The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-06-13
RETAIL STORES AROUND THE
WORLD p ANNEDBY WHELAN

NEW YORK. June 12-George ]. Whe-
han. FOUNDER Of the United Cigar Stores
eornpany. who announced four years
.go wben he WIS so years old that tina,
a1S Was the one at which every success
Y,Il man should retire, announced yes
. Serday the formation by him OF tne
United Retail Stores Corporati0n' cor
earn which has for its object the organ
S1ation oY a system Of manufacturing
and retail selling which Is to extend all
over the world.
James B Duke Is named By Mr.; " ne
Ian as his principal associate In Ine
snferprise. The company has its prtn-
cipaI ofrfce at 81 Fifth avenue, ana M.
Whelan was elected president at meet
ing there yeste1day, ds s1teF anS the direc-
TORS are Whelan, Duke. Perkins and Sld-
ney S. Uhelan. The plan and scope OF
the CORPORATION is set forth IN a S,ate-
ment issued at the conclusion VI l'S
George J. Whelan and James b. DUKE
have organized the United Retail Stores
CORPORATION to take ADVANTAGE or pres
ent conditions and to extend system Cf
manufac turing businesses and retail!
chain stores throughout the world Tor
merchandising OF all kinds.
This organization nr'nEs -M n:Hac.
tive business associates. back INTO thS
intimate relationship sustained several
wears ago. The partnership or aEGrcs-
siye manufacturing. rornntcrCia. anu re- .
failing forces marks the beEinninE or n
vorldowide campaign for new business.
THE charter Of the company. wniSn
was incorporated yesterday unoer nv
laws Of Della ware, authorizes II TO cE-
ra1e nor only in tn" retailing or all
Sinds OF commodities but in tho produC-
fion Of raw material and in nanuractur
ing. as we'll as the financing or sucn
The United Retail Stores Corporation
will begin operations At once by inviting
fbe United Cigar Stores Company 10 be-
come associated with II. other import
ant systems OF chain stores IN America
Europe South America and the orient
selling tobacco. confectionery. groceries;
clothing and general commodities, Will
in time be identified with the new con-
.CspjtaI stock consists Of 100000
shares Of s percent. preferred cumuia-
NV. and 100000 shares OF common
stock without par value, and al sr f@a5nS
fiai amount OF the stock has already
Oeen stated As A Cigar Maker
No one connected with the new com,
hinntion was disposed yesterday TO add
ANYTHING in the way OF supplement- |"
The formal statement given out. II pc
ror itself and outlined perfectly the
rnarritude OF the business which the
company may he expected TO underih,iht,
It was conveyed. however that seli.,iE
rather thaN "a 'i'h ~ -.
tute tho main business or the concern
at the outset OF ito activities. l..
The organization of the company Is
IN line with the general business pollcy
Of George J. .Whelan. who after the sue
cess Of his cigar stores was flrmiy eS-
tablished branChed out into other lineS
Of merchandising and at the sam" t'tn'
enlarged his cigar selling orG2nizalio,I
with the plan Of extending It all over
the world. He formed chewing gum
merger in 1914.
The Whelan idea Of chain store selling
had its origin in Syracuse IN Wh"lan )
youth when he and his six brothers. all
~ whom had learned the cigarmakcr 8
trade set up retail tobacco store 10
which they added one store after ano-
Their until they practically controlled
the retail tobacco business IN syracuse
Then George Whclan came to Few York
with his idea, was able to interest capl-
tai in 1t end organized tho United com
e in every corner Of tho United States
and has invaded England and the Euro
pean Continent
The business has a doVen side organ
izations, Of which the ones which handle
the parent company's real estate and its
distribution OF premiums in exchange
for cigar coupons are tho best known
Whelan said FIVE years ago that he
would not be content until his chain OF
cigar stores made q belt around the
world.
The United Cigar Stores Company an
nounced in 1913 a capitalization OF $50
300 600 and at that timea holding com
pany was organized at $4,000. 600, 70
take over both the cigar and drug stores
Recently the United Cigar Stores Com