The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-19
More Facts and Figures
Concerning Trade In
crease in Decade.
THE SOUTHERN
BARGAIN HOUSE
Pleasing Illustration of How
Richmond Wholesalers Enlarge
Volume of Business-Forced
to Find New and Larger
Quarters-Site Of Old
y Exchange Hotel.
ny FRANK S. wooDsoy.
(Induktrinl EtIIt0rl

hA FA.tNIN >. NoODSON,
Induhtrinl EdItorD
In an article which appeared on this
page few weeks ago IT was said that
comparatively few OF the citizens OF
Richmond are aware Of tho immense
wholesaling and jobbing business that
is done in this city, and that those peo-
pie who are not directly interested in
the business. or who do not feel an in
terest In trade statistics generally, but
who yet love TO boast Of Richmond's
commercial and industrial greatness
would be surprised should they care.
fully analyze the tigures, study the facts
concerning the wholesale trade OF this
CITY and examine the map showing the
vast territory over which Richmond
sells all kinds ~ goods 10 retail iner-
chants They would learn much more
OF the greatness of this city's iobbing
trade were they to also make study
OF the figures which show the marvel
Gus increase in this business within the
past I'VE or siN years.
Then md Now.
The time was when the jobbers of
this city confined their efforts almost
entirely to TWO states. and 1t Was rare
for them 10 make shipment farther
south than North Carolina and farther
west than West Virginia. Now they sell
In all the Southern and Southea stern
states and In many OF the Western
States, and with tho completion Of the
Panama Canal and the expansion OF
the Blaine Mckinley-Taft Champ Clark
reciprocity idea the Richmond jobbers
and manufacturers VIII very likely be
among the first TO invade the Central
4 M CT it@I,
the Orient. but this kind OF prophecy
Ing is calculated TO call for the croak-
tngs CT certain kinds Of creatures that
unfortunately still infest SO good and
so progressive a city as Richmond al
though they arc not altogether as much
In evidence as they used to be- But
this is another subject Let's get back
I" the figures.
Great, Increase and Why.
II Is q pleasing task to revel In these
figures and bring them 10 the. front
Tor the information OF those who love
70 talk UP big Richmond. An interest,"
Ing little pocket folder recently gotten
out with great care BY William T. Dab
ncy. business manager OF the Chamber
OF Commerce. tells US that from 1900
to 1910 the annual sales Of the Rich
mond wholesalers increased SIS per cent
and for the same period the capital in
81
only 81 per cent. This means that the
houses already engaged in wholesal!ng
enlarged their .rade territory and in
creased the volume OF their business
raster than new houses were cstab-
lished that what were small houses
became large ones and that the Alex
anders OF the Jobb!ng trade did not
stop TO shed tears about the absence
OF other worlds TO conquer, but went
~ n hc,l 49,
ceeded to conquer them But few Of
the jobbing houses. are less than ten
years old There have been changes
In propretors and in firm names and
STYLES IN the time the houses grew.
end capital has been enlarged but near
~ every jobbins house in Richmond
was In existence in some way or other
II decade ago.
Just nm JlIuatratica.
more than ten ycars ago there was
on Cary Street Ecs. 1904 -06 and Os n
Wholesale notion house that did good
and conservative business. seven wears
ago two active and energetic Young
men bought out this concern, and while
they were conservative enough they
commenced at once to push things as
they had not before been pushed in the
notion line In Richmond and the South
ern Bargain House. the name the estab-
hshment became known by began to
grow In way that was wonderful II
fhe pronrictors Of the house are
William G Long who nils the office q
president, although the concern is not
incorporated, and Arthur 3. Bauer. who
is vice president. Their old stand on
Cary street was building with four
stories and a basement. having ia all
ABOUT $4,000 square feet Of floor space.
Ihls house was supposed to be large
enough to stand a II the business growth
that could come in Il decade or two, bat
so rapidly did the business Of the
Southern Bargain House expand and
grow the owners had TO begin last wear
to look for larger and more convenient
quarters. So great was their volume
Of business in the last month of last
year that the concern had to close its
doors six whole days between the lst
and 9TH of December in order TO catch
Up with orders and mako the promised
shipments in tho time agreed upon-
and for siN weeks previous to the holt
days the entire force worked half OF
each night after getting in the usual
full days work.
just HnG to Close.
Thus more room and a larger force
became an absolute necessity and when
1t was announced that NJ Cohen Son
& Company. wholesale dry goods mer-
chants, We're going out OF business and
the mammoth storerooms and ware
house on the site Of the famous old Ex-
change Hotel Fourteenth and Frank
lin Streets. occupied by tEaaa vas to
become vacant tic Southern Bsrgaia
House proceeded IT once, 10 lease 1t. In
this way they secured better ioca-
tion right In the heart OF tho whole
sailing district of Greater Richmond
and at the same time secured the
necessary floor space. better packing
,s----- 17Son finMed On Third PaFe < -----------