New Britain herald., 1925-05-12
STORES TO CLOSE SATURDAY
 NIGHTS IN JULY AND AUGUST
Merchants Decide by Close Vote After Two Hour Session at Chamber of Commerce.

COlIiiHeICe.
 After two hours of debating and discussing the why's and where , fores of uniform closing, 2S mer- chants this morning finally decided by a vote of 13 to 12 10 close at 6 o'clock Saturday evenings during the month of July and August and re- main open until o'clock Friday evenings The vote was in doubt until decided by the chairman.
 The majority of the sentiment seemed to be in favor of making this a permanent practice rather than for eight weeks during the summer and it looked as though 1t would be voted that way, in fact was voted that way until a sudden switching Of his vote by s. NJ. Dayid- son of the Davidson X Leventhal firm placed a different complexion on the whole affair.
 The meeting was in response 10 nearly 200 invitations sent out 10 general businessmen and was held in the Chamber of Commerce rooms. George II. Dyson, chairman of the mercantile bureau. presided. Maxwell s. Porter of the B, c, Porter and Sons announced that last 1 year the experiment of Saturday aft ernoon closing had proven very sue 1 cessful for his firm.
 There was much spiriteI orposi- ] ton among the market and grocery owners who claimed that their products were pcrishable and that 1 it was necessary 10 remain open Saturday nights in order to "clean- up" what would not keep until Monday.
 Chairman Dyson remarked in re- 1 ply to this that f. was not very long ago the businessmen felt it neces- sary to remain open every evening" The reply came that No woman will buy meat or vegetables on Friday night for Sunday"
 . Tt was argued that there is no ad- vantage 10 tho market mon 10 keep open Friday evenings. James A. Srinnctta. proprietor of Spinetta's , market on Main street stated that they might just as well keep closed ! Friday evening as Saturday.
 Mfr. Davidson saw an advantage in making an exception in favor of l the markctmen and said hc felt they should he permitted to act indopnnd- ontly in thn matter. He did not favor making th" ruling insf for ! two months because he said it would ] take tho public that long 70 get ac- cnstomed to thc change. He sug- ! gostcd that with the exception Of 1 tho Eroc"rvmcn 'ho merchants vote ] 10 accept thc new schedule for the entire year. He caned attention 10 ! the fact that school employees. fac , tory workers office help, etc, all l cease work on Saturday afternoon and many 20 out of town over th" week end and there is very lit'I" business Saturday afternoons. He said it would bc much better 10 keep open Friday evenings.
 i Miss Marguerite Eenior, Of Renter Pickhart and Dunn, says the proposed new schedule is in prao- tee a, M,riIon anI Mcridcn people wourj not return 10 tar old schedule. If thn stores woud close a, noon Saturdays hardly anyone would stay in town" sho said.
 i Louis Rarlacl thought Norjlsn people We're hiiug th,ir lu@inr Ss by closing Saturday nights. witch statement RaS dispu.cd hy Managrr Davis of tho Outlet Millinery com pany who said Friday was Mem. den's busiest night
 John A. Erickson, os Erickson and Carlson. favored permanent closing Saturday uiehts hut thought the mater should tn had on tho
 table for further coneii.ratton.
 NIT. Miller of the Miller an'
 Olsen company did not favor Sanlr,
 day night closing. hoclusa he sal i'
 would moan tso loss 70 marketmor . of p0rIsnah'e goods wlirh nus
 move every day
 A. ], L"vcn'hal Of the p7rds,r
 ani Ioven'hal store said it IS possi-
 bIe 10 purchase fruir and vegeraUe, : in som4 sections of the city even CT
 Sunday. He favored prrmiuinE thc ! markcrmen to settle thcir own prob. lem Independently
 Nelson Fyre, manager of n. WoolNorth store. saI4 his compan,
 would do whateycr fha others did
 He did not favor delaying dcci.
 sion. He said the meeting had bc,r
 given plenty Of publicity in I'll.
 Herald and everyone had been sui
 ficicntly notified Of tho subject tC
 be discussed. He said tho status Q.
 fhe five and ton cent store was sim
 liar to that of tho marko'mcn cspc
 cially on the night before Christmas
 He said the Saturday closing hs5
 proven successful in ThHafelphi.
 where the merchants s'l stuck t' their agreement, citing a time vher [