Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-05-14
TIE PECK COMPANY
In Interesting Description Of Orc OF
s.. Johnsbrrys Progressive
Merchants

Two noteworthy characteristics of
f 81. Johnabury merchants arc their
long years before the public and the
progress of their business from year
10 year. Very frequently they have
/ 20 increase thcir floor mace or move
to new quarters. Among those who
| have recently moved to IL new lcca-
ton is the well known firm Of Peck
/ Co. The Following from the Hard
ware Dealers Magazine gives an
interesting description CT this pro-
Gressive hardware firm:
Growth of trade and consequent
| increase in stock recently forced the
Peck Co. Of St. Johnsbury, Vermont,
tc move into larger quarters, which
/ arc particularly well adanted for
handling their Wholesale and retail
business. The new store is an at
:r;;ctive one, we'll located in the bus
mess center of the town and has
been planned and equipped along the
most modern lines.
With the show cases, count
cls and display tables placed
in the center of the store, Gus
toners go directly to the hedges of
the shelving to be served and in the
four-foot aislcH, which extend from
trent to rear, they arc able to move
about easily, to inspect the goods on
display and to be quickly served.
The most distinctive feature in
this store is that the business of
waiting upon trade and selling goods
is confined entirely to ono floor. The
result is that the working organizes
ton is not scattered as ii otherwise
would be, were there Il basement and
upper floors connected with the cstab-
lishmcnt. Customers coming into the
store do not have to first look about
Tor some one to wait upon them, as
at all times the statesmen are clearly
in evidence, on the job TO promptly
serve them and deliver the goods.
Another great advantage is that I'LL
Of the stock for retail is sampled and
stocked within I; height Of seven feet
;r'I six inches from the floor, con
scQucntly sliding ladders are only
used when necessary to get at the
surplus stock above.
The display windows az. six feet
in depth and of a unique type. From
the point al which the door
is hung the windows run on
a bevcl back into the store. Gus
toners looking through the glass at
these points, when going out, again
see he goods in the windows. This
type OF window is strongly favored
~ merchants who have made I; thor
ough study of modern retailing. They
maintain chat it is cone hundred per
cent efficiency in window display adj
vcrtialng and a case Of attracting GUS
toners coming and going"
The plate glass, in the windows OK
tends to Il height Of eight feet ard
above il for five feet is prialn glass
The backs OF the windows have wood ,
panel; OH which goods are displayed.
Throughout the store the woodwork
is Of light ash in dull varnish finish.
Builders and shelf hardware on
the left hand side OF the store. car
pcntcrs' and machinists' tools on The
right, are sampled on green felt COW
cred panels, under glass, on hinged
doors, which swing in pairs, cupboard
style. On the adjustable shelves be-
hind, the stock, in the original factory
packages, is systematically arran%-
ed. Under these doors there are
double rows of drawers in which nu-
merous small tools, screws, rivets,
cottcr pins, stove bolts and odd parts
arc carried in partitioned compart-
menta. When the hinged doors are
swung open they clear the base ledge
about seven inches, consequently no
goods on it are disturbed or swent
away. Below the ledge a convenient
of various sized draw
els accommodates the larger goods
which are we'll classified into the de-
partmcnts in which they belong.
The gun cabinet, at the front end
on the right, is about nine feet in
length and it is also used to display
fishing rods in season. 1t is equipped
with three sliding glass doors, as
also is the cabinet for larger tools, as
braces, saws, squares, levels, ham
ncrs and hatchets, and vkich is so
we'll located about in the center of
he store, where the wide aisle across
eads to the paint department.
Following the large tools are the
electrical goods, carried on open
shelving. Then comes the store
desk and catalog cabinet.
At this point a fine command of all '
parts of the store is had. Here the
manager meets travelling statesmen,
attends to his pricing and promptly ;
coates and books orders from custo-
ncrs and which have to be ordered
lirect from factories.
Housefurnishing goods of the finer
grades arc attractivcly displayed in
he twelvefoot sliding glass door cab
net and following this arc the bicycle
undrics. AT the extreme end on the
light is the open tool rack where {
bout Il half dozen of each kind of
novels, forks, spades, rakcs, hoes and
inbred articles arc carried.
Extending across the rear and be-
wccn two windows is the wire cloth '
ountcr. On top of it is the mcasur-
i