Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-01
A GOOD RETAIL YEAR.
OUR MERCHANTS REPORT DECIDED
IMPROVEMENTS OVER 1897.
TRADE VERY BRISK
General Expression That the Past
Year Was Decidedly the Hest In
1899 Very Encouraging.

ness they have done In the twelve months
which closed at midnight. without ex-
ception they report larger sales than in
either 1896 or 1897. and do not hesitate TO
say that the profit sheet on their registers
has larger figures for 1898 than in any
one Of the three preceding wears.
The Dispatch is in position to make
this assertion after one of its reporters
has made careful canvass OF the retail
stores of the city and had interviews with
the proprietors. Conservative estimates
as to the business done in 1898 were
sought and obtained. and these fully
justify the claim here made.
WITH THE LARGER STORES
Without exception. the proprietors OF
the department and dry-goods stores.
in which every citizen of Rich
mond should feel pride, because no
city OF it's size in all the coun-
try can boast of more complete es-
adjustments of the kind, reported that
they had an exceptionally good year.
One of the most conspicuous figures in
the local mercantile world said:
1--WE have had most satisfactory holi-
Jay lIdut. III ldCtf buAu4Sso mas bS'h
good all the year. The volume OF bust
ness has certainly been much larger than
for a number of years. Regarding h0li-
day buying, we found that useful pres
ents wer more in demand than ever be-
fore It has been noticed for several
years that the demand for toys was be-
coming smaller and smaller every year,
and we have been reducing our pur-
chases accordingly, and putting tho
money In useful presents. Nowadays the
toys we sell are mostly Of American
make, when It has not been so many
years since most all the toys came from
across the ocean. There are various
reasons for this, none Of which would be
OF interest to your readers, except the
homemade toy is more substantial L
observed a tendency 70 buy cheaper
grade Of goods However this did not
affect our treasury, as our sales OF
single article were larger than heretofore.
Where we sold a few articles at
higher price yoar ago We sold d number
this year at a smaller profit. and in con-
sequence made as much money as we did
I'm 1891. If not more. Greater onslaughts
were made on our stock during the holt
day-buying season just ended than ever
before, and our stock Is smaller, thoI-
we had made larger purchases, anucl-
pating a big business. On the whole,
we ha ve had a grand business year"
Marvellous" said one of the proprie-
tors OF another big store, rs the word
that expresses the business We have dono
in 1898. We made no mistake in prepar-
ing for the biggest holiday trade IN the
history Of our firm. We are encouraged
to make even greater efforts for 1899. All
through the year business was exception
ally fine"
THEY BUY HERE NOW.
For years tho proprietors Of the big
stores have made the Complaint that
considerable portion OF the local retail
trade had COMO to New York. 4 number
of ladies'. who have the almighty dollar
i'm abundance, have labored under the de-
fusion that they could make better selec-
tons I'm New York than they coaid right
here at home and at the same time save
money enough to pay railroad fare To and
from New York and hotel bill. These
ladies are beginning 10 find oug that they
can have all their wants better supplied
in Richmond, and can save money by
buyine here which is just as much an
inducement 20 them a. 70 the lady with
out money enough TO think of undertake
ing a trip to New York. Prices are much
higher in New York than in the local
stores. In fact. there is scarcely an ar
ticle that cannot be bought at much less
price here, and the quality will be equal IL
not superior, to the same article displayed
i'm the marts or Gotham. merchant
gave a reporter an illustration of this.
lie said thut on one occasion he went TO
pc various department stores in New
York to buy a piece Of lace for one Of
L!s customers IL was Of a kind that the
firn sold at 80 cents a yard. The lowest
VII f.aI In nt Nau IN
stores WAS 80 cents and some had it mark
ed as high az Is cents.
The consensus of opinion among the
merchants was that there was more
money in circulation during tho recent
Chrstmas-buying season than for years
Those merchants who do largely credit
business said tina llections were bet
ter than they had a IN n long time.
The local department and dry
goods stores, which would be credit
able to a city OF twice, OF even
thrice, the population Of Richmond
are as follows : The Cohen Company,
Julius Meyers Sons. Kaufman x Co,
Temple. Pemberton. Codes x Co, Julius
Sycle * Son, Thahfm, Brothers, J. VI.
FOurqurean & Co. Miller 81 Rhoads. ID
& Il. Mitteldorfer. a. Hutzlers sans. Jacob
Levitt Son, and Meyer Sycie.
CLOTHING MEN JUBILANT.
The clothing firms and the msr-
chant tailors are jutilant over the
fall and holiday trade. The year 1897 had
In store for them larger sales aud better
collections for those who do credit bust
ness than in the last three previous years
The reporter interviewed y. H. Berry a
Co. Burk d Co., the Globe j. r. Shep-
pard, Jacobs * Levy. A. Groontree. Nor
ton c. Stout, J. L. Ewig, X. Fisher & Son.
and others. From managers OF the sew
eral houses he learned that great num-
bers Of suits of clothes and overcoats
were bought for Christmas-g and on
the whole the men and boys Of Richmond
and vicinity were wearing better clothes
thar year ago, II larger sales is q safe
criterion 10 go by.
FURNITURE MEN HAPPY.
The furniture dealers are in high Rlee
over the business Improvement in 1913.
Each firm visited by the reporter SAID
that business had been more than salts
factory and that the holiday trade had
eXcelled that of any preceding holiday
season in years. All OF these firms do a
considerable credit business. and the,
were able TO report vast Improvement in
collections. The expressions resardiuc
the furniture trade were obtained from
Sydnor & Hundley, Rothert & Co., and
James w. Martin.
THE JEWELLERS PLEASED.
The jewellers Of Richmond make n
handsome displays az are 20 be found v
much larger cities For their enterprise
they reaped q handsome reward du. H.
1898. and particularly during the holdas
season. Nowlan q Co., c. Lunsden q
Son, the Bear JeWelry Company. IL
Buchanan, Jahnke Brothers. j. r. AUei
& Co., and William Tobsin, Jr., all report
an excess OF business over 1891.
GOOD YEAR FOR THE SHOE MEN.