The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-12-17
MANY FAVORABLE TO THE PLAN
Christmas Business Will Be over When
the Crowd Gathers on Market Square
and Brisk Buying Will Probably
Follow the Big Gathering.

Leading Kenosha merchants who, for
three hundred and sixty-fou days in
the year, have been striving as all
good business men should to get their
share of the city's trade, have agreed
that for two hours on the three hundred
and slxty-ffth day, the most joyful
evening OF the year, they can well af-
ford-in fact, they consider it pretty
shrewd investment to let their clerks
go to the Community Christmas tree.
-Four of the most successful business
rlen were interviewed yesterday by
representatives of the Community tree,
and the question was asked as to
whether this merchant would close his
! store for two hours on Christmas Eve.
The question was put in the following
manner. 1t will be interesting to read.
Would you consider it an advantage
to you personally from the standpoint
OF profit, not to mention the Christmas
spirit if you closed your store for two
hours on Christmas Eve, providing all
people were urged to do their Christ
mas shopping early in order that your
clerks, tired with the rush of Christmas
work, might enjoy at least two hours of
the great Christmas spirit around the
Community Tree?"
The answers given by these four mer-
chants follows. Their names are not
mentioned for obvious reasons, but will
be given to any merchant who desires
to make inquiry.
\ The first merchant said: "EThe peo-
4 pie of Kenosha have given me during
the past year the best business I have
ever enjoyed. ! feel personally like
celebrating with them on Christmas
Eve. | think it would be great con-
venience to the public and great kind
ness to my clerks if we close from six
to eight, give the clerks two hours for
their supper and the tree and then be
at the store in full force at eight
O'Clock to wait on customers.
The second merchant said, "The
Community Christmas Tree idea is the
best advertising idea that has been in
troduced in Kenosha since / came to
this town. The people who are sup
\ porting it are all customers Of mine and
for once in the year | can afford to
close my store for two hours and ex-
press my own good will while they are
! expressing theirs. I would not think of
exchanging the few dollars that |
might take in while every one else is
4 at the Christmas Tree for the advant-
age that will accrue to me through the
early shopping that will be done in
case the stores do close and the relief
of the crush at the last minute which
in other years has always taken place.
| If [ were to look at it from a purely
selfish standpoint | would not ask for
anything better than the opportunity
to bring about early shopping in this
way
The third man saiG: COZ course we
will close. Some merchants have told
me that they might not close if the
others did not. If | waited for the
other merchants to do things before I
4 did the sheriff would be in in week.
One merchant actually told me that he
| thought his store might be robbed if
he left it during that time. The rob-
Der would have fine chance in that
Christmas crowd on the square th2s
night if the people all feel as / do
about the tree. There are three humid
red and sixty five days in the year and
work nights and Sundays. This is
the best excuse for two hour vaca-
ton that have had
The fourth merchant said: 1--WE win
close without question. Notices will be
4 put up in the store Immediately that
this store will be closed at those par
ticular hours and all people requested
| to do early shopping for that reason
think its not only an idea full Of
! good but full of business cleverness.
The more I think about it the more
/ smile at the man who telephoned me
and said, Think of all the business
You will lose if you close your store for
two hours / said to him, Think of
all the business we can get before that
two hours, at time when the clerks
are able to handle it, because people
| understand that they Will not be able
to shop during that period"
The members of the Community
Christmas Tree will not urge any mer-
chant to elose his store nor have they
urged any individual to try to feel the
| Christmas spirit.
The Christmas spirit is quite differ
ent from the very day spirit in that It
feels much more pleasant and SO much
more kindly.
One Kenosha man expressedit in this
| way. He said, For three hundred and
sixty-five days have been working As
hard as possible to get other people to
do things for me. For two ho1rs or
Christmas Eve ] am going to have al
opportunity to square myself by doing