San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-05
AMEDE0 OBICI,
OF Wilkes Barre, Pa.


A boy named Amedeo Obici came
to America from Italy at the age OF
IL and worked at fruit stands at wages
ranging from $15 TO $50 a month
until he had capital TO start stand
of his own, at Wilkes Barre, Pa. Then
he began tc specialize in roasted pea
nuts in prize packages.
He was quite an original youth.
On the outside OF each little bag of
peanuts he put his picture, and inside
the bag a slip on which was printed
single letter taken from the name,
"A. Obici."
The purchasers of the peanuts were
invited TO return the fronts ofTthe
empty bags, along with the lettered
slips. Prizes were awarded for the
largest number of bag fronts, and a
watch was given 10 any person whose
slips spelled "A. Obici." These selling
scheme made the young Italian quite
popular in Wilkes Barre.
Now peanuts were first introduced
to public SAVIOR by the late and favor
ably known Z. T. Barnum of Bridge
port and everywhere; and ever since
this succulent fruit of the Araehis
hypogaea has been part and parcel of
the circus. Obici's brain convolutions
seemed to run parallel with those of
the mighty Barnnm. II people liked
COOLERS, why not more of them? Why
be content with the puny tinkling of
nickels and dimes in the cash drawer:
Obici concluded he could sell peanuts
in lots of ten pounds as easily as he
was then bending them in little paper
bags.
1t is one thing 10 get an inspira
ton; another thing to make il biologi-
cal-gct into it the red blood Of mo-
ton: induce il to go out and bring
in the mazooma. -
This Obici proceeded to do. He
began experimenting and devising
means by which shelled peanuts, with
skins removed, could be protected
from atmospheric injury. Ultimately
he produced ten-pound tin and gixss
jars of sailed peanuts.
: IL is curious how some men make
big success of enterprises in which
others barely scrape along. From his
fruit stand and roasted peanut bust
ness Oibici had saved $4,000. With
this he launched into the larger pea
nut business, into which also went
$4,000 capital stock which he sold.
He first called his concern the Plant
ers Peanut Compa y, which two years
later was changed to the Planters Nut
and Chocolate Company-when. the
product was expanded to incluce
chocolate. Obici advertised himself as
"The Peanut Specialist"
The first selling efforts were devot-
ed to the territory Immediately sur
rounding Wilkes Barre, but the en-
terprise grew after stretch of hard
times and strenuous work,
Today, with factories at Wilkes
Barre and at Suffolk, Va, the com
pany has n yearly business running
into more coin than Obici could have
garnered in several millions. years at
the old nickel game.
Now this romance illustrates pic
turesquely, the opportunity that may
lie in the merest trifle. America is
n long of fortune. Obici might still
be tending his fruit and nut store in
Wilkes Barre today, except that his
fancy glorified the modest peanut. In
stead. he is president ald general man
nger Of successful business. Yet the
idea was, elemental; no fanstastic
flights required, such as Marconi
scared among when he went after
wireless The beauty of this ro-
nance is that the opportunity stood
out so wonderfully simple and logi-
cal--ten pounds of peantus instead OF
nickers worth