The Sidney herald., 1959-11-18
James {. Penney Has Keen
Memory for Names and Places

James Cash Penney, at "a, ha
keen memory for the name ant
the place. He rarely forgets
name, a face, an encounter. PEG
pie who have not seen him for q
or 80 years are often dumb-found
ed when he reminds them of SOM
small incident of their last meet
ing.
And people remember him too
A man Of simple but firm beliefs
who loves people, he has a way O
saying and doing things that art
hard to forget.
Perhaps no living person know.
more of his fellow Americans ther
James Cash Penney, founder o,
the 1,700 store j. c. Penney chain
He founded his first store in the
mining town of Kemmerer, Wyo.
in 1902, seems to remember every
customer he has ever waited on
and every Penney associate he
has ever met. At "a, he not only
puts in long days at his New York
office at a pace that wears out
associates two generations youn-
ger, but he travels more than 50,-
900 miles a year through the
length and breadth of the retail
ing organization that indelbly
bears the mark of his personality
and beliefs.
Penney stores are well-known
for their friendly, respectful rela-
tons with their customers. The
founder insists on this. He called
his first store 1.-THE Golden Rule,
and notes that nothing has yet
come along to convince him that
the Rule ought to be repealed.
Mr.. Penney, a devout and plain
man, has had a career more color
full than any merchant of Baghad.
He has become a legend in his
lifetime - and much of the leg
end is built on the stories OF peo-
pie who know him. They include
the Worlds great - and people
whose shoes he has fitted.
Incidentally, he still fits shoes.
In a Midwestern store a man and
his wife and several children
came in and asked for the
shoe department. They were
led thither by a salesman
who took great pains to provide
them with the proper fit in a mod
erate-priced line. The couple told
the salesman how much they en-
loved buyine at Penney stores
said that Mr. Penney must be a
wonderful person. "I'd sure like
to meet him someday', said the
man as the fitting was finished:
The salesman stood up, extended
his hand, said simply, II am Mr..
v. M. Fay, manager OF the
Penney store in Long Beach, Cail1.
that Mr.. Penney visited the
spanking-new store two years
ago. 81 was hoping" says Mr.. Fay,
chat Mr.. Penney was impressed
by the beauty of the displays, and
the bright lights and glamorous
setting. But on the way down the
escalator Mr.. Penney said, 'Vern,
see those two customers over
there. No one is waiting on them.
ri take one - you take the
-,
sI've never forgotten it." says
Mr.. Fay. eta
that certain incidents involving
che boss" are equally memoir
,hle Retired manager James
who managed tne
downtown Penney store IN Mil
waukee, remembers what hap
,ened when Mr.. Penney visited
lis store during Dougherty's flrSt
rear with the Company IN 1918.
Mr.. Penney came to the store,
;trolled along the counters, came
o a display of mems corduroy
PANTS marked 1898, calleds the
manager over.
"These pants, said Mr.. Penney,
can be sold for $2.98. l know
heir wholesale cost"
but Mr.. Penney" said the
manager, "it's an excellent item,
nd we can get 1898 for them just
IS easily as we can get $2.98."
Mr.. Penney looked the manager
n the eye and said .Ypu are
,iolating one Of the fundamental
Of this Company. YOU
re not giving the customers an
he value you can while still
baking a reasonable profit"
Confused and abashed, the man
ger reduced the price.
'That incident, says Mr.. Dou,
herty. "has stayed with me all
ny life" .,a
a simple matter of course. Any
ne meeting him for the first time
|, aware that Mr.. Penney's atti-
is not perfunctory. But few