The sun., 1908-03-08
STORE SITES IN LONDON.
There Are Concerns which send scOUtI
70 spy out the Land.

There Are Concerns which send ScOuts
70 spy out the Land.
In no city do the big men in retail trades
take such pains over the site Of a new store
as In London. where there 10 a population
Of from six to seven millions to play with.
Here at the head Offices OF various con-
Germs the president and his cabinet" will
sit In conference, constantly receiving re-
ports. figures OF traffic and reasons for and
against o certain suggested site.
Take, for example. says a writer in Sgs-
tenn, the retail tobacco people, whose dag
cling lighted stores stud the worlds great
est city for twenty miles in a straight line.
One Of their strategists will fix his eye
on street for a possible new branch in
an entirely new quarter Of the city.
For a long time the new store exists only
as a red mark on a chart In the presidents
Office. Specially trained men are posted In
the street, and their duty 10 to take a census
Of the people who pass on each aide.
Usually for one week these tacticisns care
fully count the pedestrians, mark the
places where they cross from one side TO
another and also fastens keen eye on the
number OF people who enter the tobacco
store nearest the strategic point,
AHlo HIHi RhlbAIuAaA GNAANA
shops and pays strict attention to the con-
struction Of the doors Thus. instead Of the
old fashioned corner door they have two
one In each street which the store faces.
and with an elaborately fitted and filled
showcase between the two.
Their ideal 10 a store adjoining the en-
trance 70 busy suburban railroad station.
Next to that a site close TO a theatre 10
considered the most desirable
Again, take the suburb Of StratfOrd, which
contains. with West Ham. nearly 700. 900
people. Here we find a big dry goods house
which Is constantly putting out new
branches. According 10 the president.
when we contemplate opening a new
branch We send out scouts TO spy out the
land. For ss every observer knows there
Ia in every section favorits street for
promsnading. and for preference we select
tho most crowded part OF such thorough
fare. And our scouts will stand with note
book in hand counting pedestrians. and re-
cording the class to which they belong
and what they buy at the other stores
More than this. our spies attend concerts
and other local entertainments, and even
visit the churches and chapels OF the section
in order 20 study the dresses and millinery
in vogue among the women and girls. Then,
too, We make very careful inquiries among
the newsmen of the locality. concerning the
books. magazines and newspapers sold,
For a neighborhOod may be readily
known by the papers and magazines the
people read. Thus, q big sale OF women's
magazines and fashion papers generally
is a sure indication that the women folk
thsresbout pay good deal Of attention TO
frocks and hills."
Light refreshment concerns also have
corps Of business spies locating sites for
new stores. which are generally chosen IN
or next door tO great blocks OF ONCE build
ings. or other business premises employing
In this way regular rather than casual
GUS ,mers may be counted upon.
S, important does Sir Thomas Upton
consider the selection Of sites for new
stores that at one time he announced pub
licly that any one who suggeeted a site
for a new branch which turned out q big
success would he placed in the position OF
ma nager thereof just as soon as that sue
cess was demonstrated.
big shoe manufacturing firm will sup
ply free OF charge a couple Of pairs OF shoes
every year for life 10 any person IN any
considerable city Of the country who can
suggest a successful site for a new store.
As 10 tailoring companies, big concerns
insist on a street with very wide sidewalk
in front OF the store.
"We also avoid opening near a fish
monRer's or a butchers. said the pro-
prietor. for Our experience shows us that
very few people like 70 linger in the vicinity
1f such places. On the other hand. the
proximity OF florists store is very real
help-why, | cannot say; perhaps after
looking at beautiful flowers men become
imbued with a desire to make themselves
look more presentahle