Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-03

the experience that Henry
 BkNN F. Harding, proprietor of
 IN " the so-called 90 cent store,
 0@ 72-74 South Main street, can. Indeed few men would have the courage to do what he did, invest his money in venture that he knew absolutely nothing about and remain in business ten years and be successful at the end of that period Yet that is the spirit of the true Ameri- can business man. Without venture and enterprise the United States would not be the industrial marvel of the age, the home of the refugee, the registration office of the unem- ployed of the world.
 Ten years ago, or about that time. the store now occupied solely by Mir Harding. was known as Gardiner's $ bargain store. Charles Gardiner ran the place in his wife's name But he did not see future in the business and he sold out to Mir Harding and +. c. Wildbacker. The Gardiners bought the business from Isaac ka- mak, who ran 1t for number of years and made money in 1t. He moved to Derby, after selling 10 the Gardiners. where he took up the same kind of business. Kamak was sOn-ln-law of Jacob Buckner who sold the business to him, so that during very short period comparatively, the so-called 90 cent store underwent many changes. Harding and Wildbackcr managed 1t together for about three years. Mir Wildbacker then seemed to take the same view of the future as the Gardi- ners had and he sold his interests to MT Harding who paid him cash down for his share Mir Harding knew ab- solutely nothing about the business at the time he ventured in 1t with MT Wildbacker, and he knew very little about it when he bought out MT Wild backer, but he determined to set sail according to his own compass, to em- ploy his own ideas and ascertain if he had any business acumen in himself He thereupon turned the store up- side down, so to speak, beginning at the basement. Whatever clements of i'll luck there might be about the place he determined to get rid of them by healthy house cleaning. Accord ingly where there was nothing but rubbish and broken ware in the base ment, MT Harding put up shelves, tables and other appliances which he saw could be used with economy in the business and there he made his store room. He then assumed mot to. Honest and Truthful Dealing with AL" and this has been the motto of the concern since, and to it Mir Hard ing ascrlbes the success he has met with.
 Tt is our custom here" he said, "in fact may say, it is our pride. that no one leaves our store displeased or unsatisfied.h No matter what the price or the quality of the goods GUS toner takes from our store if they are not satisfied with them upon inspect ing them at home. we are always pleased to exchange them for anyone anywhere" said Mir Harding. As has been said about the basement where before there were only the broken and damaged goods. now there are 600 square feet of shelving besides num- Der of tables, all heavily laden with first class stock. Ten years ago there was only one other store dealing in house furnishings and crockery, lamps, toys, etc. in the city. today there are any number of individual stores and every department store caters to this kind of trade, so that the business Is considerably cut up and the compe- tltlon Is very keen.
 Nevertheless the stock has been greatly improved in Mir Harding's store since he took whole possession. The variety Is greater than ever be- fore and the prices are as low, if not lower, than elsewhere.