Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-01-07
SHOPPING IN EUROPE,
V'ssnen the Managers of Most OK the NO
ton and Speciality Stores.

Outside of the large European shops OF
national fame d stranger hardly knows
where to ask for his or her wants Fhe
tml.! cG include everything, Du' WhaI
things ia what shops is the puzzle. Ii
small German town, when mosquito net
ting was asked for at d general dry gooas
store, the inquirer was directed to smaii
notion or Sha. the English term a thread
and needle, ",shop for it. When found, IL
was wrapped in a newspaper, and large
pin served in the place of twine inns
sounds primitive, but 10 one would think
ii complaining Of the parcels appearance,
except those particular Americans, one
of whom did protest most energetlcaily
against It.
The gloveshops are very small, hut also
well fitted up with one or two counters,
comfortable seats, decorated window and
mirrors Why is it that SO many shops
show mirrors directly opposite customer,
when she does not require the aid of one
in her purchase, unless the idea is to
.ecp her in good humorf In London
one of the best glovers sells hosiery down
stairs and gloves and fans above. They
also show glove boxes, stretcherS and pow
der shakers in the same cases with gloves
Men sell the gloves here and only try
them on when requested to. Only war
rantcd gloves are exchanged If they rip or
scar when first putting them on, and only
the best qualities are warranted.
In Paris much of the same custom pre-
walls, though the chief shops are larger,
one on the Boulevard DIES Italiens having
two windows. No better gloves can be
cold at tho Ron MDrrhp
and Louvre where the glove trade is i'm
mcnsc, but the small shops have also an
excellent trade Many of the costume
houses sell gloves 90 match each dress,
which takes trade that may be called high
class and higher priced. While the sales
people do not offer to try on gloves, they
will do it when requested to, and all first
class gloves are exchangeahle under tba
conditions prevailing here.
Berlin abounds N gloveshops, also Vi
emma, Hamburg, Dresden, and Munich has
at least two. neat ones, selling a promi-
nent make manufactured in the outskirts
of that city. Women are the clerks here
and are very prominent in the mercantile
circles of Europe, especially in France,
where they seem born with u business tact
and faculty unknown to other nations. In
Berlin the display of dark red pique gloves
in pretty window was marked New
York style" Europe did not take kindly
at first to large buttons, but now they are
pronounced very chic. The fashion Of
keeping gloves OF all sizes loose in a largo
package that was noticed in several Ger
man shops does not favorably impress an
American accustomed to the neatly wrap
ped and boxed gloves shown in this coun-
try.
What we call notions-needles, thread,
dress stays, pins, bindings, etc.-arc con-
sidercd small wares and haberdashery in
Europe, the latter term being common in
London. Threadneedle street in London
probably received its name from the small
wares or thread and needle" shops that
were there in bygone days. Such shops arc
universally carried on by women, and of
ten the owner docs dressmaking or plain
sewing.-Dry Goods Economist.