Arizona republican., 1919-12-11
BAbb|TT BROS.'
 WHOLESALE DRY
 GOODS COMING
Branch of Big Northern Ari-
 zona Concern Is to Make
 Phoenix Headquarters = Leases Donofrio Building

A deal which means great things for Phoenix, among them a more -apid growth than ever as the great whole sale center of the southwest, was con- summated yesterday afternoon with the leasing of the large Donofrio building at Fourth avenue and Wash ngton street by the Rabbit Brothers Trading company, the largest concern of it's kind in the state The company will move it's wholesale dry goods sec tion from Flagstaff to Phoenix, a move of much importance to the city, since Rabbit Brothers are the largest wholesale dry goods operators in Ari- zona.
 At present the new lessees of the Donofrio building will occupy only the upper floors, what is now Arcadia hall, but will later make use of the whole building. It is the firms intention to have it's entire wholesale dry goods business in operation here by the first of January. The deal closed yester- day has been pending for the last two weeks.
 Many Interests Here
 The Rabbit Brothers Trading com pany, although in reality a northern Arizona concern. is by no means new in the Salt River valley as it has varied interests here. At present it is feeding a great herd of cattle and sheep at the Goodyear ranches, while branch retail store has been oper- ating at Goodyear since early summer
 The firm itself has had a pictur- esque history, dating back to the old days of Indian trading and has made remarkable reputation for fair deal ing. It is strictly Arizona concern, and it's branches are to be found throughout the northern part of the state, as well as in other portions
 David Babbitt, president of the company, is in Phoenix visiting his son, E. D. Babbitt, 515 East Willetta street. He has watched the marvellous development of the valley since it's very beginning and feels that Phoenix, in particular has great future in store
 Big Stocks Ordered
 Edgar Hash. at present manager of the wholesale dry goods section of the company at Flagstaff, will become the resident manager of the business here He is preparing plans to ship portions of the large wholesale stocks of the firm at Flagstaff to the new Phoenix quarters, and has wired east to all the large mills and iobbers to begin rout- ing his recent purchases of stocks di- rect to Phoenix. Mir. Hash has been the wholesale dry goods buyer fo1 Babbitt Brothers for ten years, and has an extensive knowledge of condi- tions in that line. MT Hash vii make his home here permanently.
 Larry w Quinlan, district manager for the firm. with headquarters al Flagstaff. is also at present in Phoe- nix, assisting in the final transfers and the establishment of the huge business in this city. He has beer associated with the Rabbits for many years and is regarded as one of the keenest mercantile executives in nor thern Arizona.
 Aside from it's tremendous impor. tance to Phoenix as a wholesale cen. ter, the establishment of the Rabbit wholesale dry goods business in Phoe nix will mean much to local mer chants, as the long waits previously occasioned by slow freight shipment. from the jobbing centers will now b, avoided.