Evening star., 1943-08-23
By HELEN RAI1.


A woman shopper who had
changed her mind, but who was
fortunate enough to work at the
Pentagon building. hurried into the
Pentagon's shopping center
the other day with a problem she
knew the center would solve for
her.
She sought out one of the center's
shoppers and said:
| Il saw the cutest hat in town last
night, but I couldn't decide if I
wanted it. I'm sure now that I
must have it and I'm afraid it will
be gone by next Thursday night.
Can you get it for me?"
Il believe So" answered the shop
per, in what store did you see it?"
Well, I'm not sure-it was large
hat store on F street"
DO you remember the salesgirl's
name?"
mo, but she was medium height
and sort of dark"
Did you leave your name?"
No"
What was the hat like?'
A detailed description of the hat
was given, including the price, and
the woman went back to her desk
confident of owning the coveted
headgear the next day.
We'll probably find that hat"
said Mrs. Madeline Nichols, an at
tractive young Army wife who is
one of the centers shoppers We've
done much harder things than that"
And watching it in operation, it
is easy to believe the center does do
many harder things than finding a
hat in a nameless F street store.
This service, believed to be the only
one of its kind in the country, was
established at the request of the
War Department to help prevent
absenteeism.
Windows Changed Weekly.
Established in June, the center is
located in the lobby of the huge
building, and an attractive window
display, arranged by different
Washington stores and changed
weekly, marks the entrance.
The walls of the large room are
hung with fashion pictures, and the
latest fashion magazines and daily
papers are dispalyed on a large
table
Four desks, each with two tele-
phones, are manned by Peggy
Flournoy, Washington fashion expert
and model who manages the center,
and her three assistants.
In addition to Mrs. Nichols. there
is Mrs. Inez Whitney whose husband
also is an Army officer stationed in
the building, and Miss Mary Pat
Glenn, whose smart appearance
assures the customers that their
shopping will be done with good
taste.
In another room cashier receives
money and delivers the packages
picked up by truck daily at central
depot to which the stores deliver
them
No Service Charge.
The center is open from am
to 6 pm. and vii! shop for any
thing in the Washington stores for
any one employed in the building.
There is no service charge
AS matter of fact. Mrs. Flournoy
said, great deal of the shopping
is done for the wives OF men en-
ployes who cannot get away from
home, but this is considered an i'm
portant part of the work because
the men would otherwise have to
take time off to do it themselves.
Requests are entered on forms. the
customer stating if he has any
preference as to store. giving an
approximate price. and his extension
number in the building
Articles may be charged 20 the
customers own account in a store
or paid for at the center on de-
livery. Orders left before 3 pm
are delivered the following day, un-
less considerable shopping time is
needed to locate them.
Contrary to popular belief. the
center gets no special service from
the stores. Neither does it have any
magic formula for finding scarce
Items. such as nylon stockings, cleo
| trlc fans or tennis balls.
Although all the actual shopping
is done by telephone. each of the
shoppers takes weekly trip to town.
to look over new merchandise and
to get ideas.
About 300 Customers a Day.
The center serves about 300 GUS
tsmers day, Mrs. Flournoy said,
| With Army officers and civilian
women employees in the majority.
All the customers are apprecia-
tive. she said, with the men partic-
ularly easy to please.
II an article purchased does not
suit, the customer must return it
himself, since the center has no way
of getting things back to Washing
ton and for that reason does not
handle repairs.
Gift wrapping is an added service.
since many of the orders are for
gifts. with the selection left up to
the shopper
In the case of very expensive
items. or where the customer would
want to see it before purchasing ,pthe
4 tor xxr,1l - -