Collection: 1:3 / Institution: Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.) / Language: English - LGBT Detroit: Civil Rights in Michigan

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1. Fine Furniture; 1936-07

Notes:: Issue of a furniture trade magazine published in Grand Rapids, Mich. It began publication in 1936. and JULY • 1936 JACK WEAVER Three score years and four he has fashioned fine furniture. (See page 9) Two dollars a year 20 cents a copy Grand Rapids, M i c h i g a n Application for acceptance under Act of June 5, 1934, authorized April 30, 1936. U. -S. postage 6c PAID, Grand Rapids, Mich. Permit No. 1093. a v NO MARKET TRIP COMPLETE WITHOUT VISITING THE Cartoefcr #allerte£ KEELER BUILDING • GRAND RAPIDS brings replacement business Every home needs one room in Carved Oak for variety and charm. Here is an appealing way to give a home personality. The idea has strong promotion possibilities for a store. With it you can crack the resistance of many families who feel their present furniture is good enough. Let "The Oak Room" open up a rich new market of replacement business. Be sure to see our hundreds of Carved Oak pieces at the July market. Come prepared to select a grouping that will attract the higher income brackets among your customers. Historic creations for all the rooms, filled "with eye appeal and impressive character and numerous talking points. Trade up with Carved Oak. Get bigger unit sales, better profits, less competition. GRAND RAPIDS BOOKCASE & CHAIR COMPANY "America's Carved Oak Specialists" HASTINGS, MICHIGAN We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE VICTORIAN Reproductions ?AVE you ever stopped to think that your most profitable business comes from the sale of Period Reproductions and 18th-Century-style groups? Why? Because the bulk of replace-ment business in established homes is on these items, and folks who are now replacing old suites and pieces with new, have money to spend for better furniture. Starting'Out couples, when they can afford it, will pick these beautifully styled pieces too. Hasn't your experience shown this to be true? Naturally you make a better profit on such furniture. So why not devote a special section of your living-room floor to carefully selected ensembles of this nature? We'll be glad to suggest the minimum number of pieces to start . . . then watch your sales climb. See us in July, or write for more particulars. Newspaper Mats for Dealers Available on Request VANDER LEY BROS. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN SHOWROOMS — FIFTH FLOOR KEELER EXHIBITION BLDG. FlNC FURNITUR€ the Hcmafurniii.ing Magazine horn the f-umiiurc Style Center of America VOLUME 1 1936 NUMBER 3 GEORGE F. MACKENZIE, President PHIL S. JOHNSON, General Manager ROD G. MACKENZIE, E d i t o r K. C. CLAPP, Merchandising Editor •JULY-Cover illustration courtesy Robert W. Irwin Co. (see pcge 9) The Boiling Wake 6 "Page Nine" 9 The Best Since, by Frank E. Seidman 11 "Retail Profit"—Theme of Summer Furniture Drama . . . . 18 "Pressing," by B. F. McLain 25 Furniture Frolics, by Ray Barnes 27 Biographing Famous Furniture Firms. 28 Don't Kid Yourself, by Joseph P. Lynch 29 The Sketch Book, by Dermot M. Doherty SO "Home of the Month" 32 Men Who Make Furniture Markets 33 Retailing Tips . . 36 Get Behind Furniture Week 43 The Customer's Viewpoint 44 The Arithmetic of Instalment Selling, by Murray C. French 47 Gems of Sales Philosophy, by Chet Shafer 49 New Housing Revives Model Homes 52 Rug Markets Open Together 54 Why-is Your Best Window? 56 Buy-By-Brand-Name 59 Your Association and its Activities 63 Homefurnishing News and Reviews 64 Around the Grand Rapids Market 71 New Stores 72 Published monthly by the Furniture Capital Publishing Co., Asso-ciation of Commerce Bldg., Grand Rapids, Mich. Acceptance under the Act of June 5, 1934, authorized April 30, 1936. FINE FURNI-TURE copyright, 1936. Eastern office: 545 Fifth Ave., New York City, phone Murray Hill 23909, S. M. Goldberg, representative. Southern office: 114^ West Washington St., High Point, N. C, phone 2152, C. C. Prince, representative. Subscription rates: $2 per year in the United States and American Colonies; $3 in Canada and foreign countries; single copies, 20 cents. f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 is ready with a Record-Breaking Line for a Record-Breaking Market THOSE WHO SAW the Imperial showing at the May Market, pronounced it the finest mid-season Imperial exhibit they had ever set eyes on. But this showing was merely a pre-lude to what Imperial has prepared for the July Market in Grand Rapids. This new line is without question the most appealing in Imperial's long and honorable history as America's foremost producer of fine tables. In all respects, it is a record-breaking line — especially and painstakingly developed for what promises to be a record-breaking market. You will find that in style range, in quality appeal, in craftsmanship superiorities, and in price attractions, Imperial's new offerings definitely estab-lish new standards of salability. It is a line accurately attuned to today's wonderful opportunities — a line that has what it takes to ring up record-breaking sales and profits for you. IMPERIAL FURNITURE CO. G r a n d R a p i d s , M i c h i g a n We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE • . . . a n d PRICE No. 730 Sofa. 34" high, 36" deep and 78" long At the Market These Morse men to serve you JOE N. BALL RALPH D. MORSE FRED A. NELSON CHRIS PERKINS GEORGE F. COLLINS N. H. BRYANT JOSEPH GRISWOLD, JR. PRIDE in beautiful merchandise that builds prestige is not enough! But PRICE that permits of attractive profit on a sure and steady volume, PLUS the pride that you, your salesmen and your customer share in distinctive living room pieces of quality—that's a winning combination! Smartness and style supremacy of Morse upholstery have long been taken for granted. Our hard-won success in bringing MORSE MASTERPIECES into your most profitable price brackets will surprise you when you visit the Morse space in July. RALPH MORSE FURNITURE CO. 6th Floor, Keeler Bldg. Grand Rapids We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE PROVEN ACCEPTANCE Repeat Orders Tell the Story of Bobb Values DEALERS' PROFITS depend upon their customers being satisfied. BOBB furniture achieves this mark because it is livable, constructed on reliable standards and moderately priced. Enthusiastic dealer response in the form of repeat orders has established BOBB merchandise as a LEADING SALES INFLUENCE. Displayed in Waters-Klingman Bldg. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN BOBB FURNITURE COMPANY KALAMAZOO, MICH. The modern vanity suite, No. 1006, is made of carefully selected Harewood veneers, fin-ished in soft, harmonious tones. The sound qualities of the suite emphasize its conservative char-acter. . . The Carlton group, No. 1004, includes many of the original Chippendale motifs com-bined for present day demands for a moderately-priced suite. The clean-cut appearance of the pieces are enhanced by the selected, figured veneers, finished with Old World finish. A-Grade materials and high quality work-manship assure value. We appreciate merit FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE THE BOILING WAKE Likes His Ad Gentlemen: We take great pleasure in acknowledging receipt of our copy of FINE FURNITURE for June and are very pleased with and wish to congratulate you upon the appearance of our ad. It was everything that we expected and we are sure that it will obtain the results desired, B. A. H., Jr., Owosso, Mich. These Troublesome Women Dear Editor: With no desire to cause any consternation, I'm passing this on to you. My wife picked up Vol. 1 No. 2 and says, "I didn't know this was a new one. Why didn't you tell me?" Then she complained that the cover was just like the first one except for the inset. And if you're looking for some special number, say like No. 1, after you have issued about 12 numbers you would have a hell of a time. My wife takes a Mother's magazine which has the same cover for each issue and she finds it very confusing. C. S., Three Rivers, Mich. Cover now carries the month of publica-tion in such large type that no one can go wrong.—Editor. Go West, Young Manufacturer! Dear Mr. Mackenzie: There are about 400 representative furniture dealers in the Pacific Northwest who pay their bills promptly and should be in the market for Eastern furniture. For the life of me I cannot understand why Eastern manufac-turers do not cater to this business. At the present time about 90% of the furniture sold in the Northwest is manufactured on the Pacific Coast. We have approximately five dealers out of this entire group who attend the Eastern furniture markets. I don't believe any of the other dealers even receive an invitation to attend—the Grand Rapids market, especially. I doubt if any of them would even know how to pool cars from Grand Rapids to Seattle or Portland. I think your manufacturers are passing up a big bet and a lot of business when they don't investigate the possibility for furniture business in this section of the country. T. S. C , Seattle, Wash. Thank You, Suh! Dear Sir: I want to congratulate you and your organization on your premier issues of FINE FURNITURE. I certainly think you have done a splendid job and all of us here wish you and your organization splen-did success in your new line of endeavor. L. R. M., Jackson, Mich. Meaning He Makes Fine Furniture Gentlemen: I received your issue for June of FINE FURNITURE and notice on pages 12, 13, 14 you do not have any pictures of our products. For that reason we must contra-dict the title on your cover on account of leaving out our pictures. E. S. G., Philadelphia. Prices and Catalogs Gentlemen: We want to endorse your plan of pricing all merchandise shown in your journal. It is very annoying to read an ad and see an attractive cut and have to wait a week for a price when perhaps we need it in stock. Another matter is that catalog makers ought to get sizes of cata-log cases before they decide what size to make a catalog. W. S. B., EfBngham, 111. It's Done Entered! Gentlemen: I was very much interested in your initial presentation of FINE FURNI-TURE. This publication was packed with concrete facts that a new concern just entering the manufacturing field welcomed readily. Will you please enter my subscrip-tion for one year to FINE FURNITURE? B. R. S., Owensboro, Ky. Should Get Response Sirs: I have just finished looking through the first issue of your new furniture trade magazine, FINE FURNITURE. It would seem that a publication so excellently built, both with respect to reading matter and illustra-tions, cannot help but meet a splendid re-sponse from the furniture trade. May I express the hope that the response will be such that each succeeding issue will grow in size as well as usefulness. I. A. M., Grand Rapids. 1 2 8 0 T T H H C C E E N N T T U U R R y y * ESTEY Just as in our 18th Century group we have attempted to reproduce honestly the beautiful details and fine finish of this period, so in our 20th Century furniture we have commissioned one of America's foremost de-signers, Donald Deskey, to create for us modern designs of fine propor-tions and carefully studied details. We believe that both the 18th Century and the 20th Century groupings will appeal to those who can recognize the finesse of good design and good craftsmanship. AT THE GRAND RAPIDS MARKET FIRST FLOOR WATERS-KLINGMAN BUILDING E S T E Y M A N U F A C T U R I N G C O . O W O S S O , M I C H I G A N We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE i o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 The GRAND RAPIDS BEDDING CO. INVITES YOU I Inspect the Line with Many New Added Features A double duty Davenport with Twins or Full Size Beds, Inner Spring Mattresses and Bedding Compartment Ideal for the One- Room Apartment and for the Home without the Extra Bedroom for the Unexpected Guest SMAR T—DISTING UISHED! ONE OF THE GREATEST VALUES EVER OFFERED Spring Base, Spring Edge, Spring Cushion, Spring Back THE GRAND RAPIDS BEDDING CO. With its 47 years of constantly improving the quality of its product, also presents a complete line of Studio Couches, Bed Springs, Mattresses and Pillows of all types and Superior Quality. As a Member of the Master Bedding Makers of America, we build AMERICA'S FINEST MATTRESS Displayed in the WATERS-KLINGMAN BLDG. JULY FURNITURE MARKET Grand Rapids, Mich. Permanent display of the GRAND RAPIDS BEDDING CO. Factory 52-64 Summer St., N. W. We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE FINE FURNITURE WHAT IT MEANS WHEN THE SALESMAN SJt Li <z cLmmzttncLnn TdutLc I In every industry there are acknowledged leaders . . . leaders whose names give prestige to their products . . . names so well established and respected that sales-men stress and use them as a closing argument when selling merchandise of quality. Salesmen of furniture have learned that in the manu-facture of upholstery fabrics Zimmermann has won this enviable position of leadership . . . a position won by constantly making only the finer fabrics... by placing quality above quantity production. They know that the name Zimmermann stands for good quality, good color, proper styling and enduring beauty in upholsteryfabrics. Hence, when the furniture salesman says, It is a Zimmermann Fabric," he means that he is offering a fabric that is better than the ordinary run of fabrics of its type . . . a fabric that will give satisfactory wear, a fabric that will retain its rich beauty. He means that due to the selection of the best raw materials and unusual expertness in weaving and finishing, Zimmermann Fabrics possess those evidences of better quality which make them a constant source of pride and satisfaction to the purchasers and afford final proof of the economy of quality. Address inquiries to John Zimmermann & Sons, Erie and Castor Avenues, Philadelphia, Pa. JOHN ZIMMERMANN AND SONS ine LLppkoLltet u We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE f o r J U L Y , 1 9 3 6 NINE CREDO Immediately upon introducing PAGE NINE, the editors of FINE FURNITURE hasten to reassure the reader that never shall this department become a medium for the ex-pression of hard-shell opinion nor assume an unshakable stand "for or agin" anything or anybody. Unlike our venerated predecessors and contemporaries, we refuse to take ourselves too seriously, or to become involved in politics, either inside or outside the furniture industry. The only plank in our platform is this: MORE PROFIT FOR EVERYONE IN THE FURNITURE BUSINESS. Convinced that good fellowship, laughter and the appre-ciation of beauty are as precious as money when assayed in the final net profit figures of life, we urge our friends to interpret our one-plank platform in that light. BOOING BUDGETS ff This department refuses to become hot under the collar at any time, or to enter into futile controversies over trivi-alities, but we can't control the choler of correspondents who rise (and write) in their wrath about this and that. For instance, a New York dealer takes violent exception to a speech by Richardson Wright, editor of "House & Garden" in which he branded budget rooms set up by stores as a "racket" and not "on the level" because they don't include displayed books, flowers and other knick-knacks in the cost. Our correspondent counters, "Any fool knows that only the principal furnishings are priced in the listings prominently displayed in such rooms. . . . The budget room is a natural and logical answer by the conscientious dealer to a genuine and often expressed need on the part of his customer for a visualization of what and how much furniture he can buy and pay for out of income . . . " We hasten to soothe our riled correspondent with the comforting thought that the majority of editors write better than they talk and that most of them can't really THINK when they get on their feet. TRADITIONAL COME-BACK ff Contemporary designs, given maximum merchandising impetus by big-city stores in 1935 and even now pushed with vigor in smaller communities, are being replaced to a great extent in the new showings of manufacturers by Eighteenth Century. But the Modern trend has had a notable influence on the new Traditional pieces, lines being simpler and decorations less ornate than during the pre-Modern era of the late 20's. Manufacturers doubtless feel it necessary to anticipate the danger of design-standardization threatened by wide-spread production of Modern which had reached the point of permitting them very little leeway in design innovations that might risk the onus of unsalable radicalism. GETTING READY ff A quarter century of close contact with the furniture trade has never brought us so much news as we are now getting about new stores, remodeling and alteration of old store buildings and a general confident preparation for a period of prosperity in the furniture business. Joe Lynch, in this issue, intimates that basic principles of merchandising are in need of refurbishing, too, and that many a beautiful store front conceals a poverty of retailing wisdom. ff Though other pages bare the minds Of many men, the credit or The blame I'll bear for what one finds On this, Page Nine.—The Editor, WRITE YOUR SENATOR B. F. McLain of Texas writes that he is moving heaven and earth to make National Furniture Week, October 2-10, a success. Mr. McLain is even trying to move Congress. That, of course, is a problem in itself. But Mr. McLain feels that if the heat was turned on the Honorable Committee of Education and Labor, the resolution introduced by Texas Senator Tom Connally would be acted upon and the Presi-dent would be authorized to issue a proclamation desig-nating the week of October 2 to 10 as National Furniture Week. "Such a declaration would have tremendous pub-licity value," says Mr. McLain, and he adds, "there is no expense involved for the Government." ff "CASEY" Back in the days when there was profit to be derived from the selling of homefurnishings, he was editor of the Grand Rapids Furniture Record. For the past four years he has been editor of Homeware. During these years he established a veritable forest of friends in both the retail and manufacturing branches of the furniture industry. He is personally acquainted with the leaders in the appliance field. He is well-qualified to write, ably and intelligently, concerning the merchandising of homefurnishings. FINE FURNITURE, this month, is enthusiastic in announcing to its many readers that K. C. ("Casey") Clapp now holds the portfolio of merchandising editor. It is a personal joy to renew working association with "Casey" because it revives memories of days, yars and yars back, when we toiled together in the stuffy back room of a "daily" scrivening about two-base hits and flying mitts. Ex-marine and poet, with a golf game sometimes in the 70's, "Casey" rates high as an understanding, two-fisted man. ff THE MAN ON THE COVER "Good morning, Bob. You know, Bob, I've got to get away for a day to visit my brother. Can you get along without me that long you think?" Robert W. Irwin thought so. Seeing that Jack Weaver had been working for him and his predecessors for a period of some 64 years. Jack is now 87. He came to work at the old Phoenix furniture factory in Grand Rapids on May 15, 1872. After four years he was transferred to a lathe at the new plant and has been standing and plying his delicate craft at that same lathe for the past 58 years, during which time the Phoenix Furniture Co. became the Robert W. Irwin Co. His hands are skilled and deft, of course. They have to be for the kind of work they do. But they acquired sureness and softness of touch, too, as the hands of a topnotch billiardist. In his day Jack has met the best of them at the green tables—such famous cue-men as Mike Foley, Frank Ives and Billy Burley. In 1875, Weaver hung up a record run of 828, which is shooting in any man's game. Jack's loves are the fine sample pieces on which he now works exclusively, and the five children he has adopted and reared, and the memory of his wife who died 27 years ago. ff 10 FINE FURNITURE MICHIGAN SEATING COMPANY STYLE, COMFORT and VALUE 05 Oxew Jrieces . . . Livable Modern and 18th Century styles of Chairs, Sofas and Love Seats. The Fastest-selling line of Correctly Styled Boudoir Chairs in every price range. Finest and Latest Fabrics Available — Carefully Selected. Buyers from Coast to Coast back our lines with ORDERS. WE'LL BE L O O K I N G FOR YOU... O N THE 6+h F L O O R FINE ARTS B U I L D I N G Representatives B. L. DAVIES L. R. MATTSON BERT A. PARKS GEO. L. DAVIES DAN RIDGELL HERB JENKINS C. B. MINTER HAROLD SHAW SHOWROOM — FINE ARTS BUILDING > GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN FACTORY — J A C K S O N , M I C H I G A N f o r JULY. 1 9 3 6 11 THOUGHTFULLY PRICED in Your Interest The EVIDENCE T SS: AWAITS you/ I 1 Federal American Junior Dining-Living Room Group MADE of Cuban Mahogany, the finest known cabinet wood. Styled in the most romantic period of the historic South. Handsome enough to grace the most formal occasions, this group was produced to meet a demand for furniture of dignity with a Traditional interest that might serve a dual purpose — to create a perfectly ap-pointed dining, room and, by re-arranqing a few pieces, to convert it into an artistic living room. The No. 93 drop leaf extension console table with the mirror hanging over it, makes an attractive wall piece. By raising the drop leaves and using two 13" center leaves, it becomes a dining table 78" long by 38" wide. No. 175 drop leaf table desk is useful as a serving table when required. No. 175 chair, replica of a valued antique found in Savannah, Ga., may be used in many places. The No. 175 buffet, originally called a "Charleston Chest," serves diverse and useful purposes as a living room piece. Corners are often a serious problem which the No. 933 corner cabinet solves. By the addition of three or four upholstered pieces, the perfect two-purpose room is achieved. ' • ' • • V GRAND RAPIDS CHAIR COMPANY Showroom at F a c t or y Only T A K E A N Y Y E L L O W C A B We appreciate mentioning you saw this in FINE FURNITURE 12 FINE FURNITURE FRANK E. SEIDMAN . . . '35 not so hot; '36 really looks good. "HURNITURE has joined that J- select group whose members have nailed to the mast the business banner, "The best since ." That phrase is currently being used to describe activity in a wide variety of industries. Unfortunately, furni-ture is a rather late entrant in that favored domain and therefore the "best" has so far been none too good. To comprehend the present status of the furniture industry and weigh its dccdmplishments, possibil-ities and potentialities (or lack of them), we must unfortunately grap-ple with its figures and statistics— proverbially dry and tiresome things. However, it is said that "miles" of statistics and "tons" of literature usually yield "ton-miles" of economics, and the economics of the industry are far from dry, even though they are and have for some time been a little disconcerting. The BEST SINCE— Written Exclusively for FINE FURNITURE By FRANK E. SEIDMAN SEIDMAN & SEIDMAN, Accountants and Auditors With Offices in Principal Furniture Manuiacturing Centers Diagnostician to the furniture industry for many years, Frank Seidman's hand on the pulse of the convalescent patient is steady and sure. He has been called to the bedside so often during the past ten years that his ans-wers to the question, "How sick am I?" are generally regarded as gospel. Time after time he has called the turn on symptoms apparent in the jaundiced figures from furniture factories, and his wise counsel has brought about many a recovery. FINE FURNITURE regards it as indeed a privilege to be accorded the sole right of publishing the annual report of this eminent authority. It is information of vital con-cern to the furniture manufacturer, of course. More than that, it guides the retailer in his relationship with his sources of supply and enables him to appreciate more fully the problems of the producer. — The Editor. Volume Climbing • For the first time in thirteen years the industry experienced a real volume upsurge in 1935. It is true that in 1933 as a result of the late but not lamented NRA, furniture enjoyed an artificial boomlet. This 1933 episode, how-ever, lasted only a few months and was followed by a sharp set-back. The 1935 activity appears to have been grounded on more natural and substantial forces. The rise was a steady one, with every month show-ing an improvement in new orders f o r J U L Y , 193G 13 The best since when? Just how good was it, anyway? How profitable was it? Will 1936 be any better? These and other questions concerning the state of the furniture industry are answered by Mr. Seidman in this, his Sixteenth Annual Statistical Report. over the comparative month in the previous year (Chart I). Of the total shipments for the year, the various quarters accounted for the following: "ft, of Total Quarter for Year First _ 19% Second - 20% Third - 29% Fourth 30% Thus, approximately 40% of the industry's volume was garnered dur-ing the first half of the year and 60% during the second half. This division of shipments was fairly consistent with the usual seasonal trend. In normal years the second six months account for a substan-tially greater proportion of the year's volume than the first six months—and 1935 was no exception. For the entire year shipments exceeded those of 1934 by slightly more than 30%. Even considering this large rise, the industry's activ-ity still did not reach a very envi-able position. Quite the contrary. At the close of 1935 it stood at only 35% of its 1926 level (Chart II). Certainly this is nothing to brag about. Odious Comparison • A study of furniture's attainments in compari-son with other industries, brings out 1926-100 J F M A M J J A S O N D J Chart I—Monthly trend of new orders booked. The 1935 rise was a steady one, with every month showing an improvement over the comparative month in the previous year. markedly the extent to which fur-niture has lost out in the American economic parade. This notwith-standing the fact that industrial production showed an increase of only 14% during 1935, whereas aggregate furniture volume was more than 30% ahead. The wide disparity between furniture and gen-eral production is accounted for by the dismal showing made by the 1"" J Wk ! 3Z1- 89 6 j 928 - S-*-9 i 930 - 55.7 9 31 - 39 6 ^32 - 2-t.5 933 - £-4.5 931- - £64- IOO 90 Chart II—Ten-year index of furniture shipments. Not-withstanding t h e 1935 volume come-back, t h e indus-try's activity was still very low. 1926 1927 I92B 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 furniture industry for almost a decade prior to 1935. Industry in general has been well out in front of furniture ever since 1926, with each succeeding year showing a wider spread between their records. When the depression reached its lowest ebb in 1932, the furniture industry's volume was at approx-imately 25% of its 1923-1925 aver-age. General industrial production stood at 65% at the end of that year. Since then industry as a whole has climbed back to 90% of its 1923-1925 average, while furniture has only gotten back to 37%. Thus, while the spread at the depression low was only 39J4 points, it has in-creased during the last three years of business revival to 53 points. Clearly, furniture has failed com-pletely to keep pace with the indus-trial recovery. Volume by Groups • On the aver-age, about nine out of every ten plants increased their volume in 1935 as compared with 1934. The increases reported were by no means uniform—in fact, they varied from a fraction of 1% to more than 100%. In order to make proper comparison, it was deemed best to 14 FINE FURNITURE divide the various reporting plants in this study into groups according to 1935 sales volume. The follow-ing groupings have been used: Group Volume in 1935 A. Under $100,000 B $100,000 to $250,000 C $250,000 to $450,000 D $450,000 to $750,000 E Over $750,000 In general, the larger organiza-tions made the better volume show-ing. Thus, those plants whose sales were over $750,000 averaged an in-crease in their volume of about 40%; those with volume from $100,000 to $750,000 showed an in-crease of approximately 22%, whereas the smaller volume group —i. e., those with less than $100,- 000 of business—averaged an in-crease of less than 16%. This tend-ency of the larger plants getting the volume over 193 4. Upholstered goods made the best showing with a rise of approximately 40%, while case goods rose some 30% and specialty lines, 20%. From these figures it might be concluded that specialty lines made the poorest showing. That, however, is not the case. Quite to the contrary, novel-ties and specialties held up better Chart III—(right)—Percentage that each volume group received of total 1935 business and the ratio of profitable and non-profitable business in each group. The largest plants came out on top. Chart IV—(below)—All groups made progress in operating re-sults in 1935 compared with the previous year. furniture fared much better from a volume standpoint than manufac-turers of either medium or high grade items. By far the largest per-centage of the 1935 volume increase was in the cheaper lines. Profits? • When we study the trend of the industry's doings in terms of operating results, we find OPERATING RESULTS PER IOO°° OF SALE.5 greater share of the business is a common one during a period of business revival. Of the total plants reporting, there were only 7% whose volume exceeded $750,000, yet those plants succeeded in securing 43J4% of the total business. At the other ex-treme we find the smaller volume group—i. e., those with less than $100,000 —accounting for 25% of the total in numbers but only 2l/2% of the total volume. The accom-panying chart (Chart III) reflects the volume percentage of each group and the percentage of the business within each group that was done at a profit or at a loss. Study of Lines • In terms of "lines," it is found that case goods accounted for about 44% of the total 1935 volume; upholstered goods, 32%, and novelties (includ-ing tables, chairs, etc.), 24%. All lines showed an increase in than any other group throughout the depression. Their percentage increase in 1935 does not show up as well as the other lines, largely because the volume in previous years was better proportionately than the other divisions of the industry. Low unit prices were undoubt-edly a factor in the maintenance of specialty volume during the depres-sion years. The low purchasing power of the masses did not enable them to buy much furniture in suites, and the consumer therefore was forced to buy individual low priced pieces. This t e n d e n c y changed somewhat in 1935, thus bringing about the better volume ratio in case goods and upholstered lines. However, the better buying power has not as yet found its way into the higher grade furniture. As has been the case during the past five years, manufacturers of low priced that beginning with 1927 profits de-clined precipitously. By 1930 all profits vanished and the era of losses was upon us. This continued for five long years or through 1934. The lowest point was reached in 1932 when for every $100 of sales an operating loss of more than $23 was sustained. This was reduced to about $4 per $100 of sales in 1933, but 1934 saw another downward slide and losses rose again to $6 per $100. However, in 1935 a slight op-erating profit (about one-half of one per cent on sales) was earned by the industry — the first in six years. It should be noted that we have been talking in terms of "operating" profit. If losses on investments, in-terest charges, etc., were deducted from this profit, the industry as a whole again slips into the red with a "net" loss of .6 of one per cent on sales. This compares with a net loss sustained by the industry in 1934 of 6.9% on sales. While there is no denying that this indicates substantial progress, yet the accom-plishment is obviously a negative one. The industry has merely suc-ceeded in losing less. Plenty of Red • While the indus-try as a whole showed a small spot of "operating" black, there was still plenty of red in individual cases. Thus, for instance, only 19% of the f o r J U L Y , 1 9 3 6 15 smallest plants (less than $100,000 volume) reported an operating profit. Even the largest plants did not all fall into the "black" class — 31% of that group showing losses. In general, however, as in the case of volume increases, it was the larger plants that made the better showing (Chart III). The rate of improvement attained by plants of various sizes in 1935 as compared with 1934 is shown in Chart IV. It will be seen that all size groups suffered losses in 1934, whereas in 1935 the two groups with the largest individual plant vol-umes realized profits and the three smaller volume groups sustained losses. Furthermore, on the average the larger the plant, the better was the operating ratio; the smaller the plant, the poorer the result. Viewing the operating net in terms of lines, it is found that the producers of upholstered furniture accomplished the best results. Case goods manufacturers reduced their losses from 10.78% in 1934 to 2.13% in 1935. Specialty manufac-turers turned a 1934 operating loss of 1.76% into an operating profit of 2.15% in 1935. Manufacturers of upholstered goods, however, with a larger operating loss in 1934'—i.e., 2.43% — showed an operating profit in 1935 of 3.07%. On the whole, plants that reported an operating profit earned approximately 5% on their sales, while the losses sus-tained by the loss group were ap-proximately 8% on sales. Of all the plants reporting, only 44% showed a net profit for the year and 56% suffered a net loss. This compares with 30% of plants reporting a profit and 70% a loss in 1934. This does not mean that all plants made a better showing in 1935 than in 1934. In fact, there were a number reporting losses in 1935 that operating at a profit in 1934. However, 73% of the plants attained better results in 1935 than in 1934. An analysis shows the fol-lowing changes in this respect as between the two years: Plants showing increased net profits 20% Plants going from a loss to a profit 17 Plants showing decreased losses 36 Total favorable changes 73% Plants showing decreased net profits 7% Plants going from a profit to a loss 3 Plants showing increased net losses 17 Total unfavorable changes 27% Total 100% A division of favorable and un-favorable changes among the vari-ous volume groups shows the fol-lowing: B 7 3 % 27 C 7 5% 25 D 7 8% 22 E 9 2% 8 Favorable ....58% Unfavorable 42 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Officers' Salaries • Very few fur-niture plants are publicly owned. Consequently, the matter of pay-ments to the officials of the compa-nies constitutes a more or less arbi-trary factor. Similarly, depreciation deductions often fall into the same class. Officers' salaries paid by the in-dustry approximated 3% of volume in 1935. An analysis indicates that the so-called profitable group paid considerably smaller salaries in re-lation to volume than the loss group. Depreciation for the year averaged 2.44% of volume. Here again, the profitable group made substantially lower charges in pro-portion to volume than those of the non-profitable group. Before deducting anything for ex-ecutive salaries and depreciation, the industry as a whole made an operating profit of approximately 6%, as will be noted from the fol-lowing : PROFITABLE GROUP Operating profit as reported 5.01% Officers' salaries 2.64% Depreciation taken 1.99% Operating profit before officers' salaries and depreciation - 9.64% NON-PROFITABLE GROUP Operating loss as reported - 7.97% Officers' salaries - 3.72% Depreciation taken - 3.30% Operating loss before officers' salaries and depreciation - 95% ALL GROUPS Operating profit as reported 56% Officers' salaries - 3.01% Depreciation taken 2.44% Operating profit before officers' salaries and depreciation 6.01% It will be observed that before officers' salaries and depreciation, 15 SO as SO 35 40 AS SO MATERIALS 1931 W32 1933 1934 1935 DIRECT LABOR FACTORY OVERHEAD SELLING ADMIN SELLING Z. # 12.53 ADMIN. EXPENSES ao 30 40 •so 6o TO ao go iqo no lap TOTAL COST Chart V—Elements of cost 1931-1935. The industry has been making progress in reducing overhead. 16 f IN E FURNITURE the divergence between the profit-able and non-profitable groups is not quite so wide as the net results indicate. Operating Costs • A comparison of operating factors during recent years reveals that since 1932 volume in the industry has increased 45% while the cost of materials entering into this augmented volume has in-creased only about 37%. The direct labor cost has risen 35%, but all overhead costs were actually lower with the increased volume than in 1932. The following tabulation shows the various elements of cost per $100 of sales during each of the last four years: 1932 1933 1934 1935 Materials $45.09 $41.49 $43.10 $44.12 Direct labor. 23.26 20.51 22.17 21.79 Factory overhead 28.10 21.24 20.84 16.67 Selling expenses-. 15.24 11.71 11.49 10.46 Admin, expenses.. 11.57 9.09 8.37 6.40 Totals $123.26 $104.04 $105.97 $ 99.44 It will be seen that the improved results during 1935 were brought about largely by a reduction of overhead costs in relation to volume. Materials and direct labor varied little as compared with the previous year. However, factory overhead decreased more than $4 per $100 of sales; selling expenses, $1; and administrative expenses, almost $2. It is these overhead decreases that brought about the materially im-proved showing in 1935 as com-pared with 1934 (Chart V). However, it is perfectly obvious that costs and selling prices are still dangerously close together, and that the industry has a long distance to go to bring about a sound relation-ship between these two factors. Turnover of Inventories • Although inventories at the close of 1935 in-creased approximately 3^4% as compared with the end of 1934, yet in proportion to volume inventories were smaller than in many years. 1926- IOO Consequently, the turnover of av-erage inventories into sales showed a marked improvement during 1935. The following figures show the in-ventory turnover into sales for the last four years and reflects the con-stant upgrade of this factor since 1932: 1932.. _ 1.87 1933 - - --2.00 1934 2.14 1935- 2.83 The increased volume attained m 1935 has also brought about im-proved ratios in terms of capital factors. Thus, the turnover of work-ing capital increased from 1.75 times in 1934 to 2.51 times in 1935. The turnover of total capital was de-cidedly better than any year since 1929, rising from .62 times in 1932 and .85 times in 1934 to 1.23 times in 1935 (Chart VI). Employment Rises • On the aver-age, employment during 1935 in terms of number of employees in-creased some 20%, with dollar pay-rolls averaging an increase of about 27%. Wage rates during the year appear to have moved very little. The relationship between volume and payrolls was maintained on a fairly even keel during 1935 as com-pared with the previous years (Chart VII). The method adopted by the av-erage plant was to increase hours of operation, rather than to put a proportionately greater number of men back at work. Largely as a result of this situation, the average shipments per factory employee during 1935 increased to $2,839 or more than $400 over those of 1934. During pre-depression years, the shipments per factory employee were often more than $4,000. How-ever, this does not mean that fac- Chctrt VII—(right)—Payrolls increased during 1935 but slightly less than in-creased volume. 19E6 19E7 I9£O I9E9 193O 1931 1931 1933 1934 1935 IOO so aa TO 60 so 1 0 3 0 EO 10 0 Chart VI—(left) — Turnover of capital investment into sales. 1935 made a better showing than any year since 1929. tory efficiency has declined to that extent in recent years. What it does mean is that prices have fallen sharply, thus reducing the output per man in terms of dollars. Ac-cordingly, since the beginning of the depression, there has been an almost continuous decline in the "'man-dollar" factor, the low being reached in 1934 with shipments of only $2,428 per man Chart VIII). Operating profits per employee in 1935 amounted to $16 (Chart IX). It should be noted that whereas total shipments per factory em-ployee in 1935 were better than those in 1932 by less than $400, the improvement in operating re-sults per factory employee was about $590. Financially Strong • While the in-dustry sustained a net loss during 1935, that was after deducting de-preciation. Since, however, provi-sions for depreciation do not require a cash outlay and since additions to plant for the year by the average furniture manufacturer were very small, the balance sheet for the in-dustry showed a slight improvement in current condition. The following is a comparison of the financial condition of the average furniture plant at the end of 1935 and the end of 1934: ASSETS December 31, Cash receivables, invest- 1935 1934 ments, etc $115,000 $107,000 Inventories - 122,000 117,000 Total current assets -.$237,000 $224,000 Fixed assets - 157,000 166,000 Other assets 43,000 44,000 Total assets $437,000 $434,000 90 5O 40 IO 1 1 1 1 T —J- T \ 1 1 ri 1 «v \1 \ 1923-4-5 AVG.= 100 1 l \ •Ji i\ 1 1 _^ 1 /t f o r JULY, 1936 17 100 9 0 1926 = 100 100 100 8 0 1926=100 IO0 10 10 1926 I92T 1926 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 I93S Chart VIII — (above) — Shipments per factory employee. 1935 witnessed a rise of more than $400 per man. Chart IX—(right)—Operating results per factory employee. The improvement since 1932 aggregated about $590 per LOSS 1930 - 193 1 - I93E -*57-<V.OO 1933 - * 99.00 193-1- -*I45.OO - 6 0 -SO - 3O -IO0 -IE0 -MO 1926 1927 »Z& 1929 l?3° 1931 1932. 1933 193+ 1935 - HO LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH Current liabilities $ 73,000 $ 61,000 Long term liabilities 35,000 36,000 Total liabilities $108,000 $ 97,000 Net worth 329,000 337,000 Total liabilities and net worth $437,000 $434,000 It will be observed that inven-tories increased somewhat — also that receivables were higher. These increases are of course natural with expanding volume. Furthermore, because of increased activity, many plants found it necessary to aug-ment their borrowings. Thus, while current assets, on an average, in-creased $13,000 per plant, current liabilities rose some $12,000, result-ing in a net increase in working capital on an average of $1,000 per plant. The write-down of plant proper-ties after considering additions dur-ing the year, amounted to an aver-age of $9,000 per plant. Thus, the net worth of the average plant shows a decrease of $8,000 during the year. This decrease is made up of an average net loss of approxi-mately $2,500, dividends of approx-imately the same amount, the bal-ance being accounted for by surplus charges, capital retirements, etc. Considering the drastic losses the industry has suffered during the depression, its financial condition as a whole is still very sound. How-ever, there are an increasing num-ber of companies that have lost a large part of their capital reserves. These plants will undoubtedly ex-perience considerable difficulty when the real upsurge in business de-velops. A Look Ahead • Some really better things appear to be in store for the furniture industry. So far 1936 is witnessing an even more vigorous rate of volume advance than that of 1935. The first four months have shown a gain of over 37% as com-pared with the corresponding period of the previous year. Optimism is running high as to the home building prospects. If past experience is any criterion, it may be assumed that the anticipated expansion in home building will vigorously stimulate furniture de-mand and output. To this stimulant will be added the large latent re-placement demand for furniture. These factors, together with the un-usually low inventories in the hands of both manufacturers and dealers and the natural increase in furni-ture buying which may be looked for with improving business condi-tions, give furniture's prospects a "rosy" hue. The year 1936 promises to be better than "the best since —." 18 FINE FURNITURE Stanaara BY WHICH GOOD FURNITURE IS JUDGED THE excellence of John Widdicomb Company's furni-ture products is a standard by which good furniture is judged. They are the quality leaders in the Grand Rapids Furniture Exposition. They lead in purity and perfection of design, in style, in workmanship and in service to the home. There is nothing omitted in John Widdicomb furniture that makes for beauty, charm and completeness. The Provincial group, pictured herewith, is typical of John Widdicomb furniture integrity. Everything in this suite is true to the finest traditions of the style it represents. It is finished and complete. It is made in solid Cherry, the tops and sides being veneered in Marisier. The beds may be obtained either in Cherry or painted with hand decoration. The suite is bench made and has an antique finish in soft amber color. The hardware is reproduced from old bronzes taken from imported Provincial models. The interiors are in oak, perfectly finished with drawers and movable compartments meticulously fitted. It is the pride of John Widdicomb Company that its furniture is a recognized contribution to the lovely and livable home. Its furniture remains solid and be-comes a source of profitable credit to its dealers. It is prestige building furniture that places the same stamp of public approval on the store handling it that for nearly a half century has distinguished the manufacturer's name in the furniture industry. JOHN WIDDICOMB COMPANY New York Showrooms — No. 1 Park Avenue Showrooms at Factory —601 Fifth Street, N. W., Grand Rapids, Mich. f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 19 RETAIL PROFIT". Theme of Summer Furniture Drama TALENTED CAST OF MERCHANDISE, ABLY STAGE-MANAGED BY MERCHANDISING CO-OPERATION, PLAYS TO BIG BUYER AUDIENCE EAGER FOR VALUES By ROD MACKENZIE and K. C. CLAPP Editors. FINE FURNITURE •"PHE curtain rises on the Midsummer furniture _L markets. The stage is set for an especially impressive drama presenting a cast of highly talented merchandise. But through this stellar performance will run a strong, definite, well-developed merchandising plot. And it will "get across" to an eager audience of buyers because the stage manager, Mr. Wise Manufacturer, has taken care that the show is vitalized by a stirring "retail-profit" theme. It is more than a perfunctory exposition of woods, fabrics, glass and veneers. Nor is it keyed to the old easy going tempo of entertainment-filled buy-ing burlesques in which carload orders were placed over a bottle of bourbon (and later cancelled). It is an untra-modern, fast-moving, highpowered play meeting splendidly the exacting demands of a sophisti-cated audience that would get up and walk out on hackneyed lines or a "ham" performance. More Buying • Not only are manufacturers exceeding all past accomplishments in the way of starring spec-tacular, salable furniture, but merchandise men from all the nation's homefurnishing stores will be there to buy and to buy substantially. They admit it. FINE FURNITURE, just prior to market, asked several hundred of them concerning the extent of their contemplated market purchases, and 97% of their number declared they would buy MORE than they did in January, which established a five-year record m business written. These retailers, cheered by steadily increasing store sales of furniture, are alert and alive to what unques- The Duncan PhyJe soia. No. 382, 84" wide, 35" deep, is by the Wolverine Upholstery Co., Grand Rapids, displayed in the Waters-Klingman Bldg. The Modern dining group by Saginaw Furniture Shops is made of English harewood, mahogany and aspen crotch. Shown in the American Furniture Mart. 4; At the top of the page is a medium-priced R. W. Irwin Co. reproduction mahogany dresser. No. 3021, displayed in the factory showroom. Directly above is a group by H. T. Cushman Mfg. Co., shown in the American Furniture Mart. 20 FINE FURNITURE Left, a dainty and distinctive French enamel suite by Estey Mfg. Co., Owosso, Mich., showing in Waters- Klingman Bldg., Grand Rapids. An Eighteenth Century dining group by Empire, Ltd., of Rockford, exhibiting in the American Furniture Mart, is shown directly below. At the left (below) is one of the superb Modern bedrooms exhibited by Johnson Furniture Co., in its factory showrooms. Grand Rapids. Right, one of the Colonial Craftsman series of dining room groups by White Furniture Co., Mebane, N. C, in the Merchandise Mart, 1I tionably will be a great Fall business. Reasons for this practically universal optimism are many and sound: 1. Improvement During First Half of '36—On the basis of returns thus far, most of the leading com-panies, both manufacturing and retailing, will show a larger volume for the first half of '36 than during the same period of last year. This, despite the fact that 1935 was a good year compared to its predecessors, and that business was practically at a standstill during several weeks earlier this year because of the extremely cold weather. The economic dam that held up pur-chases of homefurnishmgs for more than five years is, if not broken, at least weakening! 2. Residential Construction — Home building has been resumed and, although it is still too early for the homefurnishmgs industries to have felt the full benefit of the re-birth of this market, the opportunities for large sales to home builders will be increasingly impor-tant during coming seasons. New homes mean new furniture. 3. Prices — The price trend remains gradually up-ward, with the rising cost of raw materials and the larger amounts that must be reserved for taxes push-ing prices toward slightly higher levels. 4. The Bonus — That a fair share of the bonus millions will go to furnishing, or refurnishing, homes is indicated by all surveys of what veterans intend to do with their money. 5. Better Values — The industry this year definitely has value-per-dollar to sell. Prices are much lower f o r J U L Y , 1 9 3 6 21 Directly below is ct Hepplcwhite dining room i:i mahogany shown by G. R. Chair Co. in thoir factory showroom, while beneath it in a group of two Chip-pendale tables., a what-not and a Chippendale desk shown in the Imperic:! Furniture Co. showroom. Grand Rapids. •I Of the many "blondi-" finish bedroom -.uitPH shown at the American Furniture Mart, thi.-i by the Carroll-ton Fumituie Co. cf Ccrralltoii, Ky., is outstanding (top right). Bolcv it is a striking Modem bedroom group, shown in the factoiv s'lov/ioom of the Widdi-comb Furniture1 Co., Grand Rapids. than during the 1929-1930 era, yet the general average of homefurmshings merchandise is better styled and better constructed. One effect of the depression has been to weed out the less efficient operators and give the business — now that a respectable volume is again obtainable — to those who can deliver extra value for each dollar the public invests. Modern Dominates • Apparently the swing away from Modern which is noticeable in the offerings of manu-facturers at this market, is not at all marked in the buying plans of retailers who still will place, accord-ing to intentions expressed in the FINE FURNITURE survey, a large bulk of their orders in Contemporary styles. However, there will certainly be enough Modern shown to meet the most overpowering de-mand. Seventy-one per cent of the retailers surveyed give Modern first vote as a preferred bedroom style. Early American runs a poor second; Eighteenth Century styles are third. Fifty-two per cent of these same buyers give Modern first preference as a wanted living room style. Georgian and commercial designs are second and third respectively. In dining rooms, 53% of the buyers questioned give first preference to Georgian styles; Modern is second, running very slightly ahead of Early American. Browns Coming Up • In wanted colors for upholstery fabrics, browns are rallying to a stronger position than they have held in years, although rust still is the pre-dominant choice among buyers. Greens are very low in expressions of buyers' first preference, although they poll a strong vote as a second choice color. Blue is mentioned frequently as a third choice color, with a few naming golds, burgundy and taupes. Taps are definitely on the way out as a wanted cover, most buyers putting various types of mohair first as a desired upholstery fabric, with friezes strong as a preference. Curly mohair will again be in good demand. Velours and velvets will enjoy fair sales. One of the significant features of the FINE FURNI-TURE survey is that almost' 65% of the buyers queried say they intend to make all three major midwest markets —Grand Rapids, the American Furniture •?• Thin No. '.<\=F ' J '-.- :Oc!.-l. G:cfid Rctpjd-., 14 K-i:ig . ho.-.n for the first time at the- J'i-,.li r Bltla. this Tonth. Tn the i f-nt.-r i.-. No. 15 c hctii bv Wolverine Upholstiiy Co., Watei-*- Klingmnu B:dq.. GicrndRnpid'--. Bottom is ci lit".1." trrbii exhibited by Luce Furiiitiiir- Co. ju its Grand Rapid-, factoiy showroom.-, end the Mi-rchcin-di.- i M:ut Chicago. 1 been concentrating their pur-chases more or less to one or two market centers, but this year they feel they can afford to miss no part of the merchandise pageant, with key manufacturers of distinctively designed furniture showing in each of the major centers. Stores are definitely bent upon sweetening FINE FURNITURE As usual. Baker Furniture Co., Hol-land, Mich., is outstanding in its oiierings oi Eighteenth Century pieces. This desk group is again being ieatured in Baker's space in the Keeler Bldg. their stocks with a wide variety of merchandise — and buyers want to see the whole parade. Period Parade • And what will be featured in this merchandise parade? Based on a earful survey and style forecast of the July fur-niture markets, conducted early in June, there is a strong affirmation of a decided revival of traditional furniture. Manufacturers appear determined to maneuver a come-back of the periods of the past, most of them feeling that Modern came too rapidly, and that it is now swinging into a similarity of form that is jeopardizing volume sales. "Waterfall" fronts and rounded ends, provide an attempted escape from the onus of looking like pack-ing cases. But even these features are overworked as is the round mirror. A dealer remarks, "That's a good suite — IF you make the mirror round." Apparently, the old story — "if it sells — why not make a lot of it?" Depression Design • However, en-couragement comes in the form of Oak and leather conspire to create a handsome masculine office. Exhibited by Grand Rapids Bookcase & Chair Co. in the Keeler Bldg. for JULY, 1936 A graceful Modern dinette suite in blonde finish by Estey Mfg. Co., Owosso, showing in the Waters- Klingman Bldg., Grand Rapids. increasingly better design for medium and popular priced mer-chandise. Undoubtedly, the depres-sion years witnessed more actually creditable furniture designs than any other period in years. This condition can be attributed to the frantic efforts of manufacturers, through their designers, to develop something in the line of furniture that would have an appeal even during the distressed days following 1929. When merchandise is selling without apparent effort, thoughtful designing and development of beds, chairs, dressers, buffets and tables has a tendency to side-slip into in-different, uninspiring pieces. Classic Modern is a case in point. Here was a style developed from the purest of classic motifs, and many were the truly beautiful pieces fabricated, only to have them stranded on manufacturers' and dealers' floors, if they got that far— for the very simple reason that everybody and his brother was making — and for a time selling — Classic Modern. Modern For Moderns • Modern is now hanging in a similar balance. A desk group of the Federal Amer-ican period by Colonial Manufac-turing Co., Zeeland, Mich. However, this style appears to have the edge on its Classic sister in that it is a style in itself, and not a hybrid, serving as a transition from traditional to contemporary. Una-nimity has been attained on one point at least, regarding this furni-ture enigma called Modern. It is here definitely', as a style. Further Right (top) No. 1952 chair exhib-ited in Fine Arts Bldg., Grand Rapids, by Charlotte Chair Co., Charlotte, Mich. It is 33" high. 26" wide, 20" deep. Center, wal-nut desk. No. 1970, exhibited in the factory showroom of Robert W. Irwin, Grand Rapids. Length 54", height 30", depth 30". Below, a Schoenbeck (Grand Rapids) chair. No. 1334, mahogany frame, width 31", height 42", depth 32". Exhib-ited in Imperial Furniture Co. showrooms. I - • ' • 24 FINE FURNITURE development, to be sure, is antici-pated. But it is the younger genera-tion's furniture. The generation that has witnessed the streamline train, dawn-to-dusk transcontinental transportation, radio electrification of the home. For them, the clean, smooth flowing lines and joyous color of contemporary furniture. Said one well known designer: "A newsboy comes into my office every afternoon. No background. Knows nothing about design. If I'm work-ing on a traditional piece the urchin sneers — 'Copym' again', eh?" But a Modern piece brings forth enthu-siastic comment. 'That's the kind of stuff I like.'" Indicative? You tell us! S t y l e P e r c e n t a g e s • H o w e v e r , traditional furniture, as stated be-fore, is making a comeback. Ap-proximately 30% of both case goods and upholstery shown in the sum-mer markets will represent 18th Century adaptations; about 40% will be various interpretations of Modern and the remaining 30% will be divided among Early Ameri-can, Early English, French and Commercial or "borax." It is generally believed that there Milano Furniture Co. makes the Charles of Lon-don t a b l e s (above) display-ed in the Mer-chandise Mart. The a c a c i a burl bedroom suite is by the Davis- Randolph Furni-ture Co., shown in the American Furniture Mart. is to be a let up in the demand for Modern, affording the public an opportunity to catch up with the manufacturers' production of this type of merchandise, while the "modification" of modern continues, FINE FURNITURE'S retail survey in-dicates a continuous expanding of the market for contemporary fur-nishings. Groupings • In the period fashions, the correllated grouping idea is again gaining prominence. This method of merchandising permits the dealer to select an assortment of pieces from which his customer may (Continued on Page 61) The buffet. No. 580, and dining chairs are by the B. F. Huntley Co. priced at $159.40 for nine pieces; $179.80 for ten. Shown in the American Furni-ture Mart. Herman Miller manufactures the Modern living room ensemble featuring wall cabinet combinations and typewriter desk. The Chippendale dining room suite. No. 520, is by Luce Furniture Corp., displayed in factory showroom. Grand Rapids and Merchandise Mart. f o r J U L Y , 1936 25 "PRESSING CAN RUIN A GOLF SCORE OR A FURNITURE BUSINESS By B. F. McLAIN Secretary-Treasurer, Hart Furniture Co., Dallas, Texas HPHE golfer who disrupts the smoothness of his swing 1 by trying too hard is said to be "pressing." The infielder who rushes into a grounder and makes a fumble is said to be fighting the ball. The football player can, through over-anxiety, ruin the timing of what should be a rhythmical shift. Merchandising is analogous to sports in that the best results are secured through the happy medium which avoids the extremes of indifference or carelessness, on one hand, and the adoption, on the other hand, of unsound methods through over-anxiety to procure results. No one should discount the advantages of aggres-sive and progressive measures in attaining success in retailing. The dealer who fails to keep abreast of the Realtor to Retailer BERNARD F. McLAIN'S hobby is traveling. And in truth he has traveled far and high on the road to success in furniture retailing. For the bene-fit of the few not acquainted with "Mac," he is president of the National Retail Furniture Asso-ciation and, incidentally, is the only man to serve three terms as president of the Retail Furniture Association of Texas. The World War interrupted and, as it turns out, completely curtailed what might have been the career of just another realtor and made McLain a furniture man. Because the little squabble with the Central Powers forced him to change his residence, he says, "I took the first good posi-tion offered me and started in 1919 with the Hart Furniture Company, Dallas, where I have been ever since." He is now secretary-treasurer of that firm. Born April 11, 1891, in Eliza-beth, N. J., McLain attended elementary and high school there and in Battin, N. J., going on to Notre Dame Preparatory and Yale University Law School. He is 5 feet 11, weighs 155, is married and has a daughter six years old. His home is at 3801 Gillon Ave., Dallas. He is a member of the Veterans of For-eign Wars, American Legion and the Brook Hollow Golf Club, but won't admit what his handicap is. By what he does in his spare time, by what he likes in music, Bernard F. McLain art and literature may we really come to know a man, and so we pass on to you these tiny but mightily revealing sidelights on the character of McLain. His chief relaxation is his home life, but he enjoys all kinds of sports, of which his favorite is football. (He was at one time captain of the football, baseball and track teams at Notre Dame Preparatory.) His favorite dish is steak, cooked thick and medium rare— his favorite author, O. Henry. Although McLain's hobby is traveling and he has indulged it to the extent of three trips to B. F. McLain, NRFA Prexy, likes to "go places/' wants his steaks thick and rare and reads O. Henry. Europe, Central America and West Indies, Hawaii; two to South America and all parts of the United States and Canada, he doesn't care about flying. His urge to "go places" is re-flected in his choice of Ferdinand Magellan as an outstanding his-torical character, and his favorite book William H. Prescott's Con-quest of Mexico. During the war, McLain com-manded the trench mortars in the 18th Infantry, First Division in France, an outfit that saw con-siderable active service. McLain's fondest memory and the outstandingly interesting in-cident in his business life is based on what he terms his "weakness in complying with the men who served with me in the World W7ar, and the most interesting (and perhaps amusing) store contact was with one of my old corporals whom I had not seen since the war. He was making a purchase of furniture in the store and when he saw me he came to attention and saluted." As Chairman of the Council of the Texas Retailers' Association, McLain has many outstanding legislative accomplishments to his credit, including the blocking of efforts to set up industry con-trol. Dallas merchants estimate that he has saved them thou-sands of dollars in burdensome taxes by being in the forefront of the fight against nuisance reg-ulation. 26 FINE FURNITURE times cannot hope to prosper. However, there is a point where progressiveness stops and dangerous ex-perimentation begins. The merchant who is inclined to try every new idea because it is novel is following a precarious course. Retailers are deluged with sug-gestions conceived by various individuals and organ-izations designed primarily to bring remuneration to those who make the suggestions. In many cases these proposals involve substantial reductions in profit margins to the detriment of the merchant. A large book could be written regarding the thou-sands of ideas submitted to furniture dealers, osten-sibly to increase sales, but involving discounts from the mark-up which is necessary to cover operating costs. We are told to give discounts to brides, to new-comers, to policemen and to firemen. We are advised to give inducements to get new accounts on our books. When they are on our ledgers it is suggested that we have special customer nights and give discounts to hold them. The manufacturer's representative urges us to run his occasional table or his place chair as a price leader and when Mrs. Bargain Hunter buys the special, the credit application shows she has been fur-nishing her home with all of our competitors' leaders. In other words, a market which should have furnished a profit to retailing has been absorbed by specials with no gain to any dealer. There is hardly a week in the year that does not bring the average merchant a circular urging the use of some sort of a bonus bond, or discount certificate, or similar price cutting arrangement dressed up in various ways. Generally, there is the suggestion to hurr}^ before a competitor accepts the proposal, with the not very subtle hint that the idea should be adopted m self-defense against competition. Many merchants are influenced to engage in promotions which their judgment tells them are, in many respects, undesirable, because they are given to understand that if they do not accept it a competitor probably will. If each individual dealer will make up his mind to reject proposals which will not stand sound analysis naturally, there would be no necessity to launch a dubious pro-gram to avoid competing against it. Rising Costs • We are undoubtedly entering a period of rising operating costs. Taxes are growing heavier. Social security measures will increase our overhead. There is a tendency towards shorter hours with result-ing payroll advances. Terms are growing longer with carrying charge rates being lowered. Furniture stores are selling an increasingly large percentage of resale price items with gross mark-up less than that received in the past. Surely this is no time to indulge in the various profit-sapping practices being suggested in ever expanding numbers. This is a time for sound and sane measures, and for the courage to say "No" to the man who offers some new sugar-coated method of cutting prices in the hope that it may bring in-creased volume. Speaking of volume, we are unques-tionably in an era of expanding furniture sales. The average dealer will need all the capital he has to finance regular business. He would be foolish indeed to tie up his sorely needed capital in financing sales of unprofitable merchandise, or dubious promotions and so impair his ability to finance sales which bear suf-ficient profit to cover overhead. Fundamentals • And now to return to the analogy of sports. The most successful football coach this country has ever known was the most thorough teacher of the fundamentals of the game. Every player was to fulfill his assignment effectively on every play. He developed a well-trained organization in which each man knew what he should do and did it every minute of play. He taught an aggressive style, but he did not gamble on his plays. And so it is with successful mer-chandising. There are certain fundamental principles of retailing which are all important — a well-trained organization; a proper stock selection to fill the needs of the particular dealer's clientele; alertness in dis-cerning style trends in their inception; attention to detail; close contact with customers; stock control to assure turnover, advertising policy based on scientific knowledge of actual results, not on theory. Such factors in the operation of a business are far more effective than indulging in new or novel promotions. Progressiveness, of course, is necessary and desirable, but care should be taken to distinguish between pro-gressive policies and unsound practices. Retailing is a business of tremendous detail. It prospers only through careful planning and close atten-tion to all its ramifications. The successful football coach does not have his team throw a long pass every other play. He develops a winning team by teaching the fundamentals to good men and then watching to see that the plans are properly executed. The success-ful retailer adopts the fundamental principles of sound merchandising and sees that he has an alert organiza-tion to adhere to them. "Long Passes" • A long pass is spectacular and effective if not used too often. It most assuredly has its place in the game if used with judgment and dis-cretion. But sound fundamentals and everlasting team work are the all important factors which win the day year in and year out. And in this connection it is very respectfully submitted that it is fundamental that the selling price should bear sufficient margin of profit to cover the cost of doing business. In conclusion, we will revert to the expression used in the title of this article and in the phraseology of the golf course, suggest that the best results are not secured by "pressing" for volume through indiscrim-inate methods. Retailing, together with every other type of business, must face the many problems of the social and economic changes which our country is ex-periencing. It probably will become increasingly dif-ficult to procure net profits commensurate with effort and investment. It behooves the men who are formulating merchan-dising policies to maintain retailing on a reasonably sound basis. Competition there must be, of course. No sensible man advocates profiteering. Let us adopt methods fair to the public and fair to the craft to which we are committed for a livelihood, to the end that our type of business shall progressively but sanely serve the public welfare. In so doing we will make a substantial contribution towards sustaining the all important bulwark of economic stability. The August issue of FINE FURNITURE will carry a complete report on important and dominant trends apparent in the purchases of stores and in the showings of exhibitors at the various July furniture and rug expositions. f o r JULY. 1 9 3 6 27 BAQ.NES THE GRACEFUL GOLF FOP-M (J3ELO\W) IS DAMIEL WITT HANCOCK.-OFTHEBLUEFIELD FURNITURE CO. WHO LIU.ES HIS OOLF, BAKED BEANS AND THIHKS FRANKLIN D-ROOSEVELT A 6P.EAT ouy — OOEGDISWOLD PP-ESIDENT GRAND P-APIDS FURNITURE MANUFACTURER.^ ASS'N - AND 14EAD OF THE sWlDOlCOM& FUP-HlTURE Co . HT EATS PEAHUTS 1M PLACE OF POTATOES. THERE WILL BE SOMETHING ELSE TO SEE AT TWE GRAND &APIDS JULY MARKET BESIDE FURN ITURE R.. RAU •EXECUTIVE VICE-P^ES-NATIONAL RETAIL. FURNITURE ASSN HE LIKES TO SWIM AND DIVE INTO PIE A U MOD&. DICK TAHDLER SALES MANAGER: FUR-NITUCE DIVISION, OF COLLINS mo PLAYED A WAS A STRAIGHT " MAH. OH TUB HE WENT INTO THE fUP-NITURE TO LIVlNCr. famous furniture firms FINE FURNITURE "C1 STABLISHED in 1870, at Six I i Mile Creek near Owosso, near plentiful supply of native hard-woods. First owners, Estey and Tooley, this Estey being a nephew of Jacob Estey of Estey organ fame. First factory was in reality only a sawmill, cutting elm, ash, maple and shipping it to Detroit where it was assembled into painted furniture then in vogue. Entered, in 1875, Charles E. Rig-ley, who influenced removal of firm to Owosso. Line completely changed and Estey Mfg. Co. began to make chamber suites. Business prounded so rapidly that "Factory A" aniklin cope with it and "Factory I>" was built to the clamor of a unique pub-licity stunt. Material was assem-bled, foundation prepared ,'iiul on The upper oval shows the Estey Mfg. Co. plant in 1900, known at this time as the largest bedroom lur-niture plant in the world. The first fac-tory and saw mill at Six Mile Creek at the right. Below, the havoc wrought to Plant B by a tornado in 1911. Five years before. Plant A was destroyed by fire. Monday morning, first week of Feb-ruary, 1890, laborers started putting up a plant that was finished in 57 hours and 45 minutes. In 1906 "Factory A" burned. At 11 minutes after 11 on Nov. 11, 1911, a tornado demolished in 57 seconds the factory that had been built in 57 hours, nature thus con-tributing unforeseen whimsy to a freakish publicity stunt. A strange story is told of the famous Estey trademark. It seems Rigley had been trying to find a trademark but was getting nowhere when a tramp came into the factory asking for work. "What can you do?" asked Rigley. "Anything you want," said the tramp, whereupon Rigley told him to make a trade-mark using Estey Standard. The tramp retired to a saloon, returning later with the design, was paid and disappeared, but that trademark has been carried the country over on every bit of Estey furniture, stationery, catalogues, etc. Who the tramp was, nobody knows. Rigley retired in 1921 and sold his interest to B. A. Hathaway of Grand Rap-ids, whose estate still holds the con-trolling interest. Beards, brogans and belligerence were in-evitable attributes of the early furniture craftsmen as dis-played by the group of early Estey em-ployes at the top of the page. Tom Cal-lard, sixth from the left, has been con-tinuously with Estey since 1882. . • / * • f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 29 * ' • . - • ' " . - • . , . . • 1 *;••*> JOSEPH P. LYNCH • • . deplores false dignity. Called upon to salvage something from the ruins of many a good store, Joe Lynch, as a sales and merchandising expert for many years, is qualiiied to speak with considerable authority on the factors that contribute to success or failure in furniture store opera-tion today. If you think, as a merchant, that you have arrived, that you can coast along on the high reputation of your store, that you can forget the basic principles of merchandising and adver-tising, . . . DON'T KID YOURSELF . .Says Joe Lynch FEW retail merchants are, sur-prisingly enough, really com-petent merchandising and advertis-ing men. In my contacts with stores throughout the United States and Canada, I find that in all too many cases the merchant dictates mer-chandising and publicity policy with no definite aim of building a large volume of business, but rather with an idea of living up to a certain standard of dignity and prestige which he has set for himself and his store. All too often our experience has led us into a store which a merchant has operated over a long period of time and which he has built to what he considers a winning mercantile venture, until he has become smug and complacent to the point of be-lieving in his own financial wizardry and leadership. He devotes much of his time and energy to being socially prominent. Prodded by pride in his store and its accomplishments, he often feels that he should install new fixtures, a neV front and other expensive sops to his vanity. He strives to make his advertising dignified, con-servative and—all too often—high hat. He attempts to compete with stores selling higher priced mer-chandise. To all intents and pur-poses, although he would be the last to admit it, he has decided that the customers who built his busi-ness, made his money and allowed him to become socially prominent, are not good enough to trade in his high-class store. He carries the type of merchandise they cannot afford to buy. What Happens? • Operating costs increase, slack months come along, and finally we observe him chewing the end of his pencil and wondering what in hell has happened to his business. He forgets that his very efforts to improve in this manner his advertising and to carry a higher grade of merchandise have created a strong sales resistance on the part of his old customers; that his classy advertising and snooty store have frightened them away, and it's go-ing to take a long time to get 'em back. He forgets that there are ten thousand buyers of cheap and medium-priced merchandise to one of high-priced merchandise. Per-haps he has been sold on the idea that he should try and build up his 30 and 60-day charge account busi-ness, here again overlooking the fact that about 92% of the furniture business of the United States is done on the instalment basis, and that by actual analysis the long-deferred payment plan is more sat-isfactory than the thirty or 60-day charge account. It seems to me that the furniture store operator should remember above everything else that he is supposed to be, and must be if he hopes to continue to exist as such, a merchandiser and an advertiser. Five Necessities • In my opinion, successful merchandising means, first, the writing of newspaper ad-vertising that attracts the eye and draws the great mass of low and medium-class buyers into a store. It creates an atmosphere of friend-liness. It makes easy the purchase of merchandise in his store. It pre-supposes a policy of money re-funded on every article that does not give satisfaction. It depends for a large measure of success on sell-ing every advertisement and what it aims to accomplish to the entire organization first of all. A retail advertisement may be beautiful to look at—it may carry an appearance of dignity, it may tickle the merchant's vanity, but if it lacks the proper selling assets, that advertising expenditure is wasted. The first aim of an adver-tisement must be to attract the eye. Next in order of importance is the arousing of curiosity, then creation of desire, use of right kind and price of merchandise in the ad, and last—the very, very last—the build-ing of store prestige. Advertising should be deliberately designed to bring people to the store in great numbers for certain adver-tised items. Experience has proved to me time and again that they will buy other items, too. For example, in a sale we conducted for Brus-haber's in Detroit, we used a double truck as a merchandise ad, but did not advertise floor, bridge or junior lamps. Regardless of this and be-cause of the great number of people who came in for advertised items and because the lamps were well displayed, we sold 268 lamps and shades in a day. In order to create productive ad-vertising there must be cooperation and understanding from the pres-ident down to the delivery man. The entire organization must be sold on the idea of what the advertising is designed to accomplish, and the part each one is to play in making the sale of advertised items a suc-cess. FINE FURNITURE FAMILIAR DESIGNS, INTERPRETED By F A M O U S DESIGNERS 16th Century English FROM a choir stall in Parish church at Crediton, Devonshire, England, Dermot M. Doherty received the inspiration for the development of the 16th Cen-tury oak bedroom suite illustrated on the opposite page. A typical post of the choir stall is sketched at the top of the page and the character and spirit of this rugged era can be traced in the various pieces of the group. By delineating the evolution of furniture creation in this manner, FINE FURNITURE ambitiously aspires to further a genuine appreciation of what con-stitutes good commercial furniture—and why. Frequently, in popular-priced merchandise, may be recognized a merging of periods, and often it is ex-tremely difficult to allocate an individual piece or group to any specific furniture era. Only by men equipped with fundamental knowledge of the historic, economic and racial customs of the various sources from which they must draw their inspiration, can this type of mer-chandise be produced intelligently. Words alone do not make sentences, no more than a series of unrelated lines and curves can be correctly labeled "Queen Anne dresser." In developing the 16th Century oak bedroom group for this month's Sketch Book, Doherty has faithfully retained the rugged character of early English furni-ture. The group is sturdy without being cumbersome, decorative but not flamboyant. Drawn from a period when great economic and political changes were in order, the group reflects characteristics of this English Renaissance, erected upon a Gothic structural back-ground. The use of the linen fold for embellishment on the panels of the bed, doors and drawers of the cases, is typical of early English ornamentation. Originally employed with reckless abandon, this motif in later years achieved a certain charm by being adapted only to logical spaces. In creating this commercial suite, Doherty has effectively used a linen fold that requires no hand work, being fabricated entirely on the sticker. The open Gothic carving, bold in character and judiciously restrained, incorporates the Tudor rose, floral patterns and fruit, and lends itself admirably to commercial reproduction. Here again hand work is practically eliminated. Ornamental mouldings, bed posts carrying the detail of the choir stall post, and turned legs supporting cases of generous proportions, scaled down to modern facil-ities, retain the straight, sturdy feeling of Tudor Eng-land. Probably the outstanding feature of this suite is the fact that it can be produced with a minimum of hand labor and at the same time achieve the dignity and characteristic ruggedness of 16th Century furniture. The group would retail for approximately $250. ERIN SENDS A LAUGHING SON ON A BEAUTY QUEST DERMOT M. DOHERTY . . . practicing authority on corned beef and cab-bage. DERMOT M. DOHERTY, de-signer of the 16th Century Eng-lish group on the opposite page, carries the sobriquet of "Irish." Rightfully, too, as the man was born in 1890 on Christmas day in Dublin. How he severed his allegiance to the ould sod and managed to inveigle Mother Eng-land into educating him in the art of designing furniture, has never been satisfactorily explained. Nevertheless, the year 1907 found him in London as an apprentice in Waring & Gillows' drafting room. Three years later he was serving the same concern in the Argentine, assisting in designing the interior of the Plaza Hotel in Buenos Aires. Two years later he was back m London, this time with the famous old house of Maple & Co. as staff de-signer. Then North America beckoned and "Irish" joined that notoriously talented crew of W. & J. Sloane in New York. Doherty left New York in 1922 in search of other fields to explore and for seven or eight years created suc-cessful commercial designs for impor-tant Grand Rapids, Chicago and Rock-ford manufacturers. In 1931 he opened his own designing office in Chi-cago and extended his interests to in-clude other furniture centers. Since that time he has pursued a free-lance career and at present is operating out of Grand Rapids. His oak group in this issue of the Sketch Book is in line with the re-newed interest in furniture of this character. Possessor of a hilarious sense of humor, "Irish" is also endowed with a sensitive appreciation of beauty, de-spite the fact that he is an ardent admirer of Edgar Allen Poe and is a practicing authority on corned beef and cabbage. He rates W. W. Jacobs' "Nightwatchman" the outstanding character in fiction and there is noth-ing the Dublin boy would rather do than design fine furniture — except paint landscapes.—Editor. f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 31 £ . . — • - — • • 3™ -««M^—; . . - • • * • • • * * . . * - . - - " 32 FINE FURNITURE HOME OF THE MONTH TWENTY furniture stores in as many cities are reporting substantial sales increases from their tie-up with the "Home of the Month" plan sponsored by McCall's Magazine and the National Association of Real Estate Boards. To make it easier for participating furniture dealers, the magazine supplies all stores with suggested dec- Despite bad weather, 20,000 people visited this "Home of the Month" in St. Louis, com-pletely furnished by Lammert Furniture Co. Below, a typical bedroom in one of these model homes. orating and furnishing schemes, specifying styles in furniture, floor coverings, draperies and curtains appro-priate for each room. The store, however, is not re-quired to adhere strictly to these suggestions. In the past, many furniture stores have encountered grief in furnishing exhibition homes because builders were not of the best. Those chosen by the National Association for the construction of these houses are the highest grade builders in each locality. They are com-mercial- minded and realize that a store must get leads for furniture sales if it is to benefit, beyond advertising, from their participation in the venture. Ample attendance is assured these exhibitions be-cause each month's "Home" is elaborately described and pictured in the magazine's current issue. The large audience of McCall's readers is also furnished with a list of addresses at which these model homes may be inspected and the names of the stores decorating and furnishing them. This "Home of the Month" plan will carry through the year and McCall's invites additional stores to participate. • : • • m LOUIS A. HINDS Boston Furniture Mart Boston, Mass. LAWRENCE H. WHITING American Furniture Mart Chicago, 111. • P ~ " PAUL W. CASEY Southern Furniture Exposition Bldg. High Point, N. C. LEO J. HEER Furniture Manufacturers Bldg. lamestown, N. Y. MEN WHO MAKE FURNITURE MARKETS BEHIND the scenes of every major furniture market is an intricate and almost endless mass of preparatory work which buyers and other market visitors seldom see or appreciate. The job of readying display spaces in a major exposition building re-quires, for weeks before a market, the services of hundreds of people whose activities must be closely supervised. This talent for taking infinite pains and checking up on every minor detail of preparation amounts almost to genius in the key men who are really the stage managers of furniture markets. They deserve to be better known, and for that reason we present them here: Louis A. Hinds, director, Boston Furniture Mart, is married but has no children. He was born in Boston in 1879. Lou is S feet 9 and weighs 185. He has been a director of markets in Boston since 1926, and was identified with the Hearst news-papers before his entry into the fur-niture business. Hinds' professional aim is "to further the welfare of the furniture industry in New England." He be-lieves the home furnishing business is a great social and educational force, being closely related to home, "and isn't the home the most im-portant thing in the world?" For relaxation Hinds likes to wander in the woods and country, and growing things are his hobby. His favorite sport is football, and his favorite dish is fried lobster "as it is served at Marblehead, Mass., and at no other place in the world." Victor Herbert is the composer Hinds likes best and he most enjoys reading the novels of Hugo, Cham-bers and Roberts. When he retires, Hinds wants to go "back to the woods." His advice to those interested in learning the furniture business is, "Never miss an opportunity to read and observe—especially observe." Lawrence H. Whiting, president, American Furniture Mart Building Co., Inc., was born Jan. 29, 1890, at Plattsmouth, Neb. He is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs in the neighborhood of 200. He is a wid-ower with two children. Educated at the University of Chicago, Whit-ing had a brilliant career as an athlete, being a varsity football and track star. His business career be-gan with the Illinois Life Insurance Co. in 1907, and in 1914 he became assistant to the vice-president of this firm and the manager of its Chicago department. In April, 1917, "Larry" entered the U. S. Army and was made a captain of cavalry in the 86th Divi-sion four months later. In December THOMAS R. MURTAUGH New York Furniture Exchange New York City GEORGE L. HERRSCHER Fine Arts & Pantlind Exhibition Bldgs. Grand Rapids, Mich. JAMES I. RYSKAMP Keeler Exhibition Bldg. Grand Rapids, Mich. GEORGE B. ATKINSON Merchandise Mart Chicago, 111. , * ' • • ! - ' • • • ' • - > • 34 FINE FURNITURE of the same year he was assigned to the post of Chief Personnel Officer of the Army in the War Department at Washington and in March of the next year to G. H. Q. in France as Chief Personnel Officer. WThiting, in December of the same year, became the youngest lieutenant-colonel in the service and was assigned to the American Commission to Negotiate Peace as assistant to Norman H. Davis, High Commissioner, U. S. Treasury. Upon his retirement from service Whiting organized Whiting & Co., investment bankers in May, 1921, and in 1923 built the American Furniture Mart, of which he be-came chairman of the board, hold-ing that office until 1933, when he became its president. He is an officer and director in several indus-trial institutions and banks. Paul W. Casey, secretary, treasurer and manager of the Southern Fur-niture Exposition Bldg., High Point, N. C, was born Dec. 4, 1902, in New Castle, N. C. He is 5 feet 9 and weighs 170, is married and has three children. He entered the fur-niture business from the real estate game. Casey (and that's his nick-name, too) is a graduate of the Appalachian State Teachers' College where he was active in sports, espe-cially baseball and basketball, con-tributing a "whisky tenor" as his sole musical accomplishment. His chief aim is to ''make the Southern Market so interesting that we will have all the dealers in the South as well as those from other sections." Casey likes to play golf for re-laxation, his hobby is bird hunting and football is the most exciting sport he can imagine. His favorite dish, he says, is not spinach. His advice to anyone entering any business is cryptic but forceful. It is "Be thorough!" Leo J. Heer, secretary, Jamestown Furniture Market Association and manager of the Furniture Manufac-turers' Building of Jamestown, was born Dec. 12, 1902, in Louisville, Ky. He is married and has one child, Timothy Michael Heer, 2 years. Leo is 5 feet 11 and weighs 195. Before he became identified actively with the furniture business he was a newspaper man and a manager of convention bureaus. Heer says one of his most inter-esting early contacts in the furniture business was that with "a man with whom I worked for three years be-fore he decided to buy space. He was the first one to come to me with a helpful suggestion when I was in a spot where assistance in a busi-ness matter was vital. I never can forget now that the right kind of customer becomes more than a buyer. Give a customer a chance and he is your friend." Football is Heer's favorite sport and reading his chief hobby. Emil Ludwig and Sinclair Lewis are his favorite authors, although he hesi-tates to rank them above Oscar Wilde, Voltaire and Don Marquis. The latter's character, Mehitabel the Cat with her philosophy of "Tojours gai" being one of Heer's favorite characters of fiction. Thomas R. Murtaugh, general man-ager, New York Furniture Ex-change, was born Oct. 7, 1898, in Brooklyn. He is 5 feet 11 inches and weighs 205. His home is in Westport, Conn., where he lives with his wife and one child. "Tom," previous to his connection with the furniture business, was active in real estate, conducting a brokerage office, managing, leasing and selling property. He is a member of the Advertising Club of New York City and the Longshore Golf 8c Country Club, Westport, Conn. During the WTorld War he was attached to the office of Naval Intelligence, 3rd Naval District. James J. Ryskamp, manager of the Keeler Furniture Exhibition Bldg., Grand Rapids, was born April 18, 1903. He is 6 feet l/z inch tall and weighs 180, is married and has two sons. Before he became manager of the Keeler Bldg. in 1927, he had spent five years in the retail shoe business. The six furniture exposition buildings shown at the bottom of these two pages (left to right) are: Keeler Bldg., Grand Rapids; New York Furniture Exchange Bldg.; Southern Furniture Exposition Bldg.. High Point, N. C; Fine Arts Bldg., Grand Rapids; Jamestown Furniture Exposition Bldg., Jamestown, N. Y.; American Furniture Mart, Chicago. .<** s\ ''. ivt\ Zflr^- ' " * • X *• Hi MW • 1 • « • • ? ; f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 35 Reading is Jim's chief relaxation. His hobby is the radio and "tinker-ing with mechanical and electrical devices." Golf and fishing are his favorite sports and he would rather eat baked ham, Southern style, than any other food. Abraham Lincoln is his conception of the most ad-mirable character in history, and his favorite author is James Fenimore Cooper. A great lover of music, Ryskamp's favorite composer is John Philip Sousa, and the songs he loves most are "The Bells of St. Mary's" and "Abide With Me." Upon retirement from business, Jim wants to travel, having been deprived of this privilege most of his life. His chief professional aim is the continuation of Grand Rap-ids' prestige as the Furniture Cap-ital of America. George L. Herrscher, manager, Fine Arts and Pantlind Exhibition Bldgs., Grand Rapids, was born in that city Jan. 9, 1901. He is mar-ried, has one daughter and resides at 1143 Worden St., S. E., Grand Rapids. Herrscher weighs 165 and is 5 feet 9. With the Pennsylvania R. R. nine years before entering the furniture business, he began in 1926 as secre-tary to G. A. Hendricks, building owner, and president of the Adjust-able Table Co. and White Steel Co. Upon organization of the Fine Art Corp. in 1929, Herrscher became director and secretary of that com-pany, and in 1930 also became director and secretary of the Ad-justable Table Co. and White Steel Furniture Co. In 1931 he became manager for G. A. Hendricks of Above, the Waters- Klingman Bldg.. Grand Rapids, and below, the Mer-chandise Marl, Chicago. Fine Arts and Pantlind buildings. Fishing and baseball are Herr-scher's favorite recreation and sport. George B. Atkinson, manager, Fur-niture Division, the Merchandise Mart, Chicago, was born in Balti-more, Md. Refuses to give his age (about 45). He is 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 190. Is married and has two children. Atkinson's hobby is the taking and developing of pictures, and his favorite sport is baseball. He says, "One has little time for recreation in the furniture industry, and my chief relaxation is the education of my children." The homefurnishing business is a great social and educational work, in Atkinson's opinion. He says, "Fine furniture in beautiful homes tends to produce not only an ap-preciation for craftsmanship and artistry but also a proper back- (Continued on page 71) •,"-« * si r 36 FINE FURNITURE RETAILING TIPS . . . Helping 'em Find a Home — How Barker Bros. Merchan-dise Used Furniture to High Income Group — Bedding Transactions Help Furniture Sales — Gets Refrigerator Prospects for 14 Cents Each — Hints on Getting Office Furniture Business. A graceful and delicate occa-sional table by Imperial Furniture Co., grouped with a Schoonbeck chair. Free Rental Service 7\ FREE rental service offered to JTx. home seekers has been a sim-ple way of bringing many persons into the Leon Furniture Store of Allentown, Pa. The store charges no fees or commissions of any kind for the service. An office clerk maintains the rental records in her spare time. Vacant houses and apartments are listed on 3 x 5 inch cards which are filed under street names. Thus the person wanting to rent a place need only mention the particular section of the city where he prefers to locate and the clerk can quickly locate cards of available properties. Property owners are glad to re-port vacancies to the store as they occur because the owner pays no commissions for rentals made through it. Real estate men also turn over their lists of vacant prop-erties but they are protected by sending the interested home-seeker direct to the office of the renting agent. Used Furniture for Elite ONE of the problems confront-ing the manager of a used furniture department is how to attract customers from the higher income group. Barker Bros., Los Angeles, has several proved answers. Manager R. B. Smith was con-vinced that once he could draw women from the higher brackets into his department he could sell them regularly. However, the mag-net would have to be more than bargain appeal. He found the right approach in a circular distributed with a newspaper reaching the bet-ter class families. The inside page was handled like a newspaper and one of the most conspicuous heads read: "Woman discovers rare antique in sale piece." Figured woods and white leather are harmoniously combined in this Holly-wood group by Virginia-Lincoln Corp. The account told of a woman who purchased an old black-painted chest from Barker Bros.' used fur-niture department. In a refinishing shop it was discovered that under-neath the paint there was a fine old piece. The article then continued in a "swanky" vein to point out that much of the used furniture came from fine old homes. The article also stressed the more practical side of used furniture buy-ing. This consisted of explaining how used furnishings may be util-ized in vacation homes, mountain cabins, cottages at the sea shore, etc. Brides were also appealed to as "clever young brides" who might have to watch pennies and could do so in Barker Bros.' used furniture department. Thus, in the one ad-vertisement were three distinct types of appeal: (1) Treasure hunt-ing, (2) cabins and cottages fur-nished out of used stock, (3) brides who may need bargains. Other pro-motions that can be successfully used either in newspaper advertis-ing, direct mail or suggestions in-side the store itself in disposing of used stock are: (1) Spare room fur-nishings, (2) play room furnishings, (3) boys' room furnishings. f o r J U L Y , 1 9 3 6 37 Double Bedding Policy rPHE bedding division has con- X sistently shown itself to be a sales stimulant for the furniture section of the MacDougall-South-wick department store, Seattle, Wash. In fact, the "furniture sec-tion" originally consisted of a small stock of beds, springs and mat-tresses. "A satisfied bedding customer is a real friend of the department and the store," declares Edward K. Mills, in charge of the division. "We make it a point to build this vital customer acceptance by re-garding the sale of a box spring as the foundation for a spring-filled mattress as a natural course of pro-cedure. "Our salesmen are especially trained in this regard and they are due for a call if they sell a spring-filled mattress without such a foun-dation, just as they are slated for an inquiry if a quality rug is sold minus a pad. Naturally such sales increase the volume and net profit of the department. But what we The sweep of the Empire motif lends unusual distinction to this sofa (No. 379) by Wolverine Upholstery Co. It is 30" high by 85" wide and 33" deep. Carrying the Mail DELIVERY of furniture style books by floor salesmen in-stead of sending them through the mail has resulted in 50% more effective advertising for the Ritter Furniture Co. of Emaus, Pa. About three times a year the company issues an expensive roto-gravure style book. John W. Ritter, manager, decided the books were not receiving the attention they merited when sent through the mail so arrangements were made to have each floor salesman spend one day a week delivering them. homefurnishings which may be de-sired. This method of approach eliminates much of the resistance women display in talking with sales-men and encourages questions." Make the News MAKE the news and boost your store sales. News column pub-licity is increasingly being used by those furniture owners and man-agers awake to their opportunities. As a rule retail furniture super-salesmen are expert newsmakers. Local newspapers consistently re-port doings of the Chamber of No. 1948 chair by Charlotte Chair Co. Height 30", width 25", depth 20", birch with walnut finish. •">•**{, Modem desk by Imperial, No. 1899. Top is 18" x 27", height 44". 4 \ Another Modern chair. No. 210, by Michigan Furniture Shops, Inc. Width, 27", height 30". are primarily interested in is the customer satisfaction involved in the twin sale. "W7hen we use a 'special' in the bedding section it is one selling a box spring and a spring-filled mat-tress at a particularly attractive ensemble price, to build a customer tendency to 'make it double.' " In one day alone the division sold 42 three-quarter bed springs and mattresses at a good profit. And at this time that size unit was sup-posed to be unsalable, having been superseded by the three-foot-three size. While the new method of distri-bution costs slightly more than the firm paid for mailing costs, the re-turns proved to be at least 50% higher. "The salesmen are glad to spend one day outside in making contacts because it helps them to develop a larger personal following and increases their sales," Ritter explains. "When the salesman calls at the home he presents the housewife \vith a copy of the style book, explaining that he is not there to sell any-thing. However, he is glad to give any information on furniture or Commerce, luncheon clubs, com-munity chest, welfare organizations and leading lodges. Meetings, proj-ects and speeches are "covered." The furniture man who will be a good member—one who always is ready to work and turns in a good performance — inevitably becomes an officer. He makes the local news hundreds of times and always favor-ably. Naturally the community has confidence in the store of a man who, over many months, has been associated in the news with praise-worthy projects and prominent, 38 FINE FURNITURE public-spirited citizens. The public will expect to find better furniture and greater values at the store of such a man. True, this takes time and is cost-ly. But in super-salesmanship activ-ity of this sort the furniture man needs to be as regardful for cost as when building an addition or man-aging delivery service. Some men do virtually all such work during lunch hours and evenings. They simply make committee and other meetings at such times a condition of their agreement to serve. Make the store sales first and then find time, inexpensively, for the news-making. Trips to distant cities are news opportunities. Attending the inter-national convention of his luncheon club in a foreign country, a furni-ture merchant took motion pictures with an amateur outfit. Back home he developed a lecture, some of it illustrated with color films. He gave this talk before his luncheon club, church, school, college groups and other organizations. In three months he made the news nearly SO times. The furniture man who takes a long business or vacation trip should call on the local editor when back home and give him an interview on business conditions. It should be for the most part general, of in-terest to all local business men. However, the opportunity should be taken to sketch briefly new trends in furniture. Furniture men are close to the affairs of their communities. Often they have early knowledge of big local news in the making. Form the habit of helping the editor when-ever there is the opportunity. Editors are human. They'll appre-ciate the aid and will learn to go to the furniture man for information. And when he has a story of his own they'll be glad to publish it. When a "big shot" in the trade visits your town, call up the news-paper or take the visitor around to the city room. Introduce him. See that there is an interview. And don't forget the society col-umn. It is real promotion to report house guests, friends or relatives to the society editor. For almost every woman reads the society items. Publicity opportunities also are present on the sport page. Sponsor a baseball, basketball or other team and note the tremendous amount of publicity received for a trifling sum. The sponsor usually simply fur-nishes uniforms. There is little other expense. Of course the team name should include the store name or that of one of its principal nationally-advertised lines. Don't slight the human interest happenings. Suppose a customer tenders a very old coin in payment. Or a store employe wins a prize in a manufacturer's contest. They are good for a few lines in most papers. There are many other ways to make the news. The entire force honors an old employe on his birth-day anniversary. Organization of an employes' club. Special stunt window displays. Report them to the editor. Because most furniture stores are not 5 % efficient in making the news, the promotion opportunity is wide open for those wide awake merchants who will seize it. Sales benefits always accrue. Nearly all exhibitors at the July markets are giving conclusive evidence of an Eighteenth Century revival. Baker Furniture Co.'s desk and chair group (below) presents a highly decorated Queen Anne chair and, for its companion piece, a graceful knee-hole desk. Above, secretary. No. 654, by Rockford Chair & Furniture Co. All mahogany, retails for $79. Its base is 18"x34", and it is 77" high. Above, a reproduction of Edison 'Institute museum piece. No. 2308, by Colonial Mlg. Co. It is 21"x38", height 43". Below, Victorian chair. No. 1936, in Old World mahogany finish. Width 19", depth 18", Char-lotte Chair Co., shown in Fine Arts Building. for JULY. 1936 39 Prospects at 14 Cents 7\ PPROXIMATELY 3600 data x l cards were turned in by guests at a one-week electrical show con-ducted by Pomeroy's, Reading, Pa. Women attending the show were requested to fill in data cards indi-cating appliances employed in their homes, appliances they didn't have and those they desired. After the cards were sorted it was found that prospects for immediate follow-up numbered about 500. The entire sales organization was placed on follow-up work to contact these prospects promptly. Paul Bear, appliance sales man-ager, stated that the total expense for conducting the show was about $500, which brought the cost to about 14 cents per prospect. The original data visitor-signed cards were placed in the files while duplicates of the cards were given salesmen for follow-up purposes. The duplicates were sorted according to the type of appliance that interested the prospect. Pomeroy's sales organization is divided into two units. One unit specializes on electric refrigerators and radios, the other unit works on ranges, cleaners, washers, smaller appliances. Duplicate cards used by the sales-men are returned to the office after calls are made. Notations are made on the cards indicating additional calls and the cards are then placed in a tickler file. The 3600 prospects listed during the show, with those previously on file, were sufficient to keep the salesmen busy for several months without the necessity of cold can-vassing. Another chair of Contemporary design by Charlotte Chair Co., No. 1964. It is 33" high, 24" wide and 19" deep, birch with walnut finish and de luxe spring seat. While each salesman receives a certain number of prospect cards each day, he is not required to make every call on the day he gets the cards. Bear says it is more im-portant to give every prospect proper attention than to make a daily effort to clean up all pros-pect cards. Salesmen are constantly checked up by telephone to find whether they made the calls as re-ported on their cards. During the period of the show all appliance salesmen were required to be in the store. Their assistance was demanded in handling the crowds, in helping with demonstra-tions. They also learned many new kinks about appliances that will help them with their sales work. Office Furnishers Co-op. A Modern interpreta-tion of a commode desk by the Bay View Furniture Co., shown at the right, has curved corners. All walnut, it has black and chrome hard-ware. Top 28" x 18", height 36", No. 70, $39.50 OOPERATION among dealers in office furnishings in the Tulsa, Okla., trade territory, was one of the salient factors in a gen-eral increase as well as a 50% in-crease in the sales of heavy goods by the Tulsa Stationery Co., accord-ing to R. G. Attaway, president of the concern. "Such a policy on the part of all of us has done much to create a confidence on the part of the pub-lic," Attaway said. "We haven't cut prices. We haven't been at each other's throats. We were taught, under the NRA, how to sell for profit in a perfectly legal way, and such cooperation has greatly improved sales." At the left, a handsome Chinese Chippendale occasional table by Imperial Furniture Co., No. 925. The top is 20" x 30", and it is 27" high. Server and two chairs in the distinctive Federal ensemble in Cuban ma-hogany by Grand Rap-ids Chair Co. The side chair. No. 932, and the arm chair. No. 932A, are priced at $22 and $28 respectively. The server. No. 932V2- is 30" high and 40" wide, and is priced at $40. 40 FINE FURNITURE 1836 SL L0OK.S TO MB LIK.E -•y is GO/NO TO THE BIGGEST ON RBCOR.P <tOR GHAHP RAPIDS ?/ HALPANE.TMiS f IS THE FIRST plEC OF FURNITURE MAPE IN i GJUNP RAPlPS . „„*»*»*> r^g0?y ^y. ^ ^< >5> > . ^ ^ ,&!-< ^ ; / -*fe>5.^ e / \^; w\ %£i %**-«,}/1 •../•**?, Grand Rapid to a Record Breal June 2' "It will be record breaking" is tt consensus of t he nation's leadin furniture manufacturers now preparir busily and confidently for the Jul Furniture Market in Grand Rapids. With America's furniture center a be hive of activity—with Grand Rapid greatest furniture plants soundly r established and in vigorous operation-with many important new exhibitoi —with every manufacturer showing tt largest, most appealing new lines i years—with the May Market bringir three times as many buyers to Grar Rapids as in 1935 and seven times i many as in 1934 — with consumt GRAND RAPIDS FURNITUR ^ i •$£<sr 'i \ - . • - • _ _ .„. % f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 41 ,ooks Forward rig July Market o July 18 :mand for quality furniture un-ecedented — expectations of the ggest, best and busiest Market of all Tie are fully justified. ome to Grand Rapids to see the :west, finest, most saleable furniture. jme to Grand Rapids for styles that art the buying waves, for prices that >en the pocketbooks of all income asses, for furniture that gives added •estige and extra profits to your store id enduring pride of possession to :>ur customers. Ian now to be among the thousands ho will be richly rewarded by coming i Grand Rapids June 29 to July 18. XPOSITION ASSOCIATION 42 FINE FURNITURE Display Sells 150 Cribs BABY beds and highchairs are two of our best items sold almost entirely by suggestion." That's what H. L. Bartley, owner of the Bartley Furniture Co., Fort Morgan, Colo., located about 100 miles northeast of Denver, says when referring to the fact that he sells more than ISO baby beds a year, together with a comparatively large number of highchairs. He does this despite the fact that there are two other furniture stores in the city with a population of around 6,000. "We haven't spent a lot of money on advertising or promoting baby beds and highchairs because we feel they are occasional items," Bartley points out. "What we have done is to build up our stock on these two lines as high as possible, and then we split them up into four divisions and display them at different points throughout the store. We always keep one display on the main floor and three displays on the down-stairs floor. Three of these displays show new merchandise, the other used stock. "When a customer is looking at furniture on the main floor, the display of beds and highchairs is noticed. Seeing repeated displays of the same articles in other sections of the store impresses the customer. Sometimes we sell a bed or a high-chair simply because the displays have produced the desire to have a new one for the baby, but we be-lieve the biggest advantage is that after a customer goes through the store the thought that we have a big selection is a deciding factor. When a baby bed or highchair is needed the prospective customer thinks of our store and often passes the same thought on to friends when they are in the market for such articles." Modern in Small Town TWO effective ways of building up the sale of Modern furniture in a small city are advocated by E. C. Stratford, furniture buyer for Wrights' Department store, Ogden, Utah. The build-up, successfully con-ducted by Wrights', consists of: (1) Direct mail contacts. (2) "Sold" customers given 5% commission on sales made to prospects sent by them. "People have not yet been entire-ly converted to the modern trend in E. C. STRATFORD . . . pays for prospects. furniture," says Stratford, "espe-cially those in a small city." Prominent business men—doctors, lawyers and business executives— are contacted by direct mail. These letters make mention of places already outfitted and suggest that they also modernize. It is an appeal to the "small-town-growing-and-progressing" pride. Several large bar-rooms and offices throughout the town have been outfitted. Their occupants are offered a 5% commission on any Modern furniture sale the store realizes from a prospect sent by them. Furnishings for one doctor's office and a complete set for the offices maintained by a large livestock commission house were sold within one week of the inauguration of the campaign. Sells Sleep—Not Bedding WHEN a store begins to sell mattresses and bed springs on the basis of their function—that of producing rest — instead of solely on their value as merchandise, sales begin to perk up. During the year that Mandel's (Chicago) "Slumber Shop" has been m operation, business has increased 40% on bedding items without special advertising. Emphasis is put fundamentally on selection of a mattress with proper resiliency. This necessary principle and other ideas in the shop are the result of studies on the sub-ject made by Leon Mandel III, store president, whose interest in the promotion has been very active. A long row of samples extends along the wall of the Slumber Shop. Set above each is a card that gives (1) selling information, (2) price and (3) percentage of resiliency. The heavier a person, usually the less resiliency required. At one end of the department two specially built cases hold various types of bed springs in ingenious trombone-slide racks which permit any spring to be drawn out with a slight pull. Pillows are kept in a case divided into several small com-partments and fronted by plate glass sliding doors. Before this case is a high counter for demonstrating them easily. Many factors contribute to the shop's outstanding success — excel-lent display, ease in showing mer-chandise and factual, interesting placards. Fall For Directory Ad "PURNITURE dealers appearing X in the classified section of the Denver telephone directory have been given a decided boost for at-tention this year by the clever car-toons used by the telephone com-pany to call subscribers' attention to this section. A few pages previous to the fur-niture classification in the yellow pages appears a small, smile-pro-voking sketch which commands in-stant attention, having the effect of a good cartoon on a news page of a newspaper. This sketch features a man who had met with disaster as he at-tempts to sit in his favorite "comfy" chair. A leg has collapsed and he is sent flying in most undignified pose. You'll find Furniture list-ed in the Yellow Pages Subtly the suggestion is made: "You'll find Furniture listed in the Yellow Pages." Here, furniture dealers using dis-play advertising have made it easy for the person seeking a quick fur-niture store contact to get in instant touch by giving outstanding prom-inence to their telephone numbers. f o r J U L Y . 1 9 3 6 43 TU RNING HOUSES fnto HOMES/ Furniture Week Style, Quality- GET BEHIND FURNITURE WEEK! A Message to Retailers By ROSCOE R. RAU Executive Vice-president, National Retnil Furniture Association rPHE success of National Furni- J. ture Week for 1936 is assured. It promises to surpass, in volume of sales, the excellent figure of $3,000,- 000 turned in by participating stores during 1935. Of course, the actual story of the week will be told in the intelligent effort of each retailer and his merchandising organization, for in the final analysis Furniture Week simply means each merchant doing his own job in his own way, simultaneously with other stores in the same community. To get cumulative effect and legitimate new publicity, the more stores participating, the better — department as well as furniture stores. Tie-up Kits • Samples of the materials which dealers will use to promote the event—the tie-up kit— will be on display at the various market centers during the July mar-ket, and at the same time plans will SEEK GOVERNMENTAL DESIGNATION Considerable pressure is being brought to bear upon members of the Senate Committee on Edu-cation and Labor to get action upon the Connolly resolution call-ing for official recognition of the week of Oct. 2 as National Fur-niture Week. Although the committee failed at its last meeting to consider this resolution, and although no further meetings of the committee are scheduled, backers hope to get special action in order to rush the resolution through this session of Congress. be completed for local organization in various centers. There is reason to believe that more than 2000 will back the 1936 venture. Slogan for the week, to be empha-sized in special newspaper sections, in window streamers, posters, trans-parencies and other matter is: "Turning Houses Into Homes." In conjunction with this is a sub-caption reading, "Style-Quality- Values." This year's "Week" will actually include eight days—Oct. 2 to 10— so that two Fridays and Saturdays —big selling days—may be devoted to the project. Manufacturers at the markets are being provided with signs announc-ing their participation in the event. A considerable number of them have indicated that they will bring out "specials" for the event; will provide special newspaper mats and window displays. National magazines have been approached for mention of the event through P. E. Kroehler, Kroehler Mfg. Co. It is hoped to secure mention of Furniture Week on a number of radio programs, particu-larly those dealing with the home and home products. Since the success of a "Week" usually is dependent upon local newspaper co-operation, stores are urged to make their plans for co-operative action as soon as possible. Supplements • More than 200 newspapers are expected to issue supplements or sections. Last year, when material was provided for one newspaper in a town, the demand for material from the second news-paper— or the third—exceeded the supply. This year provision has been made to take care of all re-quests. Merchandise kits to be supplied dealers will be sold through whole-sale salesmen. The National Whole-sale Furniture Salesmen's Associa-tion which, through its president, Julius Bachrach of Pittsburgh, sug-gested the project in 1935, has Above is shown replica of newspaper headline mats, nine of which will be included in the National Furniture Week tie-up kit for dealers. This particular headline was designed by Marvin Can-non, advertising manager of the Haverty Stores, Atlanta, Ga. assumed the responsibility for sell-ing double the 1935 quota during the late summer. These mission-aries for good furniture promotion do this at the same time that they make their regular calls upon their trade. It is probable that a trophy award will be given the man making the best showing this year at an industry banquet next winter. National Furniture Week is being directed by a council, with B. F. McLain, president of the National Retail Furniture Association, as chairman. Percy Tonk, president of the Chicago Furniture Manufac-turers' Association, is chairman of the executive committee. Clark B. Kelsey of NRFA is the director for the campaign and secretary of the council. NATIONAL FURNITURE WEEK flrtober 2 TO 10 Turning HOUSES/#/* HOMES Design for the window transfers avail-able to stores co-operating in the National Furniture Week campaign. 44 FINE FURNITURE THE CUSTOMERS1 VIEWPOINT The Ideal Kitchen All these Model Kitchens and Dream Kitchens and Planned Kitchens are very, very nice indeed, but what your customer wants to know is, "How much will it cost?" "How can I fix up my own kitchen that way?" The Junction of the retailer in bridging the gap between the customer's desire for a new kitchen and her practicable reali-zation of it should be very clearly defined, Ruth Mclnerney, our Mrs. Customer, suggests how to go about it. By RUTH MCINERNEY ""THE "Hollywood-set" feeling J. which most model kitchen lay-outs and photographs inspire in many of us is a mood of wistful hopelessness. "It positively breathes expensive-ness. Besides, our kitchen space is too small and narrow." Cost. Impracticability. Reassure us on these points and you'll have us sitting down and telling you our dreams of an ideal kitchen—literally selling ourselves. Any woman who keeps house knows the hopeless features of the old type of kitchen. Two things which wrecked the whole efficiency of the scheme were inaccessibility of the icebox which must be kept in a cool place, and the remoteness of the pantry from r— • - * • Ideal kitchen is easily kept immaculate. the rest of the working equipment. The old kitchen had its mind on it-self; the new kitchen is for the con-venience and comfort of the house-wife, not the reverse. These two glaring faults, pointed out to a woman by a salesman, will bring her admission of the weakness in the old system. I think a salesman makes a mis-take to begin the subject by talking glibly about planning-centers, re-ceiving and storing units, prepara-tion and serving divisions. It's too factory-like. A customer, once in-terest is awakened, will be remark-ably intelligent in helping lay out her own new kitchen. Let Her Do It • With the salesman or kitchen modernization expert as guide, a woman will more greatly appreciate a new kitchen which she, herself, has designed. Furthermore, she may have some pet housekeep-ing ideas that the formal modern-ized kitchen does not include. It will be with greater pride—and some advertising benefit to the store— that she will point out improve-ments to friends with "I suggested this." And the more a customer knows about the merchandise in her new kitchen, the more information she can pass on to friends. I often feel, when I see a woman trying to explain a new piece of equipment, that the retail store who sold it to her never realized what under-telling can cost. A store's best sales-man is a satisfied customer. A salesman without a sales talk—a customer permitted to buy mer-chandise she never fully appreciates or understands—is wasted business. See that your customers are articu-late. A half-hour extra selling time to equip a customer with facts about her purchases may reap dividends. About that Ideal Kitchen— It must have eye-appeal. The New Kitchen becomes a second sitting-room, a place to plan house-keeping, do home bookkeeping, arrange menus, order provisions, take care of housekeeping corre-spondence. There was no such leisure moment corner in the old kitchen — because there were no leisure moments. It must be provided with equip-ment that hides things not in use. The appliances must be of the type which work, as much as possible, in the absence of the housewife— automatic cooking devices. The modern housewife wants moments spent in the kitchen to be enjoyable, meaningful. One of the greatest drudgeries is dishwashing. The automatic dishwasher has an important place in the New Kit-chen, ranking next after the scrap-ping of the pantry and the rein-statement of the refrigerator. Orderliness • Just as the house-wife wants automatic supervision of cooking by thermostatic control, and refrigerators that work without adjusting and watching, she looks for automatic neatness. New kit-chens maintain order. There is less necessity for tidying up. Tidying up takes an enormous amount of time in the old kitchen. It involves steps, cross-steps, reaching, bending, walking and endless amount of wasted energy just to return a can-opener to its place or a saucepan to a nail. Even as long-drawn-out cooking procedures are becoming historical, the discomfort of the old scheme of things, tolerated for generations, goes into the discard, too. Women want comfortable upholstered stools with back rests, a chair at the work i o r J U L Y . 1936 45 table, another at the planning desk. A woman may be seated while pre-paring food for the stove. I believe there should be no cabinet space underneath the sink apron; this ought to be reserved for knee room. Top shelves of cabinets ought to be accessible. Too often the top or near-top shelves are less valuable because of their distance from normal arm reach. Unfortunately, the older form of kitchen cabinet had one unattractive feature which helped gain it dis-favor. Its many and out-of-the-way corners harbored dust. This could be overcome by rounding corners to decrease cleaning time. With fur-ther improvements — dustproof shelves and drawers, smooth panels, restless metal gadgets, noiseless metal tops, knee room, greater beauty and less top-heaviness in appearance, the kitchen cabinet has a real chance for a comeback. With shelves at arm reach and
Date Created:: 1936-07-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:: Grand Rapids Public Library (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
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