Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1925-11-06
THE ORIGIN AND OPER-
ALTON OF SKAGGS
STORES


business institutions frequently proves, when
all Of the facts are known. to be quite diff
business as eoid-blooded proposition. de-
ferent from the actual manner of their
founding. In general, we are prone to regard
void Of sentiment OF ideals, and to think of
large concerns as existing and having always
existed for the sole purpose Of making
profits It is difficult to picture vast or
ganization as having one been a tiny, one
man business. It is even more difficult to
imagine II as having been founded--through
rigid seli-denial and bitter saerifice-and
with a zeal for public service.
Many people easily attribute altruistic
motives and high ideals to men in other
walks of life, but for some reason. the
soul Of the merchant-ifs indeed. he be
credited with having a SOULS supposed to
be shriveled and dried up by the flames Of
his passionate desire for gain. Probably,
merchants themselves-or rather, the system
under which merchandising has been done in
the past--can be held largely accountable for
this attitude on the part Of at least a por-
tion Of the public Nevertheless, many of cur
largest and most successful merchandising
institutions have been founded with a sin
cere desire to render the public a better
service than it has been getting and only
those men and organizations that have kept
the faith and kept alive a deep sense OF
obligation to their associates and the pub
lie have succeeded in any marked degree.
skaggs Stores originated from the efforts
of one man. who. with a sense Of public
duty sought to find the means for reliev-
ing situation which was working a severe
hardship on a large section of the country
and incidentally discovered how richly the
public rewards it's real servants This man
was s. NJ. skaggs. father Of the present ex-
ecutive heads of Skaegs stores-a minister
of the gospel by choice and vocation--but
at that time struggling homesteader among
a lot Of other equally hartpressed home
steaders near American Falls. Idaho.
Some two years prior to the opening
Of the first skaggs Store at American Falls.
Idaho. in 1915. Reverend Skaggs came west
in search of health. The section In and
around American Falls appealed TO him
from the health standpoint, so he filed on
a homestead and settled there. As IL usual
with most preachers he had very little
money and what little he did have was soon
expended in the erection Of homesteader's
'Shanty' and the purchase Of team, tools
and such equipment as he necessarily must
have. He and his family eked out an ex-
istence as best they could and. by reason
Of his calling and a natural talent for lead.
ership, he soon became somewhat of a lead.
er among his fellow homesteaders.
Prices on all commodities in American
Falls were high-to s. N. skaggs, seem
ingly much higher than conditions justified
land frequent discussion with neighbors
established a concurrent opinion, but how
and what steps to take TO correct or over
come this condition was the problem.
Eventually Mr.. skaggs evolved a plan
whereby he thought he could operate sue
cessfully. a plan which among other things
included a program Of physical effort for
himself which today would be considered
little short Of bondage. This store could not
be an ordinary store nor could It be operated
IN any ordinary manner. The tsrictest econ
omy in its installation and operation was
necessary; else it would fail in Is avowed
purpose. which was to reduce prices. To
know that one must reduce operating cost
and waste. Therefore. with his purpose
Of service built upon great ideal. he formu.
lated a scheme of operation as practical as
is was simple.
s. NJ. skaggs had no money and moth
ing on which he could secure money ex-
cept his character and to D. W. Davis
- ut-
Of American Falls and later Governor Of
the State OF Idaho, he presented his prob
lem and plans, securing 81 900.
On a rented lot on a side street he
erected with his own hands a frame build
ing of dimensions 1882 feet and in this
little building in the summer Of 1915 was
opened the first skaggs Store Of the West.
In that store 8. N. Skaggs toiled diligently,
frequently for weeks at a time walking two
and a half hours daily from his homestead
TO work and back in the evening so that
all possible horsepower could be used on
the farm.
ThtJ store was the first unit In a chain,
which in a little more than ten years
blankets the Pacific Coast and extending
as far east as Colorado and Nebraska com
prises more than three hundred Of the finest
food stores.
s. NJ. skaggs, some four years after the
opening of the first store, with his health
regained, returned to the geographical To-
cation Of his choice and the occupation die
tated by his moral conviction-that Of prac-
ticing the Gospel as he understands it,
but many of the methods employed by him,
the founder. are still used; used with the
knowledge that "He who serves best profits
most" and much Of the spirit imbued into
the lives Of the older personnel through
their association with hinf still lives and
finds expression.
Next week. ~Tho opsnng Of the Second
Skaogs Store"