Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-01-16
HOMER GEORGE co. OF CHI
CAGO, MOVE TO THIS CITY
Amusement Hall Rented For
Two Years. Company Takes
Possession Next Week.

Through the efforts of the CONNER
cial Club, the mail order house of
Homer George Co., of Chicago, Will
move to this city.
The Homer George Co. employ abou
sixty people, mostly girls Several
families viii move to the city in con-
nection with this concern. The re-
mainder of the working force will be
recruited from local people. Homer
Zimmerman, president and principal
stockholder arrived in the city
Saturday. Mr. Zimmerman will re-
side here.
The mail order house will be lCcat-
ed in the Amusement Hall building
on First street north. Considerable
stock will be carried all the time
The merchandise will be brought to
this city in car Ioo lots from time to
time aus needed. The company win
take possession of the Amusement
Hall this week.
The concern is now shipping out OF
Chicago an average of forty sacks
of mail day.
How 1t Was Secured.
Some time ago C. w. Zimmerman
came to this city and opened a job
bing house. Homer Zimmerman
came up here to visit his father, C.
w zimmerman, and was very much
impressed with Grand Rapids. He
Ilotlced the excellent railroad facili-
ties and that it was the central zone
of the Parcels Post. At about this
time it became necessary to vacate
the premises occupied in Chicago. A
branch office was Immediately Op-
ened here in the Wood County Nat
ional Bank building with Miss An
ma Hansen, secretary to Mr.. thinner
man coming here and taking charge
An idea of the amount of business
done by this local office may be OBJ
tanned when it is known that they
send out an average of 5000 letters
a day and that the stamp bill is
$50 a day.
Mr.. Zimmerman had opportunities
to locate in Detroit and in an Indian;
city and he told the committee of
the Commercial Club that if they
would do what the other cities had
offered to do, the concern would be
located here. The proposition was
that the Commercial Club arrange fol
the payment of rent for two years.
A great real of criticism has been
handed to the committee of the Com
mercial Club for not landing some
thing here and they made up their
minds 10 sound the business and pro-
fessional members of the club on
this proposition SO that it could not
be said that this opportunity was
lost thru the dOings of the commit
tee. Otto Roenius was appointed by
the committee to see the business
and professional members of the club
There was a double object obtained
in this solicitati ion-the locating of
this enterprise and the continuing
of the club for two years. Both were
accom- plished. Mr.. Roenius stated
to a REPORTER representative that
over 80 per cent of the members of
the club whom he had seen We're
decidedly in favor of continuing the
club and also in favor of securing
the mail order concern for our city.
Some of the members even went so
far as to agree to guarantee the rent
out of their own pockets in addition
to their yearly subscriptions 10 the
Commercial Club.
Will Not Interfere With Local Mer-
chants.
This mail order establishment will
not in any way cause amy loss OF
business to local merchants, because
they will positively not sell any of
their merchandise in Wood County.
On the other hand, it VIII be a decid
ed advantage to the merchants becaus
it will mean just that much money
paid out in salaries and wages which
is bound to find its way into the
merchants cash drawer.
Advantages to City.
The city will reap three distinct
benefits from the coming of the Ho-
mer- George Co. First, this company
has thousands of agents throughout
the country and that means the ad-
vertising of Grand Rapids, where it
has never been heard of before. Sc
cond, the present post office facili-
ties will be insufficient TO handle the
big business and it willie be necessary
to have larger quarters and that can
mean but one thing-a government
building. The third benefit is the
benefit the local merchants will de-
| rive from the trade of the people en-
ployed by this concern. Those. peo-
pie who have scoffed at the CONNER
eial Club may now make a noise like
sneaking away and jump in the riy
er.