The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-11-01
A LIVING MONUMENT
TO FAIR, SQUARE
DEALING
The Grand Anniversary Open
ing Of the Ontario Depart
ment Store
TAKES PLACE ON FRIDAY
Formal Dedication of New
100000 Building Matter
of Record.

Tomorrow will mark an event in the
business life OF this city which de-
serves more than passing notice from
the people. 1t is the formal opening
OF the Ontario department store, the.
greatest of It's kind west of the twin
cities and the equal of any west of
Chicago. 1t is not so much the mere
opening as this the identification of
the store and its proprietor with the
commercial prosperity of the COM
munity that deserves attention. The
story Of r. B. Griffith and his success
In this city has been written before.
They will bear repetition however, for
1t is, after all, the business men who
give a community its character. Com
mencing in a modest way a quarter of
a century ago tomorrow in building
which would not now hold the small.
est of the scores of departments in his
mammoth business, he has, by fidelity
to business and fair and honorable
dealings with his customers, built IN
the business which now stands a
monument to the city and credit to
himself. 1t is needless to repeat the
various stages of the growth of the
great Ontario store. 1t has been the
growth of the city itself. Suffice to
say that 1t now finds its home in a
four-story building which with its an
nexes occupies frontage of $50 feet
on Third street and 40 on DeMere
avenue. The magnificent new build
ing erected this summer costing more
than 100000 Is q model of mercantile
perfection. 1t has every convenience
that can be devised for the comfort
OF the thousands of patrons who visit
Its various departments. The floors
are stocked to overlooking with every
thing needed in the modern household
and in the daily life of the people.
Its army OF clerks is trained and ex-
perienced and the smallest purchase
receives just the same exact care and
attention that are given to the largest.
The directing genius who has built this
business from its modest beginning
can be found any day somewhere in
the busy whirl of the store directing
and guiding its great business opera
tions. His hand is on the rudder Of
the business and at the same time it's
guiding can be felt in every movement
OF the great mercantile machine. r.
B. Griffith has not built an empire up
on the miseries of ruined or op-
pressed people, neither has he sought
to write his name in the gallery of
political fame, but he has carved a
name for himself in the business world
that will be prouder heritage to his
children than would have been a name
embellished with letters Of gold de-
scriptive of success in fields which the
world calls great. He has built a
business upon business honor and up
on fair dealing that must forever
stamp him as one of the honest and
upright business men of an age. when
success often means the sacrifice of
all that is honorable and noble.
The men and women who bought
goods from the Ontario store when It
occupied it's modest quarters on De-
Mers avenue twenty-five years ago.
will buy from 1t tomorrow. They will
never think of anything but fair and
honest treatment
What greater thing could any mer-
chant ask?