| Description |
This alerted the clerl: that soneone had entered and needed to be waited on. These neighborhood storo3 uere sort of a bc~innin£ of an American system whore many different things were for sale in one place. In Europe, vhere these early people cane from, it was much different. The stores there cold only bakery ^oods or neat, or sweets, and so forth* UTie neighborhood store brought together nany different items for the convenience of the customers. Suppliers to these stores were usually represented by a salesman known as a drumer. They had a certain territory they covered and stopped at all the stores to take orders for supplies to re-stoc!; the store. liliese stores ;rero sort of a neighborhood storehouse. Their patrons looked to them with sone feeling of security that things they needed './ere close by. Thus frequent trips to the store uere not uncommon. Payment was ezrpected when goods were obtained. However, some store operators allowed charging the amount until a later tine. Sone natrons had £jood credit and some had trouble meeting their obligations. Many times these stores were where neighbors had a chance meeting and discussed the events of the day* With such happenings, the store clerk knew much about the daily activities in his neighborhood. '.lith several stores in town, people usually had their favorite one and felt at ease in soin£ there. However, it was a new adventure to go to a different store and see what was available and have a new experience . The neighborhood store has fulfilled its role in history, and the thought brings back nany memories to those who patronized these stores in days £°ne by. This was an easy-going pace, vfith tine for visiting along with shopping for needed coninodities. 43 |
