Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-06

Men are Of comparatively little I'M
portance In modern trade-as custom
ers. Many merchants forget that IS
per cent OF the buying Of all sorts of
goods-from mems clothing to heavy
hardware-is done by women. Forget
ting how much the ladies are infiu-
enced by pleasing surroundings, the
merchant is too indifferent to location
and environment and decoration within
the store. So declares DR.. Klein In his
summary Of causes influencing success
or failure. He is today Analysing the
subject In q speech before the Chicago
Association Of Commerce. and he is
telling EN-"
The most superficial observer must
recognize that business is constantly
changing its plans. The old-time dealer
who refuses to watch the changes of
that the street which in earlier years
was crowded with possible customers
has ceased to have the same char
acter-trade has shifted to the next
street or to the other side. There Is no
accounting for the recognized fact that
one side OF a certain street may be
many times more desirable for business
than the other side. and the dealer who
is blind to this shifting will be stranded
tides while he perches on rock.
X n d
One Of the most tangible illustrations
OF the changing trades is found in
chain drug stores. Drug stores expected
to rely mainly on selling medicines?
That would be joke today, while the
customer weaves his way around their
lunch counters, beauty counters and
book stalls-all in drug store" A
drug store" may be discovered in some
physicians ofices. but that is not .
mere drug store-it Is pharmacy"
devoted to the needs of the doctors,
rather than the layman public.
Recently the owner of the largest
"apothetek" of Berlin visited America
TO study the methods of Yankees in his
trade: he went home disguised after
discovering how foreign to the book
store-beauty parlor- lunchroom was the
side issue of a prescription desk in
more drug stores in America than there
are wooden Indians keeping cigar
stores. Proof: Find the old-fashioned
glass jar filled with fiery red liquid or
emerald green or golden yellow liquid,
behind which shines the gas flame to
attract the attention Of the public to
the medicines compounded where those
samples OF strangely colored fluids are
displayed.
All stores now carry mixed goods.
The largest furniture store Of Washing
ton sells dress goods and napery. The
finest store of glassware and china has
broadened into STOCK Of furniture and
silver and gold plate.
Pity the sorrows of the merchant who
fails to keep pace with modern develop
ments-for better or worse.
X \ X y
It is familiar that there has been a
very. great shifting of occupations in
the last so years. This is brought out
in the Chamber of Commerce year
Rock for 1929. just issued. Agriculture,
numbering and fishing in 1880 occupied
49.4 per cent Of the population engaged
in work. In 1920 only 27.9 per cent.
Manufacturing, mechanical pursuits
and mining in 1880, 25.6 per cent, and
In 1920, $50. It Is noted that while
farming, etc, lost "a per cent Of the
total population, manufacturing, ETC.,
gained only about z per cent--in spite
years.
Trade, transportation and clerical
work In 1880 occupied 1872 per cent and
in 1920 1t occupied 24.S. That indicates
how much more complicated life has be-
come, requiring larger percentage Of
the people to perform the distribution.
The use of "naiddlemen" between the
producer and the consumer has grown
to more than double the proportion of
so years ago. That includes the retail
merchant, both large and small dealer
and their clerical forces. The loss of
farm producers shows up In distribu-
tion-rather than In industry.
In that half century professional
services occupied 3.S per cent In 1880
personal services, contrary to general
Impressions, remain practically in the
same proportion-9.3 per cent in 1880
and 9.6 per cent SO years later. We are
still far from snobocracy dependent
upon servants.
(Conyrtght, le2e, By Paul ". colNnel