The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-03-22

thinking; the result is expressed abil- |
ity and action, and the manifestation
of such thinking will be a large. beau |
tiful, interesting city of Wl1ch every
Topekan will be proud.
1--WE women merchants Miss Adds
went on, ARE doing our part to make
Topeka bigger and better. Our slogan
is not, For ourselves but For To-
peka.' In my estimation, Topeka has
unlimited possibilities. 1t is a beauti-
full city, with an ideal location. Why,
this Kaw valley is just as beautiful as
the Cumberland valley. There is no
reason why Topeka should not become
the greatest town in Kansas 1t has
everything in its favor. if the people
of the town will just back up the mer-
chants When the housewife cleans
house, it is for her own enjoyment.
When the merchant cleans house it is
for the enjoyment of the public.
have faith in Topeka. and 1 look to
see that faith justified"
Big Need for Tea Rooms.
Miss Marie witwer and Mrs. Oscar
Perkins, of the What-Not Shop say
that their own experience has shown
them that one of the things needed in
a bigger better Topeka, is place
where people may get modest lunch-
con at small cost, with dainty appoint
ments, and good service. with US, II
is only side line" Miss Witwer add
tea room a prominent part of our
business We could take care of hun
dreds every day, where now we feed
dozens. We do not care to branch out
ourselYes-in fact. would just as soon
eliminate that feature of our business
altogether, profitable as it is. But we
have demonstrated that people will
patroniZe such a lunch room as ours,
and that Topeka would support one on
much larger scale
Mrs. Perkins said that one thing
needed in Topeka, was more faith in
home products. That if it were known
that a thing was made in Topeka, it
| did not sell so well as the same article
made lsewhere-doubtless on the an
Gent theory that prophet is not with
out honor, save in his own country
She told about a Topeka young
woman who went to New York not
! long since, to do art work. Some To-
| peka people went to New York" she
added, "And bought lot of her stuff.
Had she offered it here in Topeka,
| they wouldn't have looked at il"
Loyalty to Topeka Industries.
| That greater loyalty to topeka and
Topeka industries is needed seemsfto
be the opinion of most OF the women
merch ants in Topeka. Il have had
| quite a time to get n foothold with
some of the small towns near To-
peka," Mrs. Lord said, in discussing
the matter. II have wondered that
| Kansas people should prefer to pa
| tronize Kansas City, Mo, merchants
| in preference to Kansas merchants. 1t
| is getting so now, h owever, that they
are beginning to recognize the fact
that they get more personal interest
when they come to us. than when
| they send in a mail order to Kansas
| City. In flowers, perhaps more than
with any other business, the personal
interest is necessary for success. An
other thing that we in Topeka she uld
| learn, and that is, not to knock our
town. In Wichita, a knocker is not
| tolerated. In California, if a pe.son
says anything derogato-y to the state,
much less the town in which he lives,
he is likely to be visited by a delega-
ton of citizens who tell him that he
is not making himself popular with
his remarks
This was much the same opinion
voiced by Miss Spalding of the Tots
Toggery. Il have often thought" was
her comment, that Topeka should be
more loyal. and should have greater
unity. I believe that the Merchants
association is going to be a great help
in this regard. BY unity, we can ac-
complish much, and help to build up
a greater Topeka. and all of us reap
the reward in better business"
Gays oyStCh wrong.
Mrs. Carrie Nye, of the Topeka Mil
llnery Co, is convinced that one OF
the things that is wrong in Topeka is
the credit system. Another thing
which would tend to greater harmony
in her opinion, would be more sym
pathy between customer and mer-
chant THE customer is not inten-
tionally unkind," she explained, but
i there is tendency to look down or
the tradespeople, which is discourag-
ing TO the person who is honestly
striving to please. There is room fol
Improvement in this regard, and 1 be-
neVe that more harmony between
shopper and merchant will result ir
better business
Mrs. Sullivan of the Sullivan art
store looks at the matter from a diff
ferent angle. What is needed - she
commented, when asked about it. 81:
to establish confidence in the mer.
chants This can only be done with
the cooperation of the clerks in the
stores. The person who works only
1or MS pay check and closing hours i.
OF no value either to his employer OF
to his community. In New York there
are shopping firms that people trus
to do all their buying for them, be
cause they know that they will bt
faithfully served. They had first n
establish confidence in the buving a mr.
then to maintain that confidence by {
continuance of honest and efficien
service. There are a few clerks RICH
mere in Topeka in some of the bis
stores whom 1 could name. who viii
TAKE an order for a busy woman owe
the telephone, and execute it will
even greater care than if the woman
were there to see to it herself. Blu
: they are the exception. And It il
noticeable, too. that those girls hav,
reached positions of trust in their re
spectlve stores, being heads of depart
ments, and buyers. They don't max,
them out of clerks who watch tn,
5 clock and who slip in the wron,
number of a garment, because it i
easier, and who take absolutely no in
terest IN what the shopper wants"
Business Unity Is Needed
| Miss NJ. D. kahr of Kahr & Phil
| lips declared that what is needed i