The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-14
BIG FAIR TRADE.
All Merchants Report Good
Business This Week.
War Makes Big Change in
Public's Desires.
LUXURlES NOT IN DEMAND
More Customers, However, Buy
Quality Goods.
Much Confusion Caused by
Store Closing System.

week. There is some diversification
of opinion as to whether it has been
better than fair week last year Mer-
chants say that conditions in the bust
ness world have been so changed dur
ing this year of the war that 1t is diff
ficult to form an estimate as COM
pared with last years achievements.
Buying prices have risen. Wages have
gone up. Everything has gone up. To
the consumer the ultimate fact re-
mains-the price he pays for most
anything he buys has almost doubled;
1t is said by practically all mer-
chants that business during the last
few months has been better than
might have been expected. With so
many men gone to war most of the
people who were working have obtain
ed better positions or at least more
pay. Higher wages are being paid
than ever before. Less experienced
help can obtain. better paying positions
than has been the case heretofore.
Many working people are receiving
money from the soldiers in the way of
allotments and allowances. Many of
these people are said to be working
at better paying positions than they
have ever held before.
Costs in clothes have gone up
great deal but women in particular
are buying better clothes than they
have purchased in the past. This is.
said to be untrue of the weather.
women.
Luxuries Are ScarccN
Afternoon and evening clothes are
not carried by the stores in the varie-
ties of models shown heretofore. They
are cutting down on luXuries in the
way of expensive stockings and dainty,
high-priced underwear.
All Topeka merchants believe that
a more satisfactory system for the
closing of the stores. Santa Fe offices
and shops, and the city and state Of
fices, should be worked out. This
week has resulted in considerable of
a miXup all the way around and mer-
chants claim that people in the city,
and especially the visiting people were
under the impression that the stores
were closed every afternoon or were
confused and did not know whether
they were open or not Many visitors
did not stay here for more than a day
or SO and in their inability to learn
just what the stores were going to
do, did not get a chance to do much
shopping at all.
J. B. Walker. of the Pe1Ietier store
says that business this yeah was mucn
better than that of last year. People
according to Mr.. Walker, are buying
much earlier this year than is usually
customary. Fall and winter materials
are practically the only purchases.
Sales in the way of picking I'D bar
summer season is scarcely noticeable.
Women Buying Early.
Walker says that women are buying
early and choosing excel tionalIy good
material. Not so much in the way OF
as in good, practical articles.
1t is possible" says Mr.. Walker,
that women are expecting still furth-
er rises in prices and are buying this
year. almost as soon as the new things
are on the market. The generally
higher wage scale prevalent now, and
the fact that many women are now
working who have never worked be-
fore is the probable reason WHY Wo-
men are buying much more expen-
sive clothes, disregarding the advance
IN cost of materials, than they have
done before"
Frank Grfggs, of the Felix Cloth
ing Co, expressed entire satisfaction
at the success of fair week He saih
that while possibly their sales in
volume do not make as big a figure
as those of last year, the amount of
money involved was greater Men are
buying the best they can get this year
exist now" Griggs said. that means
the most expensive which in the end.
is the best economy
With the Palace, according to H.
A. Auerbach, business has been very
good, altho he did not go so far as
TO say it was better than that of la ST
fatr week. 1.-The fact that so many
young men have gone to the army and
navy, Auerbach said, cuts down
tremendously the number of young
men VINO come to Topeka each year
TO visit the fair and incidentally to
STOCK up with fall and winter clothes.
me mems clothing business probably
reels the scarcity of men as much. if
not more than any other business
Alpert Patten, of the Topeka rail-
h1r, L
cessful week. We have not checked
UP our 1lgures as vet so I can not tell
whether or not our cars have handled
larger crowds than last year. How
EYER l am satrsffed with the smooth
ness and lack of trouble with which
the immense proposition of handIine
the tremendous crowds has been car
ried on N'i
General Business Good.
according to Fred Voiland he has
notlced no particular increase due to
week fair week "Our sale poine ~
this week has undoubtedly incree sed
our sales, but 1 am unable to sav
whether the fair has brought, much
business. Still I can't say that have
nonced any increase or decrease either
way Noiland said the months OF
July. August. and September so ia =
nave been the best months since be
has been in business --e
Business has been good" E. II
Srospy said, but 1 do not believe
that IT has exceeded that of last wear
me state OF un certainty produced BY
various stores and firms closing or
different days undoubtedly made a diff.
ference in the sales of all organization
IN town. 1t would be better promo.
sition If some definite scheme fo,
closing could be worked out nex-
year" iie>
1t Pays to Advertise.
Phenomenal" Dave August said
speaking Of business. ''It has been tJ,e
best week in our business history. A,
an example, one of my clerks who
has been with me for fifteen years
had the best week in all that time. His
sales averaged over $500 per day. Peo-
pie say to me, I know you, I see voui
picture in the State Journal evert
day"