The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-01-11
National Retail
Dry Goods Assn.
Announces Winner,
Mrs. Roy Fleming

New York, Jan. 11.--Mrs. Roy
Fleming, q 80 year old, blue-eyed,
titian-haired Hot Springs, Arkansas
housewife, was today crowned Mrs.
Typical Custorner-1040" by the
country's department and specially
stores.
The National Retail Dry Goods
association, which represents more
than 5000 department and speciality
stores, announced Mrs. Fleming as
the winner Of the national honor
after judging the qualifications Of
long list Of candidates from runner
GUS towns ana cities throughout the
country.
AS holder Of the title, the young
Arkansas housewife Is due to receive
her first trip to New York, via AM
erican Airlines, and be the object
Of banqueting and entertainment
from Hot Springs here and back
again. Her big moment In Manhat-
tan viii come when she Is presented
to a nationwide audience of retail
erS ct the 20th annual banquet Of
the National Retail Dry Goods as
ISOLATION, in the Hotel Pennsylvania,
on January 10, climaxing the annual
convention Of the association. Be-
tween her arrival at LaGuardia
Field and the banquet, she will be
taken on a tour Of the city,s leading
stores, be given a glimpse of its
night life, and will 60 on general
14daT11d If ciUhf.eaailoO
Thousands Enter Contest
Mrs. Fleming was one Of thou
sands Of women who, during Sep
TENDER, sat down to write a letter
about her local merchants as a can
didate for the title of "Mrs. Typical
Customer" In her city and in other
cities in many parts Of the country,
such contests were conducted by re-
tailerS as a feature of the National
Retail Demol!stra ton, sponsored by
the NRDGA and other retail groups.
The simplicity with which Mrs.
Fleming expressed the relationship
which she felt between herself and
the stores of her community won
the approval Of the committee of
Hot Springs retailers who judged it
with the many Others, according to
II. w. Stanley, secretary-manager
Of the Hot Springs Chamber of
Commerce. The committee liked
the way she viewed the stores in
her town as something more than
mere purveyorS of merchandise, but
rather as integral parts Of the So
cial life Of the community which
they serve The same reaction help
ed win her the national title of
Mrs Typical Customer-1940" when
her qualifications were studied by
the National Retail Dry Goods asso-
citation /
Represents Typical Family
II was not only Mrs. Fleming's
letteg which satisfied the judges that
she was suited to be designated
typical" OF the vast group Of wo-
men who make Up the army Of
shoppers In the nations department
and speciality stores. She Is in many
other respects typical customer"
Her family Is three-her husband, a
pharmacist employed in a Hot
Springs drug store, and q daughter,
Sue Carolyn. seven, who has just
entered the second grade. The
FlenMngs are American enough to
have Travelled around a bit Mrs.
Fleming's home was originally In
Gasto1ia, N. c., and she came to
Hot Springs when she was married
nine years ago. The Fleming's own
their own home not pretentious but
quite modern and thoroughly COM
Portable, pleasantly situated on the
rim Of Hot Springs National Park.
The family income Is slightly under
$4,000 year.
Interest In her home Is the reign
ing enthusiasm of MRS. Typical
Customer-1940". She does practi-
cally all Of her own housework.
Next to her home, her greatest In
terest Is children. She is regular In
attendance at the small church near
her home where she teaches Sun
day school class Of young girls, on
the average just q few years older
than her own daughter. She is fond,
too, OF books and n1usic-she usual
" plays the piano for entertainment
OF guests at her home.
In Hot Springs, Mrs. Fleming was
the center Of community interest to-
day. Local merchants prepared to
fete her at banquet and give her
a royal send-off when she departs
for New York during the week of
January is on the American Air
lines plane.
Mrs. Fleming Is the second Amer
lean housewife to receive the title
Mrs. Typical Customer" In Jan
uary 1889, the NRDGO picked Mrs.
J. Richard Powell, Of Flushing, L. T.,
as last years winner Of the title.