The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-11-14

2nl innovation that has yet been in
augurated to reduce the high cost of
living.
We are glad that Ocala stands
ready to respond to the call.
Mrs. Mary r. Reynolds, a writer of
national reputation, in the last issue
OF the Saturday Evening Post, tells
of the wonderful success of these
self-serving stores.
Ocala was the first interior town
40 install q Federal System of Ba-
keries, and we are glad that she is
not behind in this new departure in
the retail grocery line.
AS Mrs. Reynolds story deals with
conditions that are as true with one
section as another and is written in
a manner at once fascinating as it is
true, we believe that its reproduc
ton In our columns will be appre
0Iated. So we copy it entire.
The distinguished authOress says;
"Oletha is middle west county
seat A stranger would find difficult
" In distinguishing it from a thou
sand other such towns that enshrine
courthouses on their bosoms, in In.
diana. Illinois and Michigan. Ac
Aording to the last census 1t numbers
2f42 men. women and children within
its city limits. It is located in the
center of a rich farming country and
has a large rural trade that Satur.
day nights parks Main street solid
with its machines.
main street, five blocks in length,
10 asphalted. and that stretch OF
smooth pavement is the pride Of ey-
cry loyal son and daughter of Oletha.
The school house. eight churches of
assorted kinds m community that
could adequately support two, q NOV
a. theatre, and the courthouse in a
weody squire srrounded by hitching
POSTS well carved by the teeth Of
dead and gone dobbins, constitute
Olstha's public buildings.
"On Main street OF this town Of a
little more than two thousand inhab'
ltants. In the spring of 1918, were to
Ae found three drug stores, dispens.
ing ice cream sOdas to the we'll and
medicine To the sick. four dry goods
eEnpOriums: two hardware shops and
seven grocery stores. Besides the
seven regular groceries, Mike Kapul
aas sold fruit and some vegetables.
Houser's bakery sold factory baked
bread as we'll "a fresh goods and there
vas a mill from which many, espe-
eially the farm people. bought their
flour
How could seven groceries make
money in town Of two thousand,
even one like Oletha. which had a
good country trade? The answer Is
shat they could not, and those in
question changed hands with great
regularity.
Loslna Ventures Easy 70 Sell
"One grocer and one only was to
be found there in 1913 who had been
selling sugar and spice and every
thing nice as far back as 1908. oletha
had always had six TO eight grocer
MS during that decade. but with the
one exception the turnover in their
owners had been rapid.
THE strange thing was. however
that every time a grocer decided he
couldn't keep his head above water
much longer and that the only thing
to do was TO sell out, he always found
some one ready to buy the good will.
lease and a few staples the whole
saier had been willing TO extend
credit for when he saw how things
were going. Apparently the world IS
full of those who think selling gro
ceries is an easy and lucrative Joo'
recurring only sufficient ability to
make change. In spite OF its record
a grocery store is seldom long on
the market.
In a town of Oletha's size the re-
tired farmer class is the one that
furnishes the majority of its EN-
bryo grocers. The farmer who has
rented his place and moved into the
nearest town after few months
grows tired Of doing nothing and ls
lonesome. He has little money to
invest, and in grocery store he fig
ures out he would have work to I'LL
his days and the opportunity of meet