Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1903-11-13
5. Kann, Sons & Co. Celebrated their
Tenth Anniversary,

There were mysterious doings last week
at the store of s. Kann, Sons s Co., W ash
ington, D. q.
Odd.shaped things were carried into the
store with dtgree of secrecy that caused
unwished attention. Curious looking de-
signs were hung about the store, and as
quickly as possible covered with curtains OF
bleached muslin.
What it all meant could not be learned
by shoppers, who evinced unusual interest Z.
Even many of the salespeople were as much
in the dark as patrons.
The mystery was explained on November
3nd by the firm announcing the most extra
ordinary birthday anniversary celebration.
There was flower show that it is claimed
surpassed in every way anything public or
private heretofore held in Washington. For
this more than 5000 chrysanthemums were
contracted for. And these formed only q
part OF the floral decorations.
Another attraction was a series OF cleo
trical displays of novel nature. Several
OF these were entirely new.
But the attraction upon which the firm
relied most TO be oil permanent benefit TO
the store was the aggregation OF bargain
offerings, which are stated as the greatest
ever offered at one time by any store any.
where"
Ii the store OF s. Kann, Sons s. Co. was
not crowded and jammed to the doors and
every one OF the iour floors filled with buy
ers eager TO spend their money, 1t was no
fault OF the firm. With only one or two
exceptions the merchandise offered was reg
uar stock. Those that were not, were or.
dered especially for this event, and were
even larger values than regular stock.
The cause OF all this was that the firm OF
). Kann, Sons u Co., had been in Wash
lngton just ten years.
Monday was the anniversary Of their
opening small store on Pennsylvania ave
nue.. They had been there several months
before 10 sell out STOCK specially bought,
and realized the need there OF store con
Quoted on an entirely different basis than
then prevailed.
Twenty persons only were employed
when the new permanent store opened. The
firm now employs regularly more than
l,OOO. A month later, when the holiday
buying begins, there will be, 1t is said, fully
1900.
The success of the firm in extending their
business has been phenomenal. When II
began taking over one alter another OF the
small stores in the square facing Centre
Market people marveled. 80 CONTINUOUS
has been the increase that people expect IL.
Now the firm occupies the greater part oil
this block.
The firm makes the claim that more peo-
pie buy al the Busy Corner Store daily than
at any other store in any city of equal size in
America. AS basis OF comparison, 1t is
cited that Chlcago's largest stores, with
population OF 100000 10 100000 people
10 draw trade from, employ not more than
1000 to 5000 persons. Nav York stores
are ON about the same plan. And WASH
lngton, with population OF about 3OOOOO,
that has store requiring the services Of
more than 1000 every day In the year.
The expense incurred Tor the one day eel
ebratlon was very large. The electrical dis
play cost several thousand dollars, as did the
chrysanthemums and other flowers. Yet
the combined amounts were not nearly 80
large as were the losses upon the bargain
offerings.