Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-11
CHINESE CHEAP FoorGEAR.
wealthy San Francisco Women who Buy
Their Shoes in Chinatown.

| CHINESE CHEAP FOOTGEAR.
| wealthy San Francisco Women who Buy
Their Shoes in Chinatown.
/ From the San Francisco Chronicle
1t was only q little over year ago that the
first Chinese retail shoe dealer opened his place
OF business in noisome and disreputable little
alley between Bush and Pine streets near Kearny.
A small sign was hung out and il was not long
before people commenced 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 hut astute ChInaman saw his trade pick
up. To one who has not heard of this place II
would be astonishing to see the number OF
styiishly dressed ladies who are regular patrons
of the store. Despite the character of the sur
roundings many drive to the place in their car
riages and at any time Of day one NAV drop in
there he will be sure to find il crowded with
apparently refined women and children
This is not the only store now. although il
was the first. A few months later another firm
on Sacramento street, which had previously
manufactured shoes in large quantities for the
wholesale trade seeing the success OF the initial
experiment. decided to open retail department
also, and this was soon followed by still another
one on Clay street.
OF them ell probably the store on Sacrament,
street is the most nicely fitted up. and carries
the largest and most complete stock. The pro-
prietors confine themselves entirely to fine kid
shoes for both sexes. The store il quite large
well lighted and ventilated as thoroughly as
any American establishment. there being moth
ing to offend the most fastidious in outward ap-
pearance.
Its 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, .y~ . =
Is neatly arranged around the walls There il a
glass case also in which to exhibit very fine
work, and the statesmen are all yellow-faced,
aimond-eyed Cinnamon, although Americans
In their dress. They speak English remarkably
well Also and are quite polite and agreeable
and patient with their patrons as any white
salesman, and much mere so than some. To be
sure some squeamish persons might object TO
seeing their wives and daughters feet and
ankles paved over by the Chinese statesmen,
but the customers do not appear to object and
II they do not, why, who should? Many Of the
customers. however, appear little shamefaced.
and take their seats in a part Of the store where
an upright show case prevents them from being
visible to passersby in the street, while if
male customer intrudes he is received with any,
thing but friendly glances from the ladies,
though welcomed by the statesmen.
The shoes in this establishment are as stvlsh
in cut and fit and in the quality of Kid as fine
as can be bought in any fashionable down town
store for twice the money. The result has been.
of course. to draw large class Of customers
from the American establishments. Although
this store is in Chinatown and has not long been
open, the owners have found it necessary to
make an extension 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 styiish-appearing ladies were counted in the
store at one time. The proprietor of the place
ENGLISH IL ffah ua
said that he had gone into the retail trade only
as an experiment TO see whether it would nav
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 tri6e more than at wholesale prices, and
that the difference they realized lay in receiving
for retail sales cash. while at wholesale they
were obliged to give credit.
The factory is situated right above the store.
aud dozens of Cinnamon are kept busilv en-
ployed. The machinery is all of the latest. and
is run entirely by electricity. 1t is a large, airy
place with plenty Of windows-quite different
from the small. lily ventilated rooms the Chi
nese usually work in-and 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 American fine shoes. They i'm
port their own fine kid from France and the
rest comes from the east direct from the manu-
facturers.
The people who are patronizing the Mongo-
lians are not. as might be supposed, the labor
ing class or those always on the hunt for bar
gains, but many of the most wealthy and
fashionable members of society, and the ex-
tent to which the trade has grown may
be Judged when the Sacramento street store
was Obliged, after building 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 happen 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 man, as
are the clerks in all shoe stores. even it of a
different color and race. and when he is
found to be as neat and polite and attentive as
any white salesman, and great deal more par
tcnlar and deferential than many, there is no
objection. What difference does it make.
especially when from - to SO can be saved
On each pair of shoes bought!