The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-06-17
BLUMBERG'S RISE
 IN RETAIL TRADE
From Humble Beginning He Has Built
 up Lucrative Business.

SKETCH OF WELL KNOWN SHOE
 DEALER WHOSE COMMERCIAL
 ADVANCEMENT IS TRIBUTE TO
 HONESTY AND PERSEvERENCE
 TAKES SPACIOUS NEW STORE
 IN HEART OF MAIN STREET
 BUSINESS CENTRE.
 While Bridgeport has had many en- terprising merchants in her day it is doubtful if any in so short a period of time has risen to such commercial eminence, from such an humble begin ming as Bernard Blumberg, the shoe man known to many as the first man in that line of trade in this state to introduce the sample shoe store.' MT. Blumberg can certainly point with pride to the success which he has achieved in business and he lays it all to hard persevering toll and honesty in business methods. By Saturday of this week he will have taken possess jon of one of the most commodious and finely appointed shoe stores in Connecticut for with an extra force of men he has been for the past week busily engaged in transferring his stock from heavily laden trucks to his new home, 112 Main street, two doors north of the D. M. Read Co.,, in the Wheeler building.
 He plans for a grand opening of his new home on Saturday next when, as is characteristic of him on special oc- 'caSiOn, he proposed to aStOniSh the trading public of this city with list of offerings in the shoe line that will prove too tempting for anyone to oT- erlook. An idea of the spaciousness of his new shoe store may be gained from the knoweldge that the depth of the store is 125 feet and it has a spe- cial line of fixings that will easily place it in the fore ranks of retail shoe stores in the East. In his new place he will have on hand 10000 pairs of shoes for so adequate are the quar- ters that he can provide for this inn mense display at on time. The interior of the store has been thoroughly gone over until it presents a most inviting appearance. MT. Blumberg has spared on expense in getting the best and he is to be congratula ted upon his efforts proving so successful.
 It is interesting and instructive to note odr. tBlumberg's career as a bus mess man of this city. When he came here in March, 1889, he was without friends, money or influence. A shoe part of his life prior to his coming here mastering his trade, for he was determined that as soon as he was able he would launch into business for himself. Saving few dollars he went into business at the southeast corner of Wall and Water streets in what was then known as the old Bruns wick building, since torn down to make way for the march of progress. He started with a stock containing only A pair of shoes and he made a speciality of repairing.
 To this day he remarks with pride that his first customer was Assistant Fire Chief Johnson of the local fire de- partment, and it is with no little ad- ditional pride that ale speaks of that original customer having remained his friend and patron all of the interven- ing years. Eight years after his ad- vent into the local business world he found that his trade which was con- stantly growing, required larger quar- ters and he moved his business to 5S5 Water street, where by unceaSing labor and faithful attention to his trade he succeeded sin building up a most lu- cratic business.
 Prospering in his new location he found that he was soon cramped for room and in August, 1903, he leased the quarters at 76 and 78 Wall street. and breaking through the brick wall opened the two stores into one. Here he has remained and will continue to remain though scenting the business development of the city in Main street he decided to expand still further and in March, 1908, he acquired the store at Main street for many years the home of that veteran shoe dealer, Charles J. Byrnes. Renlodeling the front he
 
 first ladies sample shoe store" in the city, and from the first the venture proved most successful.
 So unexpectedly rapid was his de- velopment in his Main street store that he soon found himself unable to handle the trade and he was com pelled to look about for more room. He found just the place that suited him a few doors south of his present Main street stand, and he lost no time in closing negotiations for a lease of the large and handsome store in the Wheeler building, where he will make his central headquarters.
 In assuming this additional burden, MT. Blumberg has undertaken a big task but that he. will prove equal to the emergency. is believed by all who have been brought into business rela- uons with him. He has devoted his life to a study of the shoe business and he knows it in all of it's details. He buys the best and he never advertises anything he can not deliver. He has won the confidence of the public by his strict integrity in business and the success he has met with he richly de- serve the public in his two stores fer he will retain his Wall street store as he has iu the past and he will be found giving his personal attention to the wants of his customers who are yearly increasing in numbers. He promises that with the accommoda- tiOnS ne now has to show his wares that it will be possible for him to give even better values in the future and he respectfully solicitS a visit to his new store by the public, which will be formally opened for business on Satur- day of the current week.