The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1908-01-17
TOO MANY STORES
CONDITIONS SOMETIMES FOUND
IN NEWER SECTIONS.
Is A POOR BUSINESS POLICY
Good Judgment In Amount Of Trade
Storekeeper Can Control Ia
Great Essential to
Success

There is such thing as OVERRIDING
business. There are numerous Illus
trations of this condition In the newer
sections of the west. Towns are built
up before the country is fairly settled
| and there is little besides the town
trade to support the business concerns
| There will be several general stores Ia
! supply what one good store should
look after.
This Is poor policy. There are Ger.
tain conditions that indicate whether
there is room in Il town or a commu-
nifty for a business concern II Is a
wcllknOwn fact that the people re-.
quirc just SO much food, so much
clothing. so much this and that essen.
tiaI to living, and while one family or
person may consume moro than an.
other certain person. when the average
is made It will be found that each
spends so much during the year. This
being the case, II Is an easy matter
for the man contemplating establish.
ing store to estimate about the
amount of trade that he can safely
hope to control II he ovcrstcps the
limit, he Is sure to meet with disaster
Where there are more stores than is
justified some dealer must conduct an
Improbable business. 1t is generally
the one who has poor business ability.
The experienced and the capable al.
ways win but It is seldom that the
astutc and careful merchant seeks "A
location in an oycrworkcd field
Whore there are too many business
men In town there is always heard
complaints Of dun business. The field
Is generally made an ovordonc one by
the classes which may be rightly
called "pikers" or smallcalibcr mcr.
chants who see one sturokocpcr in a
place doing fairly well and conclude
that there is chance for themselves
to make little easy money The re.
suit is poor business for all, and
eventually failure. It is poor iudg
ment in matters Of this kind that runs
NJ the list Of general store failures
above the average In other lines.
It Is important that the one looking
for good location for a store of any
kind, pick out field whore there IS
need uf the class Of business cstah.
lishmcnt that he contcmplatos start.
ing and where there shall be patron.
age enough to make the undertaking
a success Unless this matter be care.
fully investigated one runs q risk
In new country the towns are gen.
orally built up first, and the aEriCultur.
al section settled up in a gradual way
Settlers are not always wealthy
class, and are not the most liberal
buyers. Still they must have neces-
stiles supplied. and here Is where the
new town stOrckecper gets his princ.
pal business. a store IL always sue.
cessful In a thickly populated com.
munlty. II the management is such as
to draw trade. In the large city all
that is essential for success Is capital
and brains to rightly conduct the bust
ness undertaken, for there is always
large mass OF people TO do the buying
and they will turn their trade to the
merchant that throws out the proper
inducements to them and satisfies
them the best In the country. or
small town, things are different and
business must be conducted on DIFF
ferent basis. Where there is not popu.
lation enough to consume any great
amount OF goods, It would be fool.
hardy to try to build up a great bust.
ness, for trade Is regulated entirely
by the wants Of the people, and their
wants are according to their customs.
their success and tastes