Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-03
THE HEIGHT OPENING
LOCAL FIRM BEGINS FALL SEASON
AUsPICIoUsLY.
Big Department Store Provided With
Modern Facilities and Well
Stocked With Goods.

Hecht & Co. Will be thrown open, ana THIS
will also be the formal opening of the sew
enth fall season Of the firms business in
Washington. This opening. 1t is claimed,
will be the beginning of new epoch in the
credit business of Washington-the business
of selling goods at cash prices on easy
weekly, semi-weekly or monthly payments.
The selling Of any article on credit for
the price charged for cash purchases, was
regarded as impossible by the early-day
merchant. He contended that 1t was neces-
sary to make an extra charge in order to
get fair interest on the money invested,
and that a popular credit system was i'm
possible. 1t is claimed that the success of
Hecht & Co. during the past seven years
to be more exact, the past six years and
seven months-has utterly exploded this old
theory, and has established a practical
basis on which the credit system may be
operated in the future, giving it further
extension and making Its advantages even
greater than they have been hitherto.
March 20, 1896, Hecht & Co. owned five
stores in the city of Baltimore. The firm
included four brothers. Moses. Albert, Alex.
ander and Emmanuel Hecht. They had es-
tablished the credit business in Baltimore
on a firm basis and on the date mentioned
formally opened store at 513 7th street
northwest in this city. Their first venture
in the business world of the national capital
was not pretenuous, nor was 1t what their
ambition called for. but they were willing
to wait and work for better things.
A Popular Idea.
Their idea Of credit for everybody soon
caught the fancy Of the Washington people,
and. while they were by no means the p.o-
neers of the credit system here, they gained
custom rapidly. They found that one store
was not enough for their business and after
vainly trying to secure more room by re-
modelling, they were after three years COM
PEELED to add another building which was
merged into the original structure. Here
the business was widened. and 1t grew
faster than it widened, 50 that this summer
another lot was purchased and new build
Ing put up At the same time the old struc-
ture was remodeled, and Monday there will
be held the formal opening of the new and
rejuyenated old buildings.
With the opening of the new store new
ideas are brought into the business and
new business and new departments added.
From now on Hecht & Co. will make bid
for the furniture business of the District.
This is not new business for them, they
say, as they have long been handling fur
niture and house fittings in their Baltimore
houses The new building. which adjoins
the old structure on the north, is six stories
in height. On the sixth floor Is arranged
display of parlor furniture that will take
the eye of the housewife who Is looking for
something pretty for her home. Every
grade and style of parlOr furniture will be
found there. 1t is on the fifth floor that the
old and new buildings are merged and here
will be found a full line of all kinds Of fur
niture for the parlor. dining room, bed
rooms and kitchen.
On the fourth floor has been placed the
men. youth'c and boys clothing depart
ments, and the carpets and mattings The
millinery department is situated on the
third floor. This Is the premier depart
ment of the establishment and has been
handsomely furnished in mahogany Up
holstery goods. curtains and portieres and
women's waists drappers and underwear
will also be found on this floor.
The second floor Is given over to ladies'
tailor-made clothing. All sorts and condi-
tons of gowns for women can be found here
at every price. The main offices of the firm
are also situated on this floor and in a meg
canine floor above the offices are the rooms
OF the cashiers, collection and advertising
departments
First Floor Departments.
On the first floor will be the departments
usually found In the most convenient place
in a department store. Notions, fancy
goods, dress goods and everything Of this
description are to be placed here In the
greatest profusion of makes and styles. The
basement of the big stores Is given over
to the shipping and receiving departments.
All goods are received in and sent out Of
the basement through the rear by means of
two large freight elevators. new pas
senger elevator has also been installed by
the side of the old one. giving customers
additional facilities for reaching the de-
partments the upper floors. For the
storage of the reserve stock, an enormous
amount Of which must be kept on hand
constantly, Hecht & Co. have secured two
large warehouses, one on G street between
9th and 7th streets, and one at the corner
Of 18th street and Ohio avenue.
The fall opening will extend throughout
the week, beginning Monday, and special
souvenir prices have been made for the
opening. The firm has spent more than
100000 in rearranging and remodeling its
house and 1t is now considered one Of the
most convenient OF the modern department
stores. A lady's reception and waiting
room will be placed on mezzanine bal
cony above the first floor and will be so
arranged that customer can from 1t view
the whole first floor.
Hecht & Co now have on their books 81 =
600 open accounts. Since they have been
doing business in Washington they have
opened 10000 accounts with people OF the
District and suburbs and have card index
with the names OF more than 100, 600 persons
with whom they are in constant Advertising
correspondence regarding their business
One year ago the firm opened large store
In New York
FORGED REPRIEVE SENT.