The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 106, July 2002 - April, 2003 Page: 89
675 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The History and Modus Operandi of a Small Merchant
With the beginning of this store-I was eleven years old-many of my
father's storekeeping methods are still vivid in my memory. My work
experience with him began on Saturdays in the summer of 1929, a few
months prior to the Great Depression. Sweeping out was the first order
of the day. The counters having been covered the evening before to pro-
tect goods from dust and fly specks, we would spread floor sweep (oiled
sawdust) on wooden flooring and then sweep the floor and sidewalk.
And while my father was ordering the large National cash register for
the day's business with coins and bills, I and the other clerks would dust
and straighten stock. I remember polishing glass counters and large mir-
rors with balls of dampened newspapers.
The opening hour for this store was 7 A.M.; closing was at 6 P.M. on
weekdays and 9 P.M. on Saturdays. Moreover, the store's opening was
clearly marked with doors wide open, for except in the severest cold
Lanier liked his doors open as an obvious signal, and perhaps to reduce
any psychological or physical resistance to entering.
I soon learned my father's marking system. At the top of the price tag
we entered the regular retail price; below this, a horizontal line under
which we marked the coded wholesale or cost price. Our code was
"mouseingly," with each letter representing a number counting from
"m" as 1. For example, we might enter the cost of a $1.98 item as "mse"
($1.45). Our standard markup was 331% percent. This might have varied
some for women's apparel, with which I was less familiar. I do remem-
ber, however, my father saying a few years later that such capricious
items as women's hats, for example, warranted a higher markup.
We were taught to meet the customer at the front of the store with a
greeting such as: "Come right in, Mr. _. What can I do for you
today?" Then at the completion of such assistance, we would thank the
customer for coming in, and extend the invitation, "Come back to see
us." Recalling such customer greetings brings to mind this mannerism of
my father. Years later, at his Jasper store, I observed his continuing prac-
tice of addressing customers by name. However, now older, and facing a
new clientele, he was hampered in his effort. On the other hand, know-
ing the advantages of personal greetings, he struggled to continue the
practice: "Come right in, Mrs. Br r r t t t, ... " he might say-or some such
indistinguishable utterance.
To my knowledge, my father was uninsured in person while I worked
with him, and certainly so when his estate was settled. I remember his
talk about "insuring himself." Nor did he invest in the stock market,
trusting his business for a greater return.
Between customers, we were to stay busy; my father explained that
there was almost always some stock-keeping chore that needed attention.2002
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 106, July 2002 - April, 2003, periodical, 2003; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101223/m1/117/: accessed May 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.