The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-11-10
CHINESE CHEAP FooTGEAR.
Wealthy san Francisco Women Who Buy
Their Shoes in Chinatown.

that the first Chinese retail shoe dealer
opened his place of business in moi
some and disreputable little alley be-
tween Bush and Fine streets, near
Kearny. A small sign was hung out,
and it was not long before people COM
menced to flock thither. They found
that they could obtain shoes at far less
than the prices demanded by white
dealers, and apparently of fully equal
quality. The news quickly Travelled,
and before long the quiet but astute
Chinaman saw his trade pick up. To
one who has not heard of this place it
would be astonishing to see the number
Of stylishly dressed ladies who are reg
ular patrons of the store. Despite the
character of the surroundings, many
drive to the place in their carriages,
and at any time of day one may drop in
there he ~rill be sure to find it crowded
with apparently refined women and
children.
This is not the only store now, al
though it was the first. A few months
later another firm on Sacramento
street, which had previously manufac-
tured shoes in large quantities for the
wholesale trade, seeing the success of
the initial experiment, decided to open
a retail department also, and this was
soon followed by still another one on
Clay street.
OF them all probably the store on Sac
ramento street is the most nicely fitted
up, and carries the largest and post
complete stock. The proprietors Con-
fine themselves entirely to fine kid shoes
for both sexes The store is quite large,
well lighted, and ventilated as thor
oughly as any American establishment,
there being nothing to offend the most
fastidious in outward appearance.
It's arrangement is on the usual plan
of the Caucasian shoe store-that is, the
seats for the customers to sit while
having their shoes tried on are in the
center of the room, and the stock is
neatly arranged around the walls.
There is a glass case also in which to
exhibit very fine work, and the sales
men are all yellow-faced, Acknowledged
Cinnamon, although Americans in their
dress. They speak English remarkably
well also, and are quite as polite an /
agreeable and patient with their pat
rons as any white salesman, and much
more so than some. To be sure, some
squeamish persons might object to see
ing their wives and daughters feet and
ankles paved over by the Chinese sales
men, but the customers do not appear
to object, and if they do not, why. who
should? Many of the customers, how
ever, appear little shamefaced, and
take their seats in part of the store
where an upright showcase prevents
them from being visible to passers-by in
the street, while if male customer in
trudes he is received with anything but
friendly glances from the ladies, though
welcomed by the statesmen.
The shoes in this establishment are as
stylish in cut and fit and in the quality
of kid as fine as can be bought in any
fashionable downtown store for twice
the money. The result has been, of
course, to draw large class of custom
ers from the American Adjustments.
Although this store is in Chinatown
and has not been long open, the owners
have found it necessary to make an ex-
tension at the back to accommodate
their rapidly growing trade. The clerks
are always busy, with many people
waiting to be attended to. The other
day fifty well-dressed and stylish-ap-
pearing ladies were counted in the store
at one time The proprietor of the
place speaks English well and is most
affable. He said that he had gone into
the retail trade only as an experiment
to see whether it would pay or not, and
that he did not expect he would have
so many customers as he had. When
asked how it was that they sold their
goods for so much less than they can be
bought elsewhere, he replied that he
sold his shoes at retail for only t-ifie
more than at wholesale prices, and that
the difference they realized lay in re-
ceiving for retail sales cash, while at
wholesale they We're obliged to give
credit.
The factory is situated right above
the store, and dozens of Cinnamon are
kept busily employed The machinery
is all of the latest. and is run entirely
by electricity. 1t is large, airy place
with plenty of windows-quite different
from the small, lily ventilated rooms
the Chinese usually work inland the
proprietor is quite proud of this fact
Only shoes of fine quality are made
here, and the material is certainly the
equal of that used in any of the Ameri
can fine shoes. They import their own
fine kid from France, and the rest comes
from the east direct from the manufac
turers.
The people who are patronizing the
Mongolians are not, as might be sup
posed, the la boring class or those always
on the hunt for bargains, but many 81
the most wealthy and fashionable mem.
beers of society, and the extent to which
the trade has grown may be judged
when the Sacramento street store was
obliged, after building on an addition
to the place, to put partition in one
end on hinges so as to throw it all into
one immense room to accommodate the
fifty and often more ladies who happier
to be in the place at one time. 1t may
not seem to some ladies a pleasant
thing to have Chinaman trying on
ones shoes, but after all he is only q
man, as are the clerks in all shoe stores,
even if of different color and race, and
when he is found to be as neat and po-
1, I'd l.