Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-17
TOPK|S FACTORIES
RUN At CAPACITY
Due to the Unusual General De-
mand for the Under
wear Produced.
by Arthur Joyce

A busy fnctory-in any ltne-fs
rare and alluring sight IN these ao-
normal times busy cotton goods
factory is almost a marvel Yet Iopkis
brothers OF this city. keep eleven
nl,n,. going day after day. turning out
Topkis athletic underwear.
In normal times the Topkis employ
., number about 5000. Today. 3.ooo
are az work There has been no shut
down no lay-ofr Today's production is
Ion per cent of normal The Topkis
factories probably are the only under
v.a, factories in the whole country that
NJ, busy Most other plants are not
even operating The reason" Courage
Courage TO accept conditions as they
are and To do the thing that the situa-
ti,r reouires no matter how much II
hurts
Louis Topkis. president of the VII
ratpgtDn Arm had no illusions as to
why business WAS becoming dulier ana
dulier lie saw that the only way TO
i've buving by the consumer tand
therefore retailer and iobberl was TO
lr.rc prices down To bedrock at one
atrao,. instead 81 making nihhhng re
dr.5tsus Accordingly. he announced
rr..-. DIVISIONS that were, perhaps 'h'
n..st sensational ever known IN men :
v,,f Mems athletic union suits. whicn
ntanrd last year at 81 .65, were cut TO 81
Bolz giris and children. su'ts were
reduced corrcspondingly
II ,4eari 4 he loss To- do this. but Mr..
ro,.xis dli NOT hesitate. las course has
slr,otN been f..stificd Assured that
n price has bc,n established. custom
o. Who had been hositating plaCed their
.r.qC orders \vV customers We're
attracted nl the chance 10 buy with iusi
e,-dr4tV far th, future. And NOW MI.
r a,lS looks forward confidently 70 a
1 .,I,..n. of sufficient proportions TO
ofss, IN, loss Involved by tn" drastic
M. r.yls.au lie is oven giving con
sstl. Thought to the question Of
,,t eNtsr4iar Mr. Topks s con-
,rc. thd tu4.-.-s can be revived IN
e., i'm. Is, thr same method
D.,4.r,et rcta,j,r ana jobher see
a. 4.f,.l'..r w,h ,aual clearness. :"
h. s.d N.cord,nsy. nil pursue the
-,r Th.y buy only what
4. Absolutely rcc,sSsI-y This condi-
g., .,v fr.,.siI urtN every one con
ccrr.a fels -.asonahlc assurance
mat pr,c,~ ,,iG ttll ne lower
tTopkis ir.h.rs -. pretend p"
loft, ,ltruiztr Is th.ir move to bring
rrt,- rs I.3 rs,k The step was
,.ker hs.aas. = + frm belief that
r trer e.,ir~,, could prove effective
Il u-sh,tt'uE tudays extraordinary
DIN altl,s md Via; someone must
nss.-.. 81, lead in demonstrating that
manufacturers are willing 20 take
~ san. mcdiciuc they are commend
ing - ielhers and retailers
Another facter III the big sale of
Topkis athle,l, underwear is the year
sound advertising campaign. II is year
round advertising in two ways. Not
enly do the Advertisements appear every
unpnrh In the year but they urge men
r. wear athletic underwear every month
b the year These tactics We're decided
on after investigation showed that many
mon had already turned TO this health
rui. comfortahlc practice. and that il
H. indorsed Isl pht sicians and athletic
trainers tn, lu> cstigaGon revealed
that - nearil l.oao men questioned,
nor, thar 2u per cent wear athletic
underwear at winter. well as III
summer These men are residents Of
cities like Boston. Chicago. Milwauk &c
and Phtadelrh.a where the winters are
far from mild
Topkis athl.t4, Underwear has made
rapid strides IL popular favor. II is
only about nvs ears since j, was put
o. the market under a trade mark.
Sales haIr increased with marvellous
rtIldIty The increase Of 1918 over
t+lt- was zoe per cent. The follow
ing war another 100 per cent was
gained In islS-20. when national ad-
vertisinc VAS begun. the increase in
sales reached the remarkable record
n Also per cent ovcr N. nrev
tV'eiVs months
Tfy, - the Topkis plants are loca ted
n u laVare. the main factory at Vii
m!ngton. Two al laurel. and one At
Smyrna and Seaford. The six other.
are "a Maryland al NardeIla Springs
l-eiera islurg Winchester Salisbury
sharpst, wn and Camhridgc