New Britain Herald Newspaper, October 30, 1925, Page 33

W.T.GRANT CO. Special Séction ‘NEW BRlTAlNNEW GRANT STORE OPENSSATURDAY, 9:15 A. M. Bringing to New Britain One GRANT’S NEW STORE PLANNED BY FORMER NEW BRITAIN MAN (lifford B. Curtis Once With W. P. Crabtree, Drew Up Specifications For New Britain’s New Store. of the work which they handle, Rapld expansion of the company, means many executive positlons opening up and room for ambitious young men in this live, growing or- ganization. GRANTS POLICIES 'cLoax co. | 1S DISTINGT , ‘dfllFFDERENTt FROM GRANT'S' | Occupies becond Floor ol"/ The opening of the new W. T. Grant Co. 25¢, 60c and $1 Depart- ment Store at 283 Main street takes on added interest from the fact that the store was bullt according to plans and specifications drawn up by a former New Britain man. Clifford B. Curtis, son of Newton G. Curtis of 21 Hamlilton street, and for some time associgted with W. P. Crabtree, architect, has for the last three years been planning and designing stores for the Grant syn- LOCAL MANAGER dicate. The New Britain store is Store Lines, With but the latest of a long list of . 1 a1 . | stores on which Mr. Curtls has Economy Prices | Grant Building; Differ- worked, stores all over the United AR States having been bullt according ent Line of Goods to his plans, Methods of operation followed by | In designing the New Britain | W. T. Grant comp whose | etore Mr. Curtis has kept in mind tore opens her garel » opening of the W. T. Grani | that his townspeople should know |unique in that the comp: sells d0c and 81 department Store | nothing for more than $1, the stores are operated along department store lines. Al- though operating under a fow maxi mum price limit, the Grant organi- | zation has gotten away from the | d that ntirely the character of Grant stores, and he has expressed architecturally the desirability of convenient shopping | in a well planned store. The most modern steps in design- | ing retail stores have been taken t Ready to Weur Store u! | in street, Satu 1y morning, | ally a double event. The twe npanics, while occupying (he bullding simultancously are | in New Britain's new Grant store. [usual syndicats,style of operation ‘K n JYQI dnlll m:.,:,ll-;ld ,?"é .,?,“\:L' : ; Ne ew Gra nanaged by differe c An entirely new buding was built [and has evolved a method and eys- wam,”bv dealing in different types of LW, RYAN to house the W. T. Grant Co. and |tem of its own. merchandise and connected only in the allied store, the Grant Ready-| Thousands of ftems, none of which |\ " 00" 00 together in rental to-Wear Shop which will occupy the |sell for more than §1 have been col- | y in order to reduce over GRANT MANAGER second floor. One of the most recent |lected by the Grant bu and types of deep recessed lobby fronts, | with a large expanse of show win- form a most wonderful example of |" (o the buying power of the American |, oi% ole) ace haws boen installed, while |dollar. To bring \-il‘hln the limita- framing of this front is in pol- |tions of this $1 limit the everyd d copper with Vermont marble |necessities of the Grant customers rims. {has been the ambition of Grant Inside the store every facility has |buyers. n taken advantage of to make| The present §1 SEES SUCCESS IN NEW BRITAIN the eastern ine to Texas. department store of America’s Finest 25c¢, 50c, $1 Department Stores W. T. Grant Co. Announces the Opening of Their New Store, Giving New Britain Another Valuable Retail Institution GRANT'S IDEA 19 YEARS 0LD “He noticed . . . " That phrase, says ons perfodical, is the beginning of more stories of prises than probably any other. It s the beginning of the story of thy T. Grant oC., whose new $1 De- \artment store opens he w. T noticed Grant nineteen %g around 256c were the ones most | tonstantly {n demand, as shown by | he fact that they were always the | 'nes out of stock. He was then em- ployed as department manager in a stqre in Boston, and had the ambi- tion of going into business for him- self. The rapidity with which the 250 items sold gave him an idea. That {dea, developed and expand- sd, Is now the W. T. Grant Co., with | stores from Maine to Texas, and from Wisconsin to the Gulf, enidloy- ing near ten thousand people, with | great buying offices in New York {as the mere telling of it would indi | { cady to Wear ¢ . R o A pping pleasant. The aisles are |18 the product of evolution. The | o) iyan, who has come to the counters fust the ight sther e | ain from Pittsfield to man- t for easy buying. tore S elimin. 8¢ the new W. T. Grant Co. stére | fixtures have been hung with lav- nce proved, how b successful business in flocding both main finor ever, lha' th nit did not perniit diversified industries, | and basement with light nearly |the buyers to accomplish their aim | yroll, all point to big cqual to daylight in brilliance, |of making the every day nee oprortunities he thinks. here are no shadows or dark cor- |able at minimum prices, and during We hate come to New Britain rets in New Br V's new store, To assure proper ventilation tans have been hung ever the war the pric to its present le the Grant compa limit raised This allowed _- to offer for sale | canse we think e is room for rs in ite a reputation for and il- few ing ré not here to put anyone else style in it | ald Mr. Ryan. | _ | first small : M S he A business nor to engage in floors, wh to ot vatlo untl at : t ! s e ipstinon o ‘fi;illck large ex- p he Girant sLOFes carry near- ¢ g . s d in the 1y 10,000 different itemns. T#iis tholallortloTithe G rant Teany fo the business of merchs r on the | Well Departmentized . 4 pad ting a return on our invest- 8 | ¢ to We 1ality e A s B Al ! imes every | The Grant stores are laid out on [0 " and aiding ritain to hour. Windows across the f re lines e : { nless New Britain grows and v e show windows, and 1|-'hq 1 ac ()rdmr to with it, our efforts here are | n floor provide 4 ventilation, A feature unique in chain stor d the variou related that ite . [found near cach o e look for big things in hink the term, the s very well applied 1 light which the Nuw Britain store has in jeu's lingerie, forming o Bleter uniees it urs\\hop:nt_] fi‘r a rmlvllnue'd t e found immediate il i . « shall do our share to non with all Grant sl\u is a | .[\\m w] ’M]uvi imr ,,iv.ml : tRe GrARIE Ready tor Ty Ve I o ot rooms for the exclusive use [jacent to that de ent in wh e e s - women emplo of the |children’s wear i while under- | 1 s a product of ated at the T e | wear and hosiery will be found in of training its lower floor, this snite |the same general part of the store. ng worked his way rest room of lar Teols and auto acce will be y position m floor- with rugs, wick SRt caali 04 near i For Economy s Sake managed several enette with hot ! paint, and hov epartment tores, as so that warm meals may |with radio and e 1pplies near nager in sever] more. ips of em-| Morcover, the individual displays rding to department store ugh distinctively ‘Grant's'| Pk e in the me are development. Deep bins they fwell fillad with merchandise, lighted r - }F%m\ case; ntily trimmed, attrac- | tive wall and shelf trims, are eacl S |complete parts of the motfe perfec holt: 1. LYNN, MASS,, 70-74 Market street Buy For Service Sea b e : e i GRANT MEN AT G ey i 2. WATERBURY, CONN., 165-167 Bank street forRthesery L "h iy g""‘ the 055 3. BRIDGEPORT, CONN., 1189-1205 Main street om ot 1 e immediate profit | i PROMOTED RN s a| 4. LEWISTON, ME, 95 Lisbon street X cording to one of the Grant execu- | 5, NEW BEDFORD, MA 3-864 Purchase street wnH‘N RANKS ‘” S This ey oound Tather altruls { 7. FALL RIVER, MASS,, 147-149 South Main street tic” he added, “but it \"“ "';" & LYNN, MASS,, 318 Union street So: ot in se, but in the . 3~ R e 9. NEWAR j Market street at service pays the pro nd not | 10. PORTL. 1-46 Congress street | 12. SCHE! . Y., 419-421 State street Wi e GERGIE 10 High street icothia ST -422 Main street et ey suitot v | RS OHINS . 120-422 Main stree By eliminating much 15. SYRACU 341 South Salina street uierit it throug stages of as- |of the middleman's profit by doing 16. ALBANY, N. Y., 5 | street stant mani to full mana e away \umlmn; or 11“(»“1\;1;* \’n *<‘ 17. BINGHAMTON, N. Y., 7 T Court street is worked |tribution, the Grant company feels it o \ 3 e definite schedule under |is rendering a distinct economic 18. l‘\;& -‘A‘I,'\‘ZOO; All(‘li.. 207-211 South Bu}'dlck street supervision of K. H. Fogler, hea vice. By being able to sell need- 19. SCRAN (\.\. F ’%m-_311 Lackawanna avenue of the company’s Personnel Depart- |ed articles for less and still make its | 20. :\‘0}1]'0 \' \ Granby street inent. The men are trained in win- [own falr profit, the company is ren- | 35 North Queen street ior display, mer- |dering a soclal servic which per > Merrimack street control and execu- |} accounts for its phenomenal : 8 aps |growth and success, | “No article s ever be bought merely because we can sell it withix our price limit or for a profit” e of Mr. Grant's instructions € manag As soon as the n show themselves efficient in ofie | re transferred to anothe and given a different line,of Grant man is thor- in all phases of store | outh Main street \( ate \Uk‘o A., 10-42 West Market street . FORT WAY \l IND., 1002-6 Calhoun street . READING, PA., 508 Penn street PITTSBURGH, PA,, 510 Market street management. jality that we are no All of the officers of the Grant such q ; b . LOUISVILLE, KY., 424-426 South Fourth street Company with the exception of a|ed to have it on our counters ROCKFORD, ILL.. 107-109 South Main street tew technical men are products of | Realizing that the cu 2 J » his Gra m of training, even |be pleased if future bt RICHMOND, VA 9-321 East Broad street Mr. Grant ing in seven- | held. the company puts on it . PEORIA, ILL., ¥07-111 South Adams street teen years ago his own manager. d counters only that v "VANSVILLE, IND., 507-509 Main street M(\rmtir;. stock boy, window trim- w h:;\!; it lla: ut T. JOSEPH, MO., 510-512 Felix street ™ e Men work HUNTINGTON, W. VA., 949-951 Third avenue en working the stores [teed by the Grant N1 ON, W 5 v(z.:fin::ntver\ ox? nmm about :s«:) :ch:mcb;lf‘f- :o:a:\ BROCKTON, MASS,, 141-143 Main street those few items which the sanitary laws forbid being exchanged are make reports upon their own work This, of course, reylures absolute UNION CITY, ., 80-88 Bergenline avenue e, redures abeolute |lewa forbld being exchaneed are o3 | 35, CHARLESTON, S. C., 265-267 King street familiarity with thejrecords of their |clude 3 e that “we | AR BITE L 18 ’ ; :-':m Jat store and necessitates|will exchange'anything that s un- | 40. MEMPHIS, TB\N;‘.(31§ 115 Sopth Main street their being in touch with all phases | satisfactory for any reason.’ | 41, TAMPA, FLA,, 903-207 Franklin street. ell as acted |towns asked that a S o take active interest Coffee, tea, milk, an hand do t t to ta | all times by |draperies and dress goods ome (o Gl'an S mmunity work in New o a locked |found in the same part of the store. Britain, oity, and operating the largest $1 Department Stores {n Amer Small Star( The idea did not develop as fast cate. Tt took time for the employe of ths department sfore to convin his triends that his ideas were gounc enough to invest capital in. weeks of hard work, long hours and | great attention to detail, to get that | store In Lynn, Mass. 1t took con work, close buying, care- opened for bucinees, stant ha 1l study small undercapitalized store go- But Mr. Grant did it of the markets to keep ing As one anecdote has It, quaintance of Mr. an ac- Grant's told him |that it wasn't moral for a man to work as hard as he was working, The first store was a success, how- ever. It was such a success, and its ideals of service &o unique that friends and business men of nearby milar store be heir tow not of a L It was and has moved his family| ra'hsr of a s?oye that would be my lown business. But the demand grew | successful business men and enter- | Saturday. | Fears ago that the emall ttems sell- | It took | JUST A SUGGESTION! Why not take this 6 page folder right out of the paper, mark those items you want to buy, and take the section along as a shopping list tomorrow ? Remember, the new store opens at 9 a. m. | %0 Insistent that 1t w | vise as thought ad- ¢ to open 4 second store.” Slow Growth | Growth was slow, il everal years, however, for A few more stores cre added, buying offices were e {tablished in New York City, ne lcapital was acquired. During the ten 3 1917 only }mm -five Cent Department stores. The entrunce of America into the war brought business troubles to the Grant organization as well as every |one eise. Its men trained in policles, were taken into the service. | Expansion had to be stopped. {the period of r gave the | ecutives of ex- on time to | think and s ition of the | company. | Despite its great size and its far- hing branches, the Grant organ ization is still o Al its n part of | its executive: e men who have grown up with the company. enter- | ing its employ as stock boys or foor men, and earning their promotion {from step to step. The men now in training number nearly five hundred, and the frequent transfer of these men from store to store adds to the unity of the organization. The Iy convention, when all the lers and executives meet, ts ano for keeping the family For Economy’s Sake COME TO GRANT’S 12, 43. 4. LITTLE ROCK, ARK., PITTSFIELD, MASS,, MACON, GA.,, 408-412 AST ST. LOUIS, ILL 17. MOBILE, ALA . PROVIDENCE, R. 1., . FORT WORTH, . BUFFALQ, N. Y., 546- 51. DALLAS, TEXAS, 160! 52. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, 53. LIMA, OHIO, WACO, TEXAS, 7. BALTIMORE, MD.,, . NEW ORLEANS, LA, 61. NORWOOD, MASS,, 69 NIAGARA FALLS, N, T. GRANT CO. HAS STORES 604-606 Main street 141-145 North street Third street 231-238 Collinsville avenue . RALEIGH, N. C,, 210-214 Fayetteville street , 171-17 3 Dauphin street 817 Westminster streef TEXAS S, 613 Houston street Main street 06 Elm street 303-11 East Houston street North Main street 517-19 Austin avenue MERIDEN, CONN,, 17- . TOLEDO, OHIO, 315-317-319 Summit street 216-220 W . HYDE PARK, MASS,, 1¢ . ROCKLAND, MASS., 330- 19 West Main street Lexington street River street 2 Union street 1019-1025 Canal street 6 Washington street Y., 2112-2116 Main street 3. HAZLETON, PA., 87-39 West Board street . DAVENPORT, IOWA, 70. ATLANTA, GA., 52-56 . PHILADELPHIA, PA. 2. HARTFORD, CONN,, 73. GREENSBORO, N. C . CANTON, OHIO, 401-4 . NEW BRITAIN, CON . WORCESTER, MASS,, . EL PASO, TEXAS, 205 4. GREENVILLE, S. C., 101-107 North Main street 5. HOUSTON, TEXAS, 609-611 Main street 6. OSHKOSH, WIS., 85-87 Main street 67. ALTOONA, PA,, 1412 Eleventh avenue 216-218 West Second street 9. ST. PAUL, MINN., 41-43 East Seventh street Whitehall street 1010-1012 Market street 6 State street 36-238 South Elm street 11 Market street 207 Mesa avenue ., 83-87 Main street 407-9 Main street . BEVERLY, MASS,, 226 Cabot street . NEW HAVEN, CONN,, 798-802 Chapel street (1926) Al W.T.GRANT CO. Special Section NOTHING OVER ONE DOLLAR IN MODERN NEW GRANT STORE ‘ In the opening of the new . T. Grant Co. 25¢, {50c and §1 Department Store at 283 Main Street tomor- |row morning New Britain has added to its business district a unit of a great chain of department stores already very well known in Connecticut. Stores of the Grant Organization at Waterbury, Meriden, Hartford, have made people of New Britain well acquainted with the Grant syndicate. The new store, one of the finest in the shoppmg center, occupies the main floor and basement of an en- {tire new building erected especially for the Grant store. | The second floor of the building will be used by the Grant Ready-to-Wear Shop, a separate and distinct firm, associated with the W. T. Grant Co. only in the leasing of advantageous husiness locations. New Britain’s new store is one of nearly 80 Grant stores which reach from Lewiston, Me,, to El Pase, Texas, and from St. Paul, Minn., to Tampa, Fla., |and doing an aggrefate annual business of over $30,- 1000,000. Tt is operated as all Grant stores, like large ‘(lepartment stores, with nothing for sale over $1.. Hun- all Twen- | | its But | dreds of items used daily have been brought within that | classification hy the Grant buying offices which scour not only America, but the continent of Europe for merchandise. Over thirty-five classifications of mer- | chandise will be found in the new store.. Among them are I)omcshc« and Yard (mode Hosiery, Infants’ and | Children’s Wear, Women’s Muslin Wear, Knit Under- | wear for the whole family, House Wares, Hardware Tools, and Auto Acusxmm Radio Parts, Men’s and | Boy¢” Wear, and many others. | Only loca! saleswomen are employed in the new [ store. Opening day there will be over 200 saleswomen {hohmd the counters, all hired from New Britain and vicinity, and trained in Grant methods of doing busi- ness. This number, of course, only represents the open- | ing force, which will be reduced to a normal sales force of about 50, which the store will maintain all the time. The executive force of the store will consist of the man- ager, Mr. Ryan, who comes to New Britain from Pitts- \ field, Mass., where he managed another of the Grant “stm es very successfully, He has also had the madnage- ment of several other of the Grant stores, as well as ;scr\'im: an apprenticeship as floorman and assistant manager, as all Grant executives have to. He will be assisted here by four floormen and an assistant man- ager, all young men in training for the executive posi- tions which the steady expansion of the syndicate are making available. New Britain’s new store is a thing of beauty. The walls and ceilings are snowy white, the walls pan- eled in modern effect. Polished walnut fixtures sur- mounted by hins of polished plate glass filled with multi- colored merchandise add to the beauty, Numerous lights, flooding every inch with almost natural light only emphasizes the artistic appearance. Lighted show cases, | special displays all go to make a beautiful whole. OPENING WELL ORGANIZED From an unfinished building two weeks ago to a complete store ready to function is the record the opening force has made in New Britain. This has heen accomplished through a per- fectly organized effort. The opening has been in direct charge of C. W. Dole, district manager for New England. Beside the {men who are to manage the local store there were sent here about 20 assistant managers from nearby Grant stores, each assigned to a particular group of departments. These, with the 200 saleswomen, have prepared the store for the opening. C. E. Davies, fixture and equipment buyer, supervised the | installation of fixtu Harry Williams, construction superin- tendent, directed the completion of all construction on the build- ing. The publicity campaign was directed by R. G. Parker, representing the advertising and sales section: Miss L. Cock- rem, district personnel worker, hired and trained all the local | employes, while the office work has been directed by Mrs, F. Healy, who has been in charge of the office in the Fall River, | Mass., store for several years. Several of the buyers and office | force from the head office at New York also are here for the | opening and will lend their assistance in making the opening a Success. Every preparation has been made to take care of a record- breaking crowd for New Britain, To protect the windows and prevent injury to shoppers, heavy barricades have been built about the show windows. A special detail of police has been assigned to keep traffic moving in front of and within the store, to prevent crowding and jamming, and to assist in making things run smoothly. LARGE USERS OF NEW BRITAIN PRODUCTS The Grant chain of stores is a large user of New Britain products and every new store added to the chain means another city market opened for New Britain. Products of the New | Britain Brass Co. and of Landers, Frary & Clark are used in every one of the 78 Grant stores, the yearly total running inte thousands of dollars. Grant stores have been known in this section almost since | the founding of the chain 19 years ago, for the second stere | opened was at Waterbury. Since then stores have opened all { around New England, the latest being at Worcester, opened the 17th of this month. At the same time that (he New Britain | store is thrown open to the public another store is being opened by the Grant organization in Oklahoma City, Okla.. Another, store in Connecticut, this time in New HI\'!I\, will open * time after the first of |he year.