The mirror., 1919-10-02
FFICES are now being
furnished at 51l Fifth
Avenue for the United
Retail Stores { CorDOratiOn

HkSS6IEU tuTulSucU dt oil EIiou
0kg8NN Avenue for the United
H0gD Retail Stores Corporation.
which plans to throw chain of
stores around the earth. Themov-
ing spirit in the new corporation is
George j. Whalen. popularity
known as the tobacco king of
America. Mr.. Whalen's success
as head of the United Cigar Stores
Company has evidently filled him
with a desire for new worlds to
conquer, or encircle with chain
stores.
Mr.. Whalen, who is chairman of
the board of the United Cigar
Stores Company, is now located at
511 Fifth avenue and is giving his
time, as are several of his col
leagues, to the organization of the
United Retail Stores Corporation.
Three vice-presidents of the United
Cigar Stores Company are now
with Mr.. Whalen at the head
quarters of the new concern. They
are; Edward Wise, Elliott Averett
and H. S. Ceilings.
To a representative of the 'Nau-
tical Gazette" Mr.. Ceilings said:
Eyes, it is quite true that the
United Retail Stores Corporation
is planning to extend the chain
store idea to foreign countries.
We possess already through the
British American Tobacco Com
pany and other organizations with
which Mr.. Whalen is connected,
the necessary machinery for carry
ing out our ideas.
However, we shall devote our
attention first of all to the domes-
tic field and establish our ideas
there. It is our intention to form
various chains of stores, each
chain being independently organ
lied and working separately from
the others. but all of course being
subsidiaries of the United Retail
Stores Corporation. Candy, dry
goods and groceries will probably
be among the first lines to be dealt
with and it is also likely that we
shall organize a chain of depart
ment stores."
1t should be explained that there
is an organic relation between the
new corporation and the United
Cigar Stores Company. In a word
the United Retail Stores Corpora
ton has been formed as holding
company for the United Cigar
Stores Company and the other
chain store companies now in pro-
cess of organization. When the
United Retail was organized a few
weeks ago, under Delaware char
ter, it was announced that the
United Cigar Stores shareholders
were to receive two shares of Glass
A common stock of the United Re-
tail Stores Corporation for one
share of the United Cigar Stores
Company. 1t was also announced
that the United Retail expected to
establish chain of retail stores in
Europe, South America and the
Orient in addition to new chains OF
stores in the United States. To-
hacco, confectionery. groceries and
clothing we're mentioned among
the lines in which the new Corpor.
alton would likely do business.
Closely connected with the
United Retail Stores Corporation
is the newly organized American
Foreign Trade Corporation, spon
sored by the Tobacco Products
Corporation and affiliated interests
of Mr.. Whalen and James B
Duke. 1t is $4,000, 900 corpor
alton and is understood to include
some of the largest trade organiza
tians in the United States.
One of the principal markets tt
be developed by the American
Foreign Trade Corporation is th'
territory tributary to Constantine