The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1919-10-10
The Original Jones Store,
Stafford, kas.

In this little 25-toot, one-story store
We were i%nnoculated with the true
serum VI success. 1t was the idea
yes, the ideal, which put into prac.
tiee built up the Jones Store business
from So. to $40. a day to a business
doing many, many thousands Of dol.
lars a day.
What is the idea ?"-you ask.
Simply this:-
That which is profitable to our Gus.
toners, benefits US.
Let the force OF that idea sink In
deep. That which is profitable to our
customers, benefits US.
Carry the idea further and It re
solves itself into commandments,
which II followed with diligence will
mean success in any undertaking
/. Buy for less, SO you can sell for
less
2 Give full measure of quality
yards and pounds
3. Return purchase money for an :
reason, or no reason
4. Proffer permanent patrons a
Percentage Of profits
). Educate the people not to pay
TOO much, by publishing your prices.
. Conceive and construct conyen.
fences and comforts for customers.
by living up to these command.
Inents, the little store in Stafford.
Kansas, soon out.grew its building
n It's community, 1t was then that
We moved to Kansas City, Kansas, the
metropolis OF our state. This is the
second great event which stands out
In my memory. .
In a little store room On Fifth
Street, just off OF Minnesota Avenue
We opened our first city store.
We advertised in the Kansas City.
Missouri, papers to the effect that TIE
street cars ran both Tays-that Mis-.
Sourians could come to Kansas. buy
from US and thereby profit because we
continued to practice the principle
that which is profitable to our Gus.
toners, benefits US.
And the Jones store in Kansas CITY
Kansas grew and grew, and grew,
Nntil we were literally forced to move
to the Missouri side, where we opened
our first Kansas City, Missouri. store
Just twenty'tour years ago.
Opening this fine big store OF al,
stories and basement at 9Th and Main
streets, marked the third great epoch
Of my business life.
Here our old Kansas customers con
tinued to come to us, and our Missouri
side customers became an ever in
ereasing army, for size had no
warped the Golden Rule by which tn,
Jones Store was conducted. Tn,
Jones Store flourished.
Nh6h't dAtG lhe BreAtes
Saturdays trade Of our business life
just at the opening Of the Christina
business, flames burst from our build
ing 10 paint the star spangled SIX,
with the crimson flame OF destruction
All that was left were the four char
red and scanned walls that forme,
the flue OF the all consuming furnac,
But as we stood In the roaring hea
and glare we saw. in our imaglnatio
like a phoenix rising from the flame
q still greater Jones Store.
We did not sit on a friendly curl
and bemoan our fate, but that nigh
rented the only available store spac
and by the untirins effort of our 10y,
employees gathered such stock as "
could from our warehouses and nea
BY wholesalers, and opened for bus
ness at 3 o'clock the following Mo,
DAY, having lost only one busine,
hour.
Not long after this fire, we leased
Few store rooms on Main Street, sout
Of 18th street. the dead line" OF bus
ness In those days.
But stu the Golden Rule wor
ed practically in business. Poop
crossed the dead line" and came
the little Jones Store. Gradually v
expanded, taking building after bull
ing until the big white.tile buildir
81 18th and Main streets was built al
occupied by vi In 1902. giving Il
Jones Store = 3OO-foot frontage {
Main Street.
And still we became crowded (,
space to properly serve those wi
made this their store. The alley b
tween Main and Walnut streets WI
brioged and another 30C-foot buildiI
erected on Walnut ST, helped houi
this Young giant Store of the sout
vest