The western sentinel., 1900-07-26
REALLY REPRESENTA-
TIVE.
That is what may be said of
d. e. SmOak'S Business.

| SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST CON-
CERNING 1T.
AS every one who is familiar with
Winston knows, the Gray Block ON
Third Street is the business abiding
place of mercantile houses of more
than ordinary importance. In one
of the elegant salesrooms is Mr.. D..
E. Smoak's boot and shoe and hat
house-the only exclusive house of
! its kind here and one which has not
its equal in Western or Central
North Carolina The aost casual
inspection Of the handsome premises
discloses the fact that an unusually
large stock Of goods is shown and
that especial attention is paid to the
finer grades For instance, in la
dies foot wear we sec goods from such
noted makers as T. G. Bennett & Ba-
nard, Zeigler, P. Cox, of Rochester,
and others; in mems wear such hous
es as Johnston q MurphyJ. S. Tur-
ner, Miller & Ober and others are
represented; the famous and durable
| Douglas antiMcans three dollar shoes
are shown--in briei the best: most
reliable manufacturers Of the coun'
try are represented hy their wares.
| Ladies shoes arc shown worth all
the way from ~ To 75e pair in
mems boots an.l shoes the PRICES
range from ST. to $40. and in child
ren's wear the same diver sitv IN
style. .qu Ility and price IS manifested.
On button boots Mr.. Smoak uses
the neatcst and best button fastener
that has yet been invented, and these
he will affix to all button boots that
he sells, making no extra charge.
BUYERS should bear this fact in mind
and save themselves both trouble
and expense.
Another thing we notice is the
| fact that strict attention is paid to
keeping up sizes and widths. In
widths the letters run from A to w,
while the sizes correspond, SO that
it is possible 10 fit almost any loot
indeed there is not another boot
and shoe house in the State that
surpasses this one in these respects.
The fitting room, where ladies
and gentlemen try on foot wear is
a model of its kind 1t is carpeted
with velvet plush, is ornamerted
with Il French plate glass mirror
resting upon Il 5foot marble slab,
and is equipped with lounge, foot
rests, &c..-7altogether one of the
neatest apartments of the kind that
auso1ufe reFusf6H ms los s's.1s FOR gen
tleman.
The hat depai tment is equally
complete with the boot and shoe.
No pains nor expense are spared to
secure the latest and most fashiona
bile hats from New York and other
markets so that they may appear
upon the market here as quickly as
they do in the Northern cities. In
silk hats the extreme fashion, the
broadway" styles are Kept, as are
the more commonly known 'trade
blocks" ard these are offered at
prices less than they command at
retail in Richmond, Baltimore or
New York The same statement
will hold true regarding all manner
of stiff and soft felt hats, which are
kept in full stock and in all shades
of color and variety of texture.
There are hats for the little folk, too,
as well as for the nig, and parents
who are about purchasing hats for
their boys will find that Mr.. Smoak
has the only really complete assort-
ment of any merchant between
Richmond and Atlanta-certanly
no R Raleigh hat or shoe house equals
his.
Trunks, travelling bags and UNI
breilas are also specialties-in b,lef
nothing has been omitted that would
render the house complete. For the
convenience of the public custom
manufacturing and repairing shop
is maintaiped and it figures quite
conspicuously in the sum total 81
each wear business,
Mr.. Smoak, the proprietor, is like
the majority of our merchants, 4
young man. He is native of Or
angeburg Co, S. G.. He came to
Winston in February. 1884, and the
firm Of smoak 81 Pritchard was
formed. They at once entered upor
al suEEEssi-l L.ssia4ase- career and the
firm renamed unchanged until Junt
of this year, when Mr.. Smoak pur
chased his partners interest and ha.
since conducted the business alone
When the new Gray Block wa,
completed the house took possession
: Of it's present handsome quarter.
and here all visiting customers viii
find the latch string hanging on
aud cordial welcome awaitins
them.
. One fact connected with the bust
t ness we make note OF is peculiarly
gratifying. and that is that Mr.
Smoak's business for the curren
year shows an increase Of fully TWEEN
: ty five per cent. over last year ane
he informs us that he considers tn,
: outlook for the winter as being ex
5 tremeIy good. II is virtually citsl
trade, too. The house by no mean
!. confines itself TO retailing its job
/, hing trade is constantly growing
: and we understand that it is MI
, Smoak's intention to put travelling
salesman upon the road at no distan
. ,lay. The house has decided aivan
! tages and facilities for supplying
other dealers aud those who becon,
its customers stand by it.
I Mr.. Smoak has recently had
> new sign made and IL is :. swell
affairs gold boot--modeIed afte
! that famous Ohio girls foot. Th,
: leg oil the boot is six feet long tll,
! foot measures four feet from tip t.
heel, and j; required 295 feet o