The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-09-15

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1t is by no means an overstatement
to say that the success or failure OF
the greatest as we'll as the smallest
department stores rests largely upon
the ability and faithfulness Of the buy.
ing end. And the head Of this branch
is quite as much the Merchant Prince,
though possibly not 80 picturesque. a.
the general manager.
II your boy wishes to follow up this
buying end. he goes to the stock de-
partment, after he has had consider.
able experience at selling. and be.
comes an assistant buyer In one Of
the branches. From here. after get
ting a pretty intimate knowledge Of
its details, he goes to another branch,
and 30 on, and before long finds him.
self a sort Of general overseer. then
an assistant to the head buyer. and
finally reaches that coveted goal him.
self.
In some stores, however. the differ.
ent departments are run more sep
arately, there being a distinct head
buyer for the grocery, the millinery.
the mems clothing. the hardware. the
crockery and other departments. who
get together at times and confer with
thu general manager. In such case
there is no formal head buyer by that
title. his functions being performed
by the general manager. The salary
Of buyer for department varies all
the way from $500 to $4,000 and
sometimes is two and three times that
number Of dollars a year. according
to the Importance of the department,
It is quite likely, however. that you,
boy will prefer to work up through
the executive end, as to be a head
buyer requires special talents in the
way of dealing with outsiders and
striking shrewd bargains that only the
exceptional young man possesses,
And so, after his salesmanship, he
will become floorwalker at any.
where from SIS to $25 week. This
man has direct charge Of the statesmen
and saleswomen in his particular de-
partment, and is in direct line for an
assistant superintendency. The lat
ter, under the superintendent, are
heads of floors or entire departments
of certain lines of goods, and super.
wise the floorwalkers. Their salaries
are from $25 to $40 or so week,
while the superintendent get as high
as $4,000 or $4,000 year.
Then come the assistant managers
managers, and finally the general
manager of the entire business at any
salary the house can afford to pay
It is fact that in some large stores
not even the president of the United
States has much financial advantage
over him.
Now, all this is open to the poy who
makes his first little start as a mes
senger; for, as l have already said, II
is always to the advantage of any
store to select its executive heads
from the employees when they show
sufficient capacity. It would be use
less to attempt to give names of biz
department store managers who hav.
risen from the bottom; for, like Sci
| fridge, the famous London merchant
who began wrapping parcels in a lit
tie American store, most Of then
started at the very beginning.
The boy that makes his beginning
now, however, has an advantage ove
those of previous generations; for h
is better trained by his employers ant
has more opportunities. It is not a
all uncommon for young men to hav'
become floorwalkers or assistant SUI
perintendents by the time they arr
twenty-five or thirty, respectively.
It all depends upon a boy making
the best Of his opportunities, whicl
have been greatly increased during
the last few years by the establish
ment of real schools in connection
with the department stores.
Thus, here is being solved one o
the most vital problems that confron
the poor man who cannot afford to lie
his boys 60 to more than the veries
rudimentary schools, and some o
them not that. but has to have thei
help in supporting the family. 1t I
solved because the boy is earning
salary in a business in which he Cal
grow as far as he has 1t in him, evel
to getting thousands Of dollars year
and at the same time he can acquir
good. ordinary education.
This schooling is looked upon l.
the stores that have worked it out a
being a pretty good try-out for tn
newcomers. II boy is dilatory Il
his studies. or not tidy. or shirks. o
manifests symptoms of dishonesty Il
his school life, he is not apt to be di1
ferent in his work. and he must over
come these tendencies II he expects t.
get far in the store through promotion
If. however. he is In earnest In hi
! endeavors. and determined to get al
I he can i'm his schooling and apply tn