fruits direct from the fac
tory. thus saving the customer the expense
of rehandling and avoiding the possibility
of bruisirg.
THE FORCE OF THE HOUSE.
The force of the Richmond establish
ment, including the employees of the big
candy-factory where thousands OF barrels
Of sugar are consumed, IL about thirty
men, and Mr.. Kratz keeps three travelling
statesmen on the road. Mr.. A. q. Frank
Inns territory is along the line OF the Nor
folk and Western system. Mr.. i. Y. HICKS
deyotes his attention TO North Carolina
and South Carolina, and Mr.. 5. \. Thomas
travels the Richmond and Allegheny and
the Chesapeake and Ohio roads. In addl-
ton to this Mr.. Kratz has brokers i'll all
principal towns who 60 around every
morning and take orders. The city market
is looked after by Mr.. O. ID. Howard, and
Major Ii. J.. Rees visits the city stores
regularly. Representatives of the house
aIe daily seen by nearly every one who
handles their goods in or out OF town.
PURITY, RELIABILITY. AND FRESHNESS.
Purity. reliability, and freshness are the
standards Of the house Of John A.. kratZ,
and TO these must conform everything he
puts upon the market whether of his own
manufacture OF his purchase. When
he buys he BUYS from first hands and in
such quantities as enables him to compete
with any that may come. For what he
manufactures he purchases the best ma
terial and purchases that in such quantl-
ties that he is able to give the lowest prices
on his manufactured products also. The
southern trade knows this, and therefore it
is not to be wondered at that each year his
patronage has been extending in volume and
in the matter Of territory. With charac-
teristic energy he pushes into every
new field and throws down the
gauntlet for any to take up who
express a doubt that Richmond cannot
compete with any market north Of her as q
wholesale centre for goods in his line, and
in doing this the house of John A. kratz
has been most valuable medium in adyer-
Using Richmond's general trade. An emu
meration of the general stock of John A.
Kratz would fill volume. 1t is vast
storehouse of all those delicacles IN the
line of fancy goods that delights the heart
of the housekeeper, and the preparation OF
which saves her Incalculable worry and
labor, The trade of the house for 1890 was
the largest it had ever done, and when the
DispatcI representative visited it just before
Christmas he had never witnessed buster
scene. Yesterday, however, when he en-
tered the place it seemed almost as il
the Christmas rush was still on, and he
learned that 1891 promised better returns
than had been shown in 1899. The goods
that are dealt in 10y John A. kratz are such
as keep money in circulation with all
classes, and are most important factor IN
keeping the retail trade of this and other