Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-09-19
DIT RIAL s

store safes. All IOlu' anu III
Guiding those commodities which
we sold out of town after pur-
chasing them from our customers,
our 1924 business was about
$2,00O,000.
Ours is town of less than
5000 population. The territory
has not been especially prosper
Gus for several years; until last
fall, we had not had a really good
crop for several years, and last
years crop money went principal
ly to paying off the farmers
debts. l cite these facts to show
that we are not doing our business
simply because we are in a place
where the retail customers have
a lot of money to burn. To be
sure, there have been such times
in our part of the country. There
was one year, at the height of the
boom, when our department store
sales totaled $998,000. But that
was abnormal, just as almost all
business was abnormal IN those
days Immediately after the war.
We expect to reach annual sales
of million dollars again.. at
some future time. But it will be
through a gradual and healthy
growth, we hope, rather than
through boom conditions.
We have found that it pays to
do things which give our store
metropolitan atmosphere. One of
the most successful ideas which
we have used for long times was
that of holding style show. One
whole day was given over to this;
we had the store especially dec
Grated for it, and even had stage
and other fittings built up to
make the displays more attrac-
tive.
About 80 local girls served as
the models. They came down the
main stairway and walked along
a platform or runway built across
the store.
Customers were seated around
the store, and an orchestra play
ed. All told, we had Jetween
5000 and 1900 customers IN the
store chat day.
1T was very interesting to
watch the direct returns" which
cane about from the displays. A
model would come down the
stairs, and the dress she wore
would attract the attention and
admiration of some women in the
audience. She would hastily arise,
and follow the model around into
the temporary wings" where she
would purchase the dress with
out further formality. And, en-
that day, we sold more than we
had ever sold before.
1t is our experience that peo-
pie appreciate the very best in
merchandise, surroundings and
service-and that they cheerfully
pay for them, and a profit over
this, by buying in considerably
greater quantity than they other
wise would. Moreover, this is
the sound way to build business
which will hold peoples trade
and their respect.
The Hand Trading company
is one of the most widely known
business enterprises in the Unit
ed States. Its history and meth
DDS have been published in
many of the largest magazines
of the country as an example of
what men can do once they de-
termine to reach a certain goal
and use safe, sane and modern
business methods.
The business, says the System
articles, is the result of an evo-
luton. It's founder was the late
]. L. Hand. who settled in Pei
ham something like SO years
ago.
The history of this great com
mercial enterprise proves that
the fellow who goes after bust
ness can surely get; it proves thai
even the small town merchants
can successfully combat the mail
order business; that care in ex-
tending credits will not drive
trade away, but will induce
trade; that no business can prog
ress far without brain and ply
steal energy behind it.
4 * 4
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