Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-31
THE college TRADE"
How the Groceryman Increased His
Sales of Candy and Pickles.

In the neighborhood Of fashionable
school for girls within the lines of the Dis
trict there Is a small grocery store, where
the girls have been wont to wander almost
daily for the purchase Of cucumber pickles,
crackers and little tid-bits that all crave
and are not included in the regular menu Of
the school table. Recently the proprietor Of
the grocery. store decided to sell out and
return to his home in another city.
After some advertising he met up with
probable purchaser. At first the prospect
i've buyer was not particularly struck with
the possibilities of the locality grocery
mart of profitable proportions. He was
just a little doubtful, when the proprietor
with the desire to sell brought out his
trump card.
MY good man." he said there's the COL
lege trade you have not counted upon in
your calculations"
What is the college trade?" inquired the
newcomer.
1T is lively at all times" assured the
proprietor, 'and you will find it So
The college trade slogan carried the
day and the store was sold forthwith. The
newcomer was to pay half the purchase
price down and the other half within two
weeks, during which time he was to have
the privilege of Withdrawing from the bar
gain if the college trade did not prove
all that was predicted of it.
The new proprietor began business at the
old stand in very good sort of way, but
during the first few DAYS the college
trade did not materialze and he was be-
ginning to grow uneasy Occasionally girls
came to the store and looked around, but
did not seem anxious to make purchases.
One bright morning there was a missive
in the mail that brought joy to the grocery
man. His face beamed with newborn
knowledge and he understood for the first
time the significance of the term which had
induced him to take the business-"college
trade
The missive was a letter addressed to a
girl at the college, in care of the grocer
In the MONDAY mail two other letters
came They. too. were addressed to college
girls and the writing was of the bold brave
sort usually attributed to men.
FOR the next two weeks the college
trade fourIshed magnificently, and when
ever the mail was heavy the purchases by
the girls were correspondence large. The
grocer was delighted to pay the final in
stallment of the purchase money He
a d. the system Of placing the letters
IN the show case where candied and sweet
notnlngs We're kept. Here the letters not
only were easily seen by the girls. but at
the same time attracted their attention to
naintS commodities with which the pro-
prietor could be induced to part upon a
slight consideration of so much per quar-
ter pound Ma"
Ihings were progressing boomingIy and
the embryo post Office was gaining in ponu-
larity daily. Things were Coming too easv
TO last, however, and a day or two AFRO tha
crash came. "
AS bad luck would have 1t, the daily run
OF visitors brought to the grocery store a
member of the college faculty. The mem
per mad been a girl herself not so MANY
years ago. and while in the store her fancies
led her to inquire whether or not candy was
TO be had there. The proprietor deIightedIy
pointed the way to the candy showcase.
But the beauty of the bonbons faded from
lne teacher view as her eyes caught sight
OF a little package of letters In one corner
OF the case and she recognized on the up-
permost one the name of a certain very
pretty student at the school,
nat means this? she demanded, as an
appal Hing hush fell over the scene.
The grocer confessed. The girls are no
longer allowed to patronize the store The
college trade is but a sweet remembrance.