The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-12-26
Great Crowds of Christmas Shoppers Make Business
 Brisk CHRISTMAS BANK CHECKS IN EVIDENCE Business Men Assert Volume of Trade and Cash Sales Unequaled in History of City-Stores
 Filled to Capacity

ASK any Birmingham merchant what he thinks of the holiday trade this year and you will get an answer that is bound to nave it's effect upon you whether you are an optimist or a pess;mist.
 The greatest ever'' is one way of sum ming up what the business men of the city think of the great crowds of Christ mas shoppers who entered in the spirit of the occasion and bought lavishly,
 With every industry in the district run nlng full capacity; with everyone the pos sessor of a good position that pays good wages, and with most of them cashng Christmas bank checks for the holiday season, it is no wonder that the merchants of this city are unanimous in saying they broke all previous business records.
 q have never seen such a prosperous holiday trade" said Coleman Blach. Ut seemed as if every one had ample funds to buy what they wished. The Christi mas spirit was evident in the smile of every purchaser who came into our store. Of all the many years we have been in business this holiday season was the best from buying standpoint that J. Blach has ever done.
 The jewelry stores were packed throughout the week. T am gratified over the immense volume of business I did" said Reid Lawson. This Christ mas trade cannot be compared to any other in the history of the city. With all the great industries running full force, three shifts each "A hours, the people had money to spend and did it. The holiday joyousness pervaded the home of every person in town and many pieces of jew elry was bought for those whom they loved. It has been a great year.
 BUSINESS UNPRECEDENTED
 Joe Loveman, of Loveman, Joseph & Loeb. says that the business of his firm was unprecedented. Birmingham has reaped the harvest of prosperity and from henceforth the best times that ever pre- vailed in Birmingham will be evidenced on all sides," said MT. Loveman. Our salespeople worked faithfully and never murmured. We had splendid co-opera- tion in all departments and the business we did is most encouraging"
 Our new store was filled to it's capacity throughout the holidays" said Joe Saks. We broke all records from a sales stand point this year. The numberous eurchas- CTS bought plentifully and were patient with our salespeople who were rushed from morning to night. l feel that the new year will be one of the most prosper ous that Birmingham has ever had. It was a great holiday trade"
 Sol Caheen of Caheen Bros. stated that all records were broken by his firm. We were rushed from morning to night throughout the holiday season." said MT Caheen. q have never seen the times any better here. It seemed as if many of our citizenry had been lucky enough to buy war stocks before they went SKY high and were celebrating the occasion We are grateful for the generous patron- age we received"
 Harry White of Cotton, Odum x White is optimistic over the future and says the large holiday trade is the best ba- rometer for a good year to come. T feel as if the prosperity we merchants felt this Christmas will continue indefinitely, he said. With every one working and making good wages it is reasonable to presume that Birmingham will. be one of the most prosperous cities ln the south during the year 1917.'
 RESULTS GRATIFYING
 Louis Pizitz says business could not have been better. "The holiday trade was all that any one couN expect" he been any better I am gratified over the results obtained and look forward to a bigger and more prosperous year from now on.'
 Jack Adams of Adams Drug company says he has never seen better Christ mas trade we were rushed to capacity at all times he said. Our night busi- ness was especially good. We have main- tained the policy of staying open at all times fer number of years, but the busness done every hour during the Christmas rush has been unprecedented" !"
 The Bijou and Lyric theaters, as well as the moving picture shows, did a rec ord breaking business. Every seat in the Bijou was sold out for both perform ances Christmas" said H. G. Cassidy, manager of the Bjou. "We did an ex- cellent business and the audiences were most appreciative
 We could not accommodate the enor- nous crowds said Monte Semon, man ager of the Lyric theater 'It was a harpy, good-natured bunch of people, will ing to stand in line for their tickets and forego 'cussing' the box office man if he could not suit them"
 Ed Colley of the Mudd-Colley Amuse- ment company, owners of the Rialto Trianon and Princess. said he played to packed houses all day. q have never seen more enthusiastic, pleasure-seek- ing crowd of people," said MT. Colley. "We turned them away It has been a big season for every one."
 Tcm Abernathy of the Strand and Co., lonial, stated that his houses did capacity business throughout the day. "The nov ing picture shows had their inning," he said. Tt has been the busiest Christmas I ever spent"
 Joseph Thompson of Herzog- Thompson Jewelry company says his firm had an unusually successful holiday trade. 1T believe everyone had the pleasure of do- ing the largest business this season in their history" said MT. Thompson. 1T am more than glad to note the fact that good times and prosperity has come to Rirrf,ia hnr I haliaNa if iS here fa stay