The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-04
HIRED DRESS SUITS.
THEY ARE MUCH IN EVIDENCE AT A
\ CERTAIN KIND OF BALLS.

A Great Business, With Good Profits ind
Not Without lis i1umors-information
Gathered ut One of tho Bowcry "Empo-
RUINS" by Newspaper Man.
Dress suits to hire" This Is a sign
that ono secs frequently nowadays. 1t
represents Il growing business. Generally
it is found ON tho side streets in such dis
tricts us lilo between tho slums and tho
better localities or on tho second ratio AVE-
MUGS. Fifth avenue has not yet displayed
1t, nor has it invaded Broadway, but Sow
enth and Eighth avenues teom with these
alluring offers, tho Bowory hasn't block
that doesn't show one specimen, Sixth
avenue is pretty we'll represented, and nj
most anywhere on the east sido down
town man can run across one of these
signs in fow minutes walk from any
given point. AS rule, tho dross suit
renting industry is conducted in connoc-
ton with tho costumers business. Some
times 1t is slo issue of tho ready mndo
clothing trade, and there are not few
pawDshops where citizen who is known
to the proprietor may temporarily obtain
superior evening outfit ut prices somo-
what lower than the ordinary run. Thus
improve each shining hour and got a dou-
bio interest on his loun.
But tho main business is done in tho
regular renting places. Profitable Is n
mild term for it. Barring reasonable nc
cdcnts, trade in this limo which is we'll
worked up pays percentage that would
mako most gilt edged bank stock look like
tinsel instead of tho real thing. Anybody
can find out where tho supply for tho bust
ness comes from by wandering about in
tho down town business districts. Sooner
or later he will DO approached by greasy,
insinuating, nasal voiced, suave, unshavcn
young Hcbrow-thcro arc many in tho
business but tho typo varies not u whit
who says to him in u whining tone:
God any old gloZo Ito zell, mizderP l
bays der besd brizes''
If tho reply is in tho affirmative, he
comes around tho next day to tho address
given and offers SO. 10 for an evening suit
that cost 300 and has been worn only hnlf
n dozen times, and he wecps bitterly when
told that tho offer isn't good enough. He
will take any kind of clothing provided
ho can get it ut ono-tonth of it's valuo but
the dress suit is his particular prey. Let
him but scent ono, and there is no rest for
him until he buys it. One thing he will
not do, however, and that Is pay moro than
$40 for any suit OF course tho majority
of his attempts ut purchase are failures,
but he frequently runs across an outgrown
or somewhat worn suit of evening clothes
whose owner carelessly lets 1t 90 for IS, 81
IS or $40, the last point only being reach
ed after heartrcnding lamentations by tho
buyer. Straightway he takes his purchase
to the rent shop, where he sells it for from
| 81 up to S?o, rs tho cRss may be. His
pronu ID Jnoie- Ii IL As out OK repal1, 80
10
| fixed up. If it isn't, SO much tho better
Once i'll stock, it represents capital of
| 81. 90 to So, or, In extra cases, of So. so per
| night. a good sized concern carries per
hapS 100 dress suits, costing in all about
| $1,000. During the lively season the deal
| or will rent probably an average of seven
suits night, bringing him in perhaps
S12. AS the busy season extends over
| three months his 81 900 investment brings
| him in 81 900 each winter without count
ing tho spring and fall trade In weddings.
| To one of the Bowery 'emporiums'
went reporter recently in search of points
regarding the peculiar trade. The presid-
ing genius Of the place, after explaining
some of tho details, among which were
not the financial statistics given above, in
| vitcd him to sit down and wait, saying:
You have como Mt q good time. There 6
big ball over in Turn hall tonight, and
tho boys arc coming in every five min.
| utes.''
| 1t wasn't that long before thick shout
dcrcd young fellow staggered in and said
that he wanted a dress suit. Tho proprie-
tor sized him up with professional eye
| Stand upon the block, please" said
| he. Take off your coat and vest
The visitor obcycd, looking as if ne was
about to be executed. Out came coat
from Il back room. Then tho proprietor
| proceeded to jam and poke the husky
| youth about in manner which would
| have provoked some mon to pugnacity,
| but the victim, being strange to his local
| ity, took his medicine without murmur
Finally, after particularly vicious prod
| i'll the abdomcn-to mako the wnistcOnt
set right-the filter asked:
| Chow does that suit you?''
| The youth lifted first ono arm and then
the other very cautiously, his fingers stiflly
extended. A tentative shake of his shout
ders convinced him that Inc was still I'M
| dislOcatcd In that respect Critically he
surveyed himself in largo mirror.
up in the air." said he hoarscly.
"Wot's the stripo?''
| Zone fifty" was the reply, "but rs ]
don't know you I'll have to have u So de.
posit"
| deposit mo eye!" quoth the visitor
jauntily. 'I've got tho backin.'
Walking over to his discarded coat, he
produced letter, which no handed to the
dealer. 1t was from well known east
side politician vouching for him. So he
got tho suit, which he took away in II
paper after receiving an assuring reply to
his question rs to whether "the bloomers
| is on the fit"
That's kind of business We havo to
do, said tho dealer when his visitor Ind
departed, leaving $3.50 behind, land VIC