The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-03-04
MADDEN. SYKES a CO.'S
Grand Opening Last Night Was . Sue
cess In Every PsrtIeuIsr-A LARGE
Crowd Visited the store.

Last evening at 1880 the new firm
of Madden, Sykes & Co., opened
their doors to the public for the first
time. No goods were sold, as the
occasion was purely a social one.
The event had been thoroughly ad-
Vertised and the mammoth store was
entirely too small to accommodate
the crowds which greeted the new
firms magnificent display.
The store was completely jammed
by the press of people which poured
in and out from the hour of the
opening to the close at 1O:30, and a
conservative estimate of the attend
ance is placed at from $500 to 5000.
The crowd was, without doubt, the
largest ever assembled in Ardmore
on any similar occasion.
In order to accurately and intelli-
gently describe the splendid scene,
which burst like revelation on all
beholders, would require the services
of one versed in all the knowledge of
the draper's art and thoroughly con-
versant with all the details of a large
dry goods and clothing emporium.
such knowledge is not ours. Suffice
it to say that the scene was inde-
soribably beautiful and fascinating.
From the entrance at one door, all
the way round the large room to the
exit at the other door, the eyes were
constantly greeted by new and daz-
zling effects, each serving as foil to
relieve and set of the beauties of
the other. No sameness, no monot-
ony, no aping, was anywhere visible,
but colors we're blended or varle-
gated, harmonized or contrasted
with such faultless taste and so deli
cately as to leave throughout the en-
tire display the indelible impress of a
master artist.
In passing through the throng one
was constantly hearing words Of
wonder or praise spoken by the hun
dreds of people, who found so much
to admire that their feelings invar-
iably found utterance in words. On
such occasions, when the ecstasy of
feeling is fed by constant unfold
ing of new beauties, the flowers of
the mind usually unfold their petals
in brief, terse, pointed remarks, the
shifting scenes precluding extended
comment, and this occasion was no
exception to the rule, Such express
sions as, "Oh, how beautiful" " 'Tis
so elaborate" sit is like q dream, :"
lone does not need to be told that
an artist did this, for it shows the
work of~a MASTER artist" "This
opening surpasses anything of the
kind ever seen in Ardmore," consti-
tuted the unending tribute of praise
which was evoked from the visitors.
The new firm has certainly made
friends of the people of Ardmore,
and it is safe to say that their open
ing has done more to establish their
mercantile success in our midst than
months of unadvertised business
dealings could have done.
Madden, Sykes & Co., are well
known all over North Texas, being
interested in nine different stores
there, and are well prepared to full
fill all promises which they may
make. They have secured the ser
vices of Miss Nora Smith, than whom
no lady in Ardmore is better ac-
quainted with all the details of the
dress goods department. This alone
will commend them to the confidence
Of the ladies of Ardmore.
One of the features of the evening,
and a pleasing one, too, was the
splendid music furnished by Brow
sr's orchestra.