The Oskaloosa herald., 1911-01-26
BIG II. IMPROVEMENT
49,. f,.str - I. 4 tt's - 49,
Frankel Dry Goods Company Are
Reconstructing Store

The first big Improvement of the
new year was started Monday morn
ing at the Frankel Dry Goods Store
on South Market street. The build
ing is to be enlarged and the process
of improvement and reconstruction
or remodeling will be extended to al.
most every department in the build
ing before the work is completed.
The contract for the work was given
into the hands of John ID. Mickey and
he put a large force of workmen on
the job Monday morning. 1t is es-
tfmated that the work viii require
between six and eight weeks and that
the new store will be ready for open
ing about March first.
An entire new story or sales floor
lis to be added to the floor space now
Occupied by the store. 1t was not
convenient at this time to build a
third story, an Improvement now I'M
der contemplation, hence the ex-
tension will be made in the form of
a large Bargain Basement, new
d
prise in Oskaloosa. 1t is the follow
ing out of an experiment that was
tried in small way in the Bargain
Square" that was established at
Frankeps several months ago. The
department, although little advertis-
ed, has been a big success and has
led to the installing of a complete
bargain basement department, the
same as is to be found in the depart
ment stores of the larger cities.
The new department makes neces-
sary remodeling the entire basement
of the Frankel building. The new
sales department will be one of the
largest of the already big store. 1t
will have devoted to it a floor space
of forty-five by sixty feet, and the re-
naming space in the basement will
be made over to care for the surplus
stock of the store now spread out
over the entire basement.
The new room includes the front
portion of the basement that for
years served Frank Christie as a
barber shop and bath room location
and later was used by Alex Solomon
and occupied until few months ago.
1t will have a new cement or tile
floor, steel ceiling, walls replastered,
and entrance provided from both eX-
terror and interior by means of in
side and outside stairway and by
passenger elevator. There will be a
large interior stairway descending
from the first floor. The stairway
on the south side of the building is
also to be utilized to give entrance
to the new department from the
street. The steps will descend a
short distance to landing, then turn
to give easy access to the room. The
passenger elevator will have connec-
ton with the department from the
rear, and the three menas of ingress
or egress will make the department
convenient for patrons, employees ana
management.
The first work to be done is the
rebuilding of the rear portions of the
basement, to accommodate the sur
plus stock, now occupying the room
to be given to the new department
Old partitions and shelving are being
torn out and replaced with larger
and more substantial storage accom-
modations. Every inch of space is
to be used and even the receiving
room, where goods are unpacked and
checked, will be cut down to gain
space for merchandise. The change
appears much like an impossible feat,
but Manager Chas. r. Lee of the
Frankel store and Contractor John ID.
Mickey say it has all been figured out
and can be done easily.
The bargain basement" will have
the advantage of light from the east
front and the south side windows and
ample provision will be made for sup.
Elementary light, both gas and cleo
tricity, in case of the failure of one
or the other during business hours.
The department and all its furnish.
ings and fixtures will be in white
will tend to make it light as an or,
binary inside store room.
The installation of the new depart
ment makes necessary other changes
about the building. Changes mus;
be made in the first floor departments
to accommodate the stairway, lead
ing from the main floor to the base
ment, and the change of one means
the readjustment of almost all.
New Office.
| The business department is also
taken care of in the remodeling of the
store and is entirely changed. The
offices are enlarged and are moved
from the north side of the west enc
of the first floor to the south side
where better light, more room ant
additional accommodations are Sc
cured. A private office is establish
ed in the southwest corner, and tn,
other Office departments have the re
naming space south of the rear base
ment stairway. The work on the al
Iterations to the business department
was commenced Monday mornin.
along with the work in the basement
and force of carpenters are busy il
making space for the office force, a
Mr.. Mickey guaranteed not to inter
Irupt the course of daily business an,
trade by the improvements.