Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-03-16
E. MANAUTOU
OPENED FIRST
STOREN 1913
At One Time Owned
6 Valley Stores But
All Concentrated in
Brownsville Now

Eight hundred dollars in cash, a
credit Of $4,000. unlimited faith in
the Lover Rio Crande Valley and
a vast store CT energy and initiative
was the capital with which E. Manau-
tou launched into business in the
Valley in June 1918,
Mr.. Manautou's first store was
opened in Mission and two years
later he opeLed a second store at
Mercedes. Business increased stead
lily and a few years later he opened
a third store At Harlingen to be fol-
lowed BY the fourth at Donna. In
1923 he opened his Brownsville store
and the following year his sixth
stcre vas opened at McAllen. He
also acquired a wholesale dry goods
establishment in San Antonio.
Two years ago he decided TO con-
centrste his business in Browns
Vile and sold out all establish
ments except the original store at
Mission and the Brownsville depart
msnt store on Twelfth and Wash
nrton street. He then purchased the
cid building occupied for years by
"Lss Dos Nsciones." "two nations"
store. and announced that a moderI
department store would be erected
ON the site.
Born near Mier, T~smaulipas, Mex
SEQ, and educated in the schools cf
Monterrey, Mr.. Manautou entered the
mercantile business at an early age,
assisting his father in a store at Vic
toria. Mexico. When II years Of
age he accepted . position with G.
Iiierina at Rio Grande City, where
ne was employed several years.
The experienced l gained in Rio
~6rande City proved invaluable to me
IN later years" Mr.. Msnautou said.
~ e~ndeavored to mas a study Of
American methods Of merchandising,
and NJ. Tijers7s. an cid friend Of my
father, gave me lal possible aid"
After a few years In Rio Grande
City young Msnautou went to San
Antonio. carrying a reconfmenda-
ton from Frank Laborde Of Rio
Grande City. one Of the pioneer mer-
chants Of the border country. and
the first day after HE arrival Sc
cured q position with NJ. Half q
Bro, wholesalers.
Gets Job OR Road
NY ambition was 10 become a
travelling salesman" Mr.. Manautou
aaid. II knew the experience I would
nirk IN on the road would be a great
ala 10 me. The late Sam Levine,
who was a personal friend Of almost
everv merchant in the border coun-
. try in these days, was general man
arer for the concern and took an
interest in me. He told me that my
first duty was 70 become familiar
with the departments Of the wholesale
establishment. For over = year \
worked in the various departments,
heinr transferred as fast as l mas
tered the business Of each depart
ment. and when l was "A years of
are Mr.. Levine called me into his
office and said he thought ! was suf-
fsciently well acquainted with the
business TO take ove a territory m
travelling salesman.
Il was assigned the border coun-
try, with occasional trips into Mex
10. MIR. Levine was my mentor.
~ was n Of the greatest merchan-
Users the South has ever known, and
- sndeavored 70 teach me how TO
kandle the trade. Whatever sue
Gees / have made is due 70 the guild
anes Of Levine during the nine years
i uag employed by the firm. He
seemed &c have q personal interest
Il every employ Of the firm, the
Vhslitv tc lead and 70 impress upon
vthers the fundamentals OF business
nrg the importance 81 service and
seurtesy az factors in merchandising.
Foresaw Valleys Future
aErom che days Of my boyhood
whar \ used 10 20 to Roma 70 visit
~esatives and made occasional trips
- ~ lower Valley I was impressed
~-;,h the possibilities Of this sec
tt1r m 1918 I decided 10 open n
~tnre IL Mission. The store was
~~all. and / placed my brother IN
.harre and continued my work as
ssie~man. Then came the rapid de-
~@lcnment which I vas confident
-nri5 eventually come All my time
~ss devoted TO the Mission store,
srd I saw an opportunity for a SINH
lar business az Harlingen' cne aIter
srother / opened stores n the Val
lev towns and also purchased .
wholssala establishment IN San An
tonic. -
<.rtrate nav business in Brownsville
~hs~e I had erected my home. The
-snnrement OF a chain Of stores be
~sme too onerous, though. was
eliminate IN securing excellent man
1870 Nv ambition for years bad
sssn to own and operate a large dc.
.s~Sment store, n store in which 1
~~,id work out those ideals taught
we ~ Sam Levine VINO was apostie
~ creed of service. regarded
p~nvynxville as the logical location
49, me store 4 had visioned for
-sarn. ard the sale Of my chain stores
s~4 ehe San Antonio wholesale house
ave me the liberty % proceed with
~s occasionally hear skeptical pre-
s;t;nrs concerning the establishment
- department store upon such eN-
-rs;ve lines an ! propose, but l have
.ksoiufe faith in Brownsville and the
@-t;ra Kallsy. That faith u shared