The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-12-30
CHRISTMAS TRADE, SAY MERCHANTS,|S
 KEEPING RIGHT ON
Storekeepers as Much Sur priSed as Gratified by the Continuance of Heavy
 Business

"We increased the volume of our business by $1,000,000 in 1920" said Leo Loeb of Loveman, Joseph and Loeb.
 Nineteen nineteen bid fair to be a record breaker, but 1920 has gone. it better by $1,000,0O0."
 MT, Loeb was asked about the post Christmas trade, He said:
 They are buying as much now as they did during the holidays Our store is just as crowded as during the days immediately before Christmas and the volume of business is as great
 We did a business 20 per cent large this December than we did in Decem- Der of 1919. The people had the money and we had the goods. They still have the money and we must still have the goods. judging by the manner in which business is holding up.
 Yes. the year has been better for us by $1.000, 900, and December has run 20 per cent ahead with the st-Christ- mas trade maintain.g the record, You ask me how business has ,been this year and especially how the holiday trade has been. With respect to both the answer is fine"
 SAME WITH OTHERS
 Numbers of merchants talk in the same strain. This is the refrain in all the department stores
 F. B. Irwin, manager of Caheen's. is of the opinion that the larger busi- ness of 1920 coming on the heels of the hitherto unheard- of record of 1919, is due, to a considerable extent, to the spread of Birmingham trade territory. Mir, Irwin said:
 The business of 1920 has gone much ahead of that of 1919. Our increase has been considerable one and that is the word that comes down the line. This has been a surprising year. In fact, the past three years have been surprising ones. The volume of retail trade has grown by leaps and bounds since 1917. We thought 1918 would witness the climax and then we felt sure that 1919 had established a record impossible of duplication this year. But it has been done and more than done.
 We sold more goods and we sold to more people. Prices were lower than in 1919 and it stands to reason that the larger volume or business repre- sents great many more purchasers and purchases.
 NORMAL
 Looking al the purchaser this year from one standpoint and then another, the only word really expressing his and her attitude is normal. There was less reckless spending, less careless spending. lot more of economy, more sound judgment displayed in pur- chasing, and yet the volume is greater than last year.
 Not only does this show that the people of Birmingham had fine reserve piled up during the days of high speed, but the fact that savings bank deposits kept increasing even during the holiday season shows that they did not have to draw on their reserves.
 "Another thing that is becoming more and more striking; Birmingham retail trade is attaining a considera bI growth every year on account of the regular increase of business done with people from other parts of Alabama Increasing numbers of women and men from northern Alabama from east on the Southern railway, from south on the Louisville and Nashville and all around are coming to Birmingham to uo tuSiI SHoDplnS. BlrmlnBnam mer- chants have built up an enviable reputation for class of goods and prices. The outside trade is growing straight along as result
 BETTER GOODS
 Some of Birmingham's merchants have become prosperous and with their prosperity as come more pride in their work. They try to keep the best goods. they try to please and they try to give the customer full value. They are doing business in a big minded way and the out-of- town trade has realized this"
 And this is the way they talk all over Birmingham.
 Mr. Loeb added this: q have been particularly gratified over the num- bers of persons who, since their pur- chases Tor the holidays, have volun- tarily expressed their satisfaction With the goods and with the values"
 Relations between the mercahnts and the consumer are more cordial than they were last year. Both seem thoroughly satisfied with the after sale of the holiday shopping and. iudg ing by the manner in which the stores were filled yesterday and the day be- Tore the week after Christmas week IS gong 10 mark up equally as ,UnIl