Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-02
MODEL DRY GOODS STORE

The following account of the meth
 os in a dry goods store in Philadei- phia is from the columns of South ern journal. Precision in such mat ters begets thrift and prosperity, and we hope the precepts of the annexed article may be universally carried out in business communities:
 The amount of sales made at this store is about three hundred thousand dollars annually Each department In the store is alphabetically designated. The shelves and rows of goods ill each department are numbered, and upon the tag attached to the goods is mark ed the letter of the department, the number of the shelf and row on that shelf on which such a piece of goods belongs. The cashier receives a cer- tain sum extra per week, and is re- sponsible for all worthless money re- ceived. Books are kept in which the sales of each clerk are entered for the day and the salary of the clerk cast as 2 percentage on each day, week and year, and, at the foot of the page. the aggregate of the sales appears. and the percentages that it has cost to ef- rect these sales is easily calculated Tor each day, month or year. The coun- tel'S are designated by an imaginary col or, as blue, brown, green. etc. counter. The yard sticks and counter brush be- longing to 1t are painted 10 core. spond With the imaginary color of the counter; so, by very simple arrange
 hent each of these necessaries is kent where It belongs; and should any be missing, the faulty clerks are easily known.
 All wrapping paper coming into the store Is immediately taken 10 2 ,o11r. ter III the basement. where 2 Ind at tends With pair of shears. whose uuty IL Is 10 cut the paper into pieces To correspond with the size of narce1s sold at the different departinents. to when he sees 1t is transferred. All pieces too small for this. even to tha smallest scraps, are put Dy him info sack, and what is usually thrown away by our merchants. yields to tbis systematic man some twenty dollars per year. In one part Of the estab. llshment is a tool chest. with work bench attached; the closet occ,1nies put little space, yet in it we notice aI- most every useful tool, and fhis is ar- ranged with the hand saw to form inc center, and the smaller tools rad;otino rom it in sun form; behind each or. tlcie Is painted, with black paint. inc shape of the tool belonging in thai place
 It is consequently impossible That anything should be out of nlaca er. cept through design. And if any fool IS missing the wall will show the sha1- oW without the substance. Such is the salutary influence exerted bv Ina ofder that those who enter this emnjov habltually careless and reckless. are reformed entirely; the system which DeIore was irksome has become to mem q second nature. The proprie- tor desk stands at the farther end of the store, raised on platform facing me Tfont. from which he can see all The operations in each section of the retail department. From this desk run tubes connecting with each department Of the store, from the garret to the eel lar, so that if q person in any depart ment, either porter, wholesale or re tail clerk, wishes to communicate with the employer, he can do so without leaving his station. Pages are kept in each department to take the bill of par. eels, together with money paid, and re- turn the bill receipted. and change, if any lO lliG CuSlOu1GF. so IQaC the sales man is never obliged to leave the coun- ter; he is at all times ready either to introduce a new article, or watch that no goods are taken from his counter excepting those accounted for.
 His peculiar method of casting tLe percentage of a clerks salary on his sales enables him at all times sfcoupling it with the clerks general conduct. and the style of goods he is salling). to form q just estimate Of the relative value of the services of each. in pro- portion to his salary. By the alpha bette arrangement of departments, numbering of shelves and form of the tools. any clerk, no matter if he has not been in the store more than an hour, can arrange every article in it's proper place, and at any time if re- quired of respecting them. or referred to by any clerk, the proprietor is able to speak understandingly of the capa- bilities and business qualities of any of his employees. He has brought ID some of the best merchants It present engaged in the trade. who do honor 10 the profession as well as their tutor.