The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-19
BUSINESS GROWS
IN BIG RICHMOND
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First page
and shipping facilities and many other
advantages.
The proprietors OF the house and
their able force of energetic men made
a record In the matter of moving their
Immense stock from Cary Street to the
new quarters, commencing the job on
the first day of February, and in four
days moved their stock and soon had
everything in apple pie order and were
going along with the rapid filling OF
orders as II nothing had ever happen
ed.
In the new quarters the Southern
Bergatn House had three floors, giving
them $4,000 square feet OF floor space.
The entire building is lighted by broad
windows on three sides, has two ele-
vators connecting the floors and also
broad stafrways. The ground floor has
an immense packing and shipping room,
and its facilities for this part Of the
business are superior, being especial
~ arranged with an eye to speed and
promptness In filling orders.
The next floor Is a complete sample
room in which Is brought to view under
good lights most attractive exhibits OF
all of the thousand and one things
carried in the enormous stock of the
concern. On the next floor the immense
stock Is stored, and, in fact, there is
much storage room on the other floors
also. but the main stock Is housed on
the third floor. OF course. it has been
necessary to enlarge the force to handle
the enlarged stocks of every conceiva-
BILE thing carried in the notion and
Wholesale department store.
Largest of It's Kind.
Indeed. this business has grown, and
now 1t has ceased to be merely a no.
ton house as notion houses usually 60,
put has branched out into n wholesale
department store. hardly knew what
a wholesale department. store was and
sought for information. In this case
1t Is an enormous establishment in
which the retail merchant can supply
himself with everything that is usual
~ round in a complete and strictly up
to-date retail department. store. When
l visited the place a few days ago in
search of some information as to
what wholesale Richmond is doing 1
saw for the first time a wholesale de-
p%artnient store and the largest and
most complete one south OF the Poto-
mac River. In 1t / saw more kinds of
goods and a greater variety Of the
things that the retail merchant goes TO
a big city like Richmond to buy to
stock his town or country store with
60 ~ u Det DTOukHl
together in one house. have. Of
course, seen many retail department
stores, but always supposed they
bought their stocks from here, there
and everywhere. never dreaming of
such an immense undertaking as n
wholesale department store, wherein
the retail merchant can buy anything
In the way Of notions, underwear,
household goods. store fixtures, sew
ing machines. toys, fancy goods. and,
in fact, everything and anything.
Fenther In Rich lnond's Cap.
There are, indeed, but few Wholesale
department stores in the country, and
1t is a feather in big Richmond's cap
that she has energetic men with the
capital who have had the business cana
city and the nerve to build up here
such a business.
The Southern Bargain House sells
only to the trade, not a penny's worth
of the thousands OF articles 1t carries
in stock being sold to the individual
consumer. I was a little surprised
When the managers told me that
their immense business is done
without the aid of travelling men. They
sell altogether by illustrated catalogue
and price list. by correspondence and
direct to the visiting buyer. Their
trade extends over all the South, and
perhaps there is not a house in Rich
mond that is better known in all of
that vast territory between the Miss
1ssippi River and the Atlantic Ocean
and south Of the Potomac River.
The new home of the Southern Bar
gain House stands on historic ground.
the building occupying the same ground
upon which stood from time imme-
mortal the famous old Exchange Hotel
that was connected with the Ballard
House by a bridge over Franklin Street
an old hostelry which in Its day and
time housed more distinguished men OF
other generations than any other house
In the country, perhaps. But that part
OF ftichmon seems to have been cut
out for a great wholesaling district,
and the famous old hotel. as great as
1t was. had to get out off the way Of
progress and make room for hustling
business Of another kind. Not long
6 a man told me that a country or
a town or a city retail merchant can
come TO Richmond and In a few blocks
of territory of which the site OF the
old Exchange is the dead centre can
buy anything with which to stock his
retail store from tooth picks to
steam engines. He can now come
mighty near doing that thing. right on
fh~ ~ L - a. - L .