Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-06

~ lar III lS0nuon. MS
- WILL perhaps be a shock to the
Il "a pride of the Yankee trpper but
it is none the less true. Only the
other day the writer came across this
sign in shop window in Ch--ring Cross
road: American shoppers not invited
Curiously enough, investigation proved
that the shop was at that moment full or
Americans, one of whom explained:
II came in because that sign attracted
me- I am going to stay i'll until l con-
vince the shopkeeper that the attitude IS
unfair to American visitors"
The particular shop was secondhand
furniture dealers near Trafalgar Square.
The Americans were in there buying an
tilue English bedsteads dating back TO
Queen Anne's time and paying big prices
for them Just as if the beds were not
made in Germany" They were paying
huge prices for Spode china dishes turned
out last month at London potterles ana
investing good American dollars n worm
eaten chests of drawers the worm hoIeS
of which were made by firing birdshot
into prepared antique wood just arrived
from Nova Scotia.
And vet the American in London-so
the London shopkeepers say-is not want.
ed. Why? Simply because you cannot
fool them all the time. Occasionally an
American visitor knows a thing or two.
and he points out. in the good Old quiet.
ncisre American way, that this, that or
the other article is a fake, and. the
average British shopkeeper resents being
found out A recent consular report is
sued by the American government, warn
ing travelling Americans against being
taken in" by European dealers, Is looked
upon by the shopkeeping world of Europe
as extremely bad taste. Despite all
consular warnings, however. an immense
amount of furniture taking goes on, and
rushing trade is being done in the latest
antique
English Shopping Is Different.
Not only is the prejudice against Amer
leans in the antique furniture business
very pronounced, but it extends to nearly
all other INDEPENDENTLY the dry
goods business. When an American lady
goes into big West End London store
she expects the same kind of treatment
she would find in one of the big stores in
any large American city. She feels priv
legged to look at five or six miles OF dress
material and then order n paper of pins
Ito be sent home" In England it's diff
ferent Woe betide the American innocent
who goes into a big London shop and
fails to buy something.
The clerks in the London shops are
reprimanded by the fioorwalkers if Il
shopper escapes from the place without
making a purchase. If you wish half IA
yard of chiffon, for instance. of a certain
shade, and the shop hasn't got 1t, you are
expected to buy a blue knobbed umbrella
or an opera cloak instead. iou are not
allowed to Just have look at anything.
You are not expected 10 examine fifteen
different fabrics without definitely decd-
ing upon one of them. You are expected
to buy something whether you want it or
not 1t is mainly owing to this attitude on
the part of the London stores In general
that American visitors have such a dis
agreeable time. and it is just on account
of this friction that Americans are SO
unpopular. \ canvass of several large
dressgoods establishments in London was
made to find out the reason for the
prejudice against the American shopper.
At a big emporium in Regent street the
manager kindly tried to explain matters.
American Has Definite Ideas.
You see, the American woman comes
into the shop he said. with definite
idea of getting a particular thing-a par
ticuar shade of cloth for instance; and
If she cannot get exactly what she wishes
to the very letter she is not like the
Englishwoman-she does not take some
thing that will do just as we'll She
goes to another shop. Sometimes she will
cause one of our shop-assistants tthe
name given to woman clerks in English
drygoOds stOres) TO take down hundreds
of rolls of goods and then she will walk
out without buying anything. 1t seems
to us that if she does not get what she
wishes she should certainly buy some
thing else. something useful that We
have got, simply for the trouble We have
taken in showing her our goods. But the
American woman walks out. and to make
matters worse, coolly informs you that
she thinks she vii! try somewhere else
and then. perhaps. come back some other
day We do not like that sort of shop
ping in England.
There is no doubt that this is the gen.
eraI feeling of all London shopkeepers
against the American shopper. 1t is on
account of this feeling, however. that one
or two big American concerns are OPEN
ing up business in London. They expect
to do an enormous trade. as they feel that
even Englishwomen would like TO do their
shopping on American lines.