Evening star., 1926-11-21
HEAD OF FIVE-AND-TEN STORES
SEES TREND TO SMALL STORES
Hubert T. Parson of Wool
worth Co. Says Public
Decides on Stock.
Economics of Small Change
an Interesting Chapter in
Nations Business.
BY M. 8. RUKEYSER


The flve-and-ten-cent-sto chains
are interesting sociological facts
They are an expression Of the tastes
and the bargain-hunting instincts OF
the peopel-as well as evidence Of in
dustrial skill in turning out uniform
articles cheaply.
When the Mckinley tariff made it
no longer profitable for Hubert T. Par
son to import chicory from Germany,
in 1892. he associated himself with
Frank w. Woolworth, who had Ia
five-and-ten-cent stores. NJ. PEARSON
started as accountant, and advanced
until he became secretary, treasurer.
general manager. and in June, 1919,
he succeeded the founder of the bust.
ness as president.
Today the F. w. Woolworth Co.
has 1,471 stores, having opened
II new stores this year.
Inasmuch as the profit margins are
necessarily small in five-and-ten- cent
stores. the company has been driven
to develop scientific management
The company is perpetually alive to
the need of eliminating economic
waste. 1t regards the whole popula-
ton as potential customers.
Public Decides Stock
According to Mr.. Parson. the public
decides what articles the Woolworth
stores shall carry. New articles are
tested out in various sections, and the
management invariably follows the
verdict Of public interest or apathy.
1t does not seek to impose its judg.
ment. and artificially stimulate de-
mand for commodities toward which
the public in test cases has been luke.
warm.
The labyrinthal records of this huge
array of stores clear through the Of
fees of Mr.. Parson. who is a stocky
individual of medium height with
friendly brown eyes and brown hair.
Mr.. Parsons was born in Toronto,
Canada, 81 years ago. In his leisure
hours, Mr.. Parson is primarily in
terested in horticulture and in music.
At his residence, Shadow Lawn, at
Long Branch, which was formerly oc-
cupied by President Wilson as his
Summer home, while he was chief
magistrate of the nation, Mr.. Par
son takes pride in his fruit and flower
gardens. His prize products are his
orchids. Mr.. Parsons tastes in music
are Catholic. He has installed organs
in country and town houses. He reg
ularly attends the opera during the
season. Mr.. Parson likes the out
doors, and plays golf, but golf is one
Of his minor interests.
Queried concerning the psychology
of public taste, Mr.. Parson said: I'VE
rely on the public to decide what mer-
chandise we shall carry. We do not
attempt to impose our own judgment.
When new items are proposed. we test
them in our stores in various parts of
the country. We find that these tests
are reliable guide to the future mar
ket. Sometimes dierent sections of
the country react differently, and we
concentrate our sales efforts In those
districtffs in which interest is shown
in new articles.
Public Taste Fluctuates.
"The public taste fluctuates for a
variety of reasons. Sometimes the
bottom falls out of the market for
particular article, but the country
does not react as unit. New fads
usually start in the East, which is the
Industrial center of the country, and
gradually move westward. Sometimes
of course, fads start in the West
and move eastward. These tenden-
cies give us an opportunity to
move fad merchandise to new CEN
ters of interest after the demand has
fallen off in one part Of the country
I'VE deal with the whole range of
the population. We have customers
on Fifth avenue as well as on De-
lancey street. No matter how