The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-01
AS A Big RETAIL MARKET.
The advantages offered By Richmond
Over 0iher Cities.
PRICES ARE AS LOW AS IN NV YORK,
Convenient Location, rrsntp"r'""o" NJ;
other Induccments-Infiu OF the
Association for the Development
of Richmond Trade.


.,,os,,oo here must be viewed from two
no,nts-whst IL Is and what II may be.
To-day Richmond stands pre-eminen'y
among all Southern cities as retah mar
ket. and for this she has TO thank h'r
geographical location. The low rates OF
water and rail bring New York CITY Win
On arms reach. and this condition enables
this city TO oner to kichmonders staple
goods at New YORK prices.
ANY one familiar with the retail prices
In New York City Of dry-goods. SHOES
household utensils. and all the other cias $
OF goods that come under the head Oh re-
tai selling, will agree that the prices neic
are TO tho very penny as low as IN Ne"
York CITY. / make this statement without
my aualincation though ] DO not mean
of course. to consider the New YORK mar
ket and the home market identical. Lais-
ar assortment OF stocks ~ the line OF tue
demarcation, and aside from TINS Qnes-
ton OF assOrtments Richmond from am
economical point OF view IS not suipuaa-
cd by New York CITY.
THE LOCAL ADVANTAGES.
Some may contend that 1t is owing -
the ycluminous business OF the retah
stores ia New York they are enaD4eu 10
undeHell Richmond people. but TINS sup
position when carefully examined SHOWS
that the expenses for conducting this
greater business Is pro rata much larger
than the Richmond merchants. Rents,
salaries. and the excessive prices charged
by the New York newspapers All CON
tribute 10 keep the prices OF staple aru-
cles at about the same figures as kich-
mond prices. Speaking Of the advertising
expense do not know OF any city Whcl'
Of NHI fHaNa r "a
considering their circulation, are so low
as they are here This is a very impOr-
tant factOr to the progressive business
man of to-day. and the business men OF
Richmond are beginning 10 consider ana
understand that the rates Of the home
paper are reasonable indeed.
There is not a retailer in the city or
Richmond but who can make adVeruslns
I'm the home papers bring him prOhiaDle
results There is a right and wrong WY;
but the fact that 50 many business men
here have tried advertising and said, 'Oh,
advertising doesn't pay can be charged
10 the fact that they have not given the
question OF advertising as much thought
by half as the smallest retailer OF their
business. Advertising for retailer is
nothing more than telling the news or his
store. n this advertising news is 20 be
believed when read. II must be truthful.
The business nan who publishes fake adj
ycrtising news may be likened in a certain
degree TO the newspaper which furnishes
10 It's readers unreliable informauon-t
Iooses it's caste and standing with the
community.
Tho retail business Of Richmond to-day
f. I'm it's infancy. II looked very much
some time ago as If IL were going TO Kick
off its swaddling clothes when the Asso-
citation for the Development Of Richmond
Trade = organized. That organization
was conceived in spirit Of progress. ana
~ its w-Ik could be continued II would
be seen that the population Of not csly
Richmond. but OF the State of virginia.
increased from - per cent. to 30 l-3 per
cent. during the next decade.
WELL SITUATED.
y Richmond rs doubly fortunate IN her
reSgraphical location, 50 that she IS not
only within close touch with the greatest
market I'm the whole world, but she has
a. territory in the surrounding cites tat
II cultivated would multiply her own
effort i'm the march OF progress Whtn
the gentlemen who formed the rutious
OF the Association for the Development
OF Richmond Trade conceived ihe pan CT
bringing excursion parties into Richmond
periodically, they had i'm mind this fact
of promoting home interests by making
the nearby cities of Virginia and the
northern part OF North Carolina a tribu-
tary to this city's growth and prosperity.
IL was at that time claimed that Rich
mond was saving up the spigot and vast
ing at the bunghole-that the retailers
were profting at the expense of the
wholesalers and the town from which
these excursions were run. This argument
IL at once proven untenable by the fact
that the wholesalers Of this city during
the period OF these excursions sold across
their own counters 10 the merchants OF
~ har and urbuf business tigV lost
10 the out-Of-tOwn dealers undoubtedly
more than counter balanced by the saw
ing OF the expenditures that otherwise
would be required IL "A man were sent
after the business As for towns which
set up a clamor against this excursion
plan. IL must he said that the possible
loss OF Immediate profits blinded them 20
the ultimate benefit that would accrue TO
their town.
SHOULD BE NEAR A CITY.
Any town that is brought into contact
with large city, any town that by its
special tariff rates enables the town folks
10 reap the advantages Of a city like Rich
mOnd-the future success Of that town is
assured. IL is a record OF facts that the
small towns that have become more
quickly and permanently successful and
prosperous have been those whose citi-
zens could reach at a very small rate of
fare large city.
The excursion plan embraced this load
stone attraction. and if carried out IN a
systematic manner. IL would do wonders
for Richmond and the State Of Virginia
IL comes under a question Of retainE
TO say that the retailers of this city as
well as the wholesalers and manufactur-
ing Institutions should form themselves
into permanent organizations for the pur-
pose OF advertising Richmond. her re
sources and possibilities The amount OF
capital that could be induced here the
amount OF labor that might he given ON
ployment by a systematic course Of adver-
Using this city-thro gh the ncwspapers
or by a travelling reprosontative-would
be OF incalculable benefit L.