The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-10-14

to-the-minute department store To
reach this point 1t was necessary to
Junk" furniture which might have
been considered good enough but
which in fact was not what an insti-
tuition the kind that E. c. Minas com
pany had planned, wanted. Walls were
torn out without consideration Of ex-
pense, floors and aisles were laid out
on systematic basis, shelf-worn ar
tlcles were disposed of at give-away
price and room was made for new
stock. The capacity of the store was
nearly doubled by the addition of d
new wing, all with the idea to make
the institution one complete unit For
this reason the formal opening is more
| than Of passing moment
Judge Reitcr to Make Address
Extensive preparations have been
made for this great event The store
will be open to public inspection on
this evening from 4 to 10 o'clock
After o'clock all business will be sus-
pended in order that the final touches
may be put on all displays No mer-
chandise will be sold during the even
| ing.
The store is most beautifully deco
! rated for this occasion and there will
~ "a SACd1CA d4SpldS o1 Hl6TCHdnGlSe
| than has ever before been attempted
in this vicinity A special program
has been arranged for this evening.
Professor Barney Young viii have full
charge OF the music and will engage
two orchestras. one to be located on
the mezzanine floor and the other on
the third floor. The Honorable Judge
V. 5. Reiter who is president of the
Chamber of Commerce. will announce
| the formal opening at 1880 p. M,
speaking on the development of this
great business enterprise. which is
nothing short of marvellous.
Began Business c3 Yasrs Ago.
The E. c. Minas company had it's
beginning In 1890, twenty three years
ago, when Mr. Edward c. Minas pur-
chased a small stock of hardware and
! located opposite the Federal building
at the corner of State street and Oak
| ley avenue. The stock was in very
poor condition and invoiced for less
than $1,000. The first days sales were
| less than S. but from that day on
the business began to grow. The first
| delivery service was a wheelbarrow
At the end of five years the business
| had outgrown its quarters and a site
was purchased where the present
1 tlOW Status anu d lfiEce-SlOGy
building with fifty feet frontage was
erected. Ten years later an additional
three STORY building with fifty feet
front was added. At that time the e.
c. Minas company was incorporated as
a general department store. From
that time on, the business grew phe-
| nomenally and seven years later, in
| 1912, the business again outgrew its
quarters and more space was neces-
| sary.
Alteration Sales Increase Business.
This was the beginning and the lay
ing of the foundation for one of In
diana's greatest department stores.
One of the best designers for store
| equipment was engaged, and leading
stores throughout the United States
Were inspected SO as to procure the
latest and most modern equipment in
order to give perfect store service.
After the interior arrangements had
been made. a building architect was
engaged to draw the pans to properly
house the departments as designed and
to remodel the present buildings to
conform with the new addition, which
has the appearance of one solid block
and is most modern in every detail.
While these alterations were being
ooSAiiSso SOHtlHuSu upt-
ed, showing a large increase each
month oy0r the preceding year.
Union NV Build Addition.
To complete this wonderful build
ing, more than a year and n half's time
was consumed and none but union men
were employed and local contractors
engaged. These men feel proud OF
their work and the whole Calumet re-
gion can truthfully say that it has q
store in it's midst that is second tc
none in the state for modern equip
ment and service which is one of the
show places for out-of- town guests tt
visit, who will be impressed with the
progressivene of this enterprisins
firm. The people of the Calumet re-