METHODS OF BUSINESS 1 
 
 —OF THE — 
 
 Largest Establishment 
 
 ■IN- 
 
 THE WORLD 
 
 FOR THE— 
 
 Manufacture and Sale of 
 
 MEN'SWEAR 
 
 WANAMAKER k BROWN, PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 Sizth and Harket Sta„ and Thirteenth ind Market Sts, 
 
 .?f? Printed sit our own Steam-power Printing Office. 
 
 Copies Distributed Gratuitously. 
 
i£x 2Itbrt0 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 Oak Hall as it was in ife6i. 
 
METHODS OF BUSINESS 
 
 OF THE — 
 
 Largest Establishment 
 
 IN— 
 
 THE WORLD 
 
 — FOR THE— 
 
 1 
 
 Manufacture and SsJa of 
 
 MEN'S WEAR 
 
 WANAMAKER & BROWN, PHILADELPHIA, 
 
 M iai Mi Sti ,, ai W M 4M§i & 
 
 ?5sntxl at o«i7 era Steam-pcwer Printing Office. 
 
r - 
 
 BRIEF STORY 
 
 -OP TH»- J- 
 
 FOUNDATION and GROWTH 
 
 OF THE HOUSE . | 
 
 WHERE Robert Morris, the financier of tfcs 
 Revolution, had his home, there now stands j 
 a spacious business establishment. An old j 
 pile of buildings, on the east, covers the ground where ( \ 
 the mansion of George Washington stood. In the year j \ 
 1861, when the civil war had just begun, the founda- j ! 
 tion of this business, now the largest of its kind in J 
 the United States, was laid with a wagon load of goods, \ 
 in a little corner of the present group of buildings at [ 
 Sixth and Market Streets. As the grave merchants 
 of Philadelphia walked up and down the street, they 
 shook their heads doubtfully over the apparently 
 hazardous venture of the young firm at a time when old 
 business houses were going down all over the city. The 
 new beginners, with their small stock of merchandise, 
 had however laid in a large stock of courage, patience, 
 energy, and enthusiasm. They detecrrrined to hold [ 
 their ground by doing their own work and doing it | 
 well. It was a brave battle for life during all of 1 861 
 and 1862. Then the sky be^an to brighten. The first I 
 
 £ 3 J 
 
 I •■■ rzz^J 
 
«3g==r-^— \ 
 
 sign of success was to take in a small room adjoining. j 
 By and by another room was added and the store, 
 then 30 by 60, was thought to be a huge affair. Hard 
 work, and plenty of it, still further increased the busi- 
 ness, and. more room was needed, until old friends 
 became nervous as they saw the store lengthening 
 and the stock growing larger. 
 
 . To detail the history of the passing years might 
 interest young business men who have their way fo 
 make, and who now stop to look at the clump of 
 buildings, but weuld perhaps prove tiresome to the 
 mass of readers ; suffice it to say that q,t the date of 
 this writing the little Corner-store has spread itself on 
 Sixth street, over the whole block from Market to 
 Minor, and widened on Market Street to embrace two 
 other stores, thus covering all told 66 by 180 feet, and 
 with its many floors occupying an area of about three 
 acres, all utilized in carrying on the various depart- 
 ments of this great business. 
 
 Oak Hall is now an acknowledged "institu- 
 tion " in the land. A house with half a dozen clerks 
 doing a business of $100,000 a year is but a store ; 
 the case alters when the business runs into millions, 
 and the employees are numbered by thousands. If all 
 
 I the clerks and work people of Oak Hall were gathered 
 into one locality they would form a population equal 
 
 I to that of some important cities and towns in the neigh- 
 
 I boring counties. The building up of such an insti- 
 tution is unparalleled in the history of this country, 
 but can easily be accounted for. The time honored 
 
 ! customs of trade were ruthlessly set aside; the 
 
 4 
 
 fr ^l . f ■ , m*v ■ ~— 
 
practice of marking a few articles very low, aa 
 " baits," and charging up prices on others, in the hopa 
 of gaining a large trade, being done away with. .The 
 principles perseveringly followed by this house are : — 
 Not a few things marked down, but 
 
 1. Everything must be put down to lowest 
 possible rates, 
 
 2. To sell largely — the largest kind of a stock 
 must always be kept ready. 
 
 3. Excellence of quality must go hand in hand 
 with low prices to warrant the claim of cheapness. 
 
 To provide for the still rapidly enlarging busi- 
 ness, the firm has purchased from the Pennsylvania 
 Railroad Company the old freight depot at 13th 
 and Market Streets, which, with such improvements 
 as can be made on this large property in the short 
 time intervening, will be used in connection with their 
 6th and Market Street store during the Centennial 
 year. The,- lot extends from 13th Street to the 
 Public Buildings, and from Market to within a few 
 steps of Chestnut Street, covering over two acres. 
 The stores in which we do business are among the 
 curiosities of Philadelphia. They are constructed 
 with a view to our customers'. wants, affording abun- 
 dant light, and every convenience. There is no store in 
 the United States, that covers so much ground-floor 
 space as our single Establishment at 13th and Market, 
 and s'._ch a busy scene as it presents is^ell worth going 
 a long distance to see. Some of our employees are 
 specially detailed to show visitors who wish onlv to 
 look, not to buy. 
 
How all this enlarged business came about, if 
 
 you are curious to know, may appear from a care- 
 ful perusal of the principles and methods that un- 
 derlie its management. 
 
 THE METHOD OF BUSINESS. 
 
 ], In a single sentence : — The customer's confi- 
 dence is never abused We invite the people's 
 confidence and seek to keep it by trite loyalty 
 V to their interests; selling everything at small- 
 est profits ; applying our best skill to serve our 
 customers cheaply *ind with articles thoroughly 
 satisfactory ; and depending on a large busi- 
 ness , won by small profits and absolute re- 
 v liability. r?»* ; : 
 
 II, That we may be sure always to sell at small 
 profits, we adopt this plan : We buy goods 
 actually of first hands, when prices are the 
 lowest, and we pay cash down as nearly as 
 possible. Some manufacturers will oftentimes 
 take orders at certain seasons of the year to 
 keep their works going, and such advantages 
 as these we are not slow to avail ourselves of. 
 The other essential point to the securing of low 
 prices is one that we must insist upon, viz : 
 No Credit. Cash down saves costs of collecting, 
 expensive book-keeping, and bad debts. Cash 
 from everybody is the only certain way to 
 warrant the very lowest price, 
 ill, That customers shall not go astray as to what 
 they are purchasing, the names and qualities of 
 
foods are attached to each article. Tbed^rky 
 are obliged to notify customers of any and t£ 
 defects, and are held personally responsfeg^ 
 - for failure to observe this and • other rules of 
 the house. 2c 
 Wm To assist customers who are no judges them- 
 selves, our goods are graded and ticketed hi 
 three classes, and can be easily distinguish! 
 by colors of tickets as follows : 
 Yellow Ticket : Best class goods. 
 WhiU Ticket: Medium, but substasL'dii 
 goods. 
 
 Carmine Ticket : Fair wearing goods, but ss$l 
 all wool material. 
 V, There is but one price. No one can hay* 
 abatement from the plain figures marked cs 
 each ticket. The price is calculated closely, 
 and marked at the lowest profit a cash busi- 
 ness will allow. 
 
 [The only exception to this is for clergymen 
 and the clerks of the house, to whom it har 
 been a rule of years' standing, to give goeds 
 at cost, if they request it.] 
 VI, To each customer we hand, at the close of ths 
 sale, a legal guarantee, stamped and signed by 
 the firm, warranting the prices to be the lorrt*± 
 that the same article can be bought for any- 
 where, that the qualities are exactly as stated 
 on the labels, and agreeing to return the monej 
 paid, if called for in proper time, and goods 
 returned uninjured and unworn. 
 
VII. AIL goods that da mot eomc up to casgtt&HN* 
 expectations, are exchanged, and if the em- 
 tonier prefers to surreader the goods and mi 
 take unything mstead, the mm&unt of the fn*y* 
 &as* m§ney is raf undid in full, wfflwut debute* 
 There are exceptions to this rule : 
 
 1. When goods are worn or injured, we can- 
 not, under any circumstances, receire them 
 back. 
 
 2. When articles are retained over twe weeks. 
 
 3. Garments made ef white goods, because 
 easily toiled, eannot be returned or exchanged. 
 
 Vft; Whem a garment from our ready-made stock 
 is altered to suit the special wishes of a cus- 
 tomer, the expense of such alteration must be 
 borne by the custom er^, and in case the gar- 
 ment is afterwards returned and the money 
 requested, the sum paid for alteration will mot 
 be returned, but enly the price paid for the 
 garment. 
 
 Employees are not allowed to hurry custoimew, 
 and the greatest politeness is required from 
 every clerk, whether persons are buying, ex- 
 changing, having money returned, or simply 
 lookimg through the house. 
 % If any cause of complaint arises, the csee friU 
 have immediate attention and adjustment e& 
 being stated at the Cashier's desk. 
 The stores are open at 6 A. M. and close #ve*>; 
 night at 6.30 P. M., except Saturday, trbift 
 tkey are open until 9.30 P. M. 
 
 * jz ^zzzziz^Tr.zzrJZ:- •ffifo^S 
 
XII. For those who prefer to have their goods made 
 
 to order there is a Measure Department with a 
 large line of goods. There they can be sup- 
 * plied at a slight advance upon the Ready- 
 Made Rates. {S^ 
 
 X!!I. Persons residing at a distance can have the 
 benefits of the house by writing for samples 
 and prices, when there will also be furnished 
 easy rules for 'self-measurement, an inca 
 measuring tape and blank for size to be ailed ia. 
 Goods will be sent by Express, Collect on De- 
 livery, providing that, on customer's examina- 
 tion, before paying, they are entirely satis* 
 .factory. 
 
 XIV. As we desire to maintain our system of selling 
 at a very small profit, and make no distinction 
 between country and city customers, from the 
 prices marked in plain figures on each article, 
 we cannot be at the expense of delivering goods 
 outside of city limits. 
 
 Packages will be delivered free within city 
 limits, leaving the house at 1 1 A. U. and 4 P. M., 
 and on special emergencies. 
 
 XV. Orders by mail, that require garments to be 
 expressly made in our Order Department, as 
 Custom Work, will be charged at a slight 
 advance on Ready-Made Rates, [This is a 
 large and carefully organized department, 
 sending out to every part of the U. S. scores 
 of boxes daily.] 
 
XV!. Customers in sending orders should describe 
 
 as nearly as they can the style and color wanted 
 
 and fix the limits of price. 
 XVII. Express charges (payable when the goods 
 
 arrive) on a package, containing one suit, are 
 
 about as follows : 
 
 To Salem, N. J. - .35 
 
 " Atlantic City, N. J. .30 
 
 " Allentown, Pa. - .30 
 
 " Wilmington, Del. .30 
 
 " Baltimore, Md. - .30 
 
 " Washington, D. C. .40 
 
 " Fairfax C.H., Va. .50 
 
 " Wilmington, N. C. .60 
 
 " Richmond, Ind. - .75 I 
 
 A general rule for Estimating cost of Express- 
 age on a package such as a suit, may be given 
 thus : 
 
 Packages within a radius of as miles of Philadelphia, 
 
 To Chicago, 111. - 
 " St. Louis, Mo. - 
 " Omaha, Neb. 
 " Palatka, Fla. - 
 " Leavenworth, Kas. 
 " St. Paul, Minn. 
 " Dallas, Texas, - 
 " San Francisco, Cal. 
 
 •75 
 
 1. 00 
 
 1.50 
 1.50 
 1-75 
 2.00 
 2.25 
 3.00 
 
 50 
 75 
 xoo 
 ISO 
 
 2CO 
 400 
 
 5co 
 600 
 
 800 
 1000 
 
 2S 
 
 .30 
 .40 
 •SO 
 •65 
 •75 
 1. 00 
 1.25 
 1.50 
 2.00 
 2.25 
 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 
 Over 1000 miles about £3.00 
 
 Patterns and Price Lists sent by post without 
 charge — those bearing the pink iabels are the 
 most desirable in quality. 
 Orders from a long distance should be accom- 
 panied by Post-office Money order, which will 
 be returned if the order is not filled satisfac- 
 torily. 
 
 The Sales Departments of the House are as fol- 
 lows: 
 
Gentlemen's Section : 
 
 Ready-Made Clothing. 
 Custom Department for Measured Clothing. 
 Hats and Caps. 
 Boots and Shoes, 
 • Shirt Department. 
 Glove, Hosiery, and Furnishing Department. 
 
 Youths and Boys* Section : — 
 Ready-Made Clothing. 
 Custom Department. 
 ( Hats and Caps. 
 Boots and Shoes. 
 
 Ladies' Section : — - £ 
 
 Cloths, Cassimeres and Clcakings by the yard. 
 
 Mail Order Department. 
 XXI. As some of our goods [Hats, Under-Clothing, 
 Boots, etc.] cannot be sampled, we will send 
 at any time, in or out of the city, a small assort- 
 ment of various articles from which selections 
 can be made and balance returned, providing 
 a deposit is first made, or satisfactory reference 
 is given. The House will pay express charges 
 ane way on approbation orders, — that is, orders 
 sent subject to the approval of the party or- 
 dering. 
 
 XXI!. In order to give equal opportunity to every 
 one to have the advantages of any general mark 
 down in prices usual to the season's, we fix in 
 advance the dates, and notify the public : 
 That ou 
 
 Lies, ana notny tne puouc : 
 icral and final mark down for 
 
the Spring season will be on the ist of June. 
 For the Winter season on the rat of December. 
 Certain lots of goods are marked down from 
 day to day according to accumulation of stock 
 amd changes in market, and notice is made in 
 •ur monthly paper called Everybody's Journal, 
 published for gratuitous circulation. Persons 
 desiring to be notified of what wo are doing, 
 can be advised by sending their names and 
 addresses to our office, and the paper will be 
 mailed without charge. Besides notice* of our 
 own busines* affairs, it contains much valuable 
 matter for young men forming business habits, 
 and for those who contemplate starting in busi- 
 ness. 
 
 XX& For the convenience of Ladies and Gentlemen 
 who accompany persons making purchases, 
 suitable Waiting Rooms with every accommo- 
 dation have been provided at our largest house 
 at 13th and Market Streets. The newgpapers 
 and magazines of the day are always on the 
 reading tables, for the free use of those who 
 accoxipany buyers. Adjoining this is the Pack- 
 age office, where our friends can. get informa- 
 tion about railroad trains, places of interest, 
 •tc, and can leave any packages for safe- 
 keeping, receiving a check for them; no 
 charge is made for this, and it is found to be 
 a real convenience to those who have con- 
 stderatle shopping or visiting to do, and do 
 mot care to carry parcels about with them. 
 
5* 
 
 XXIV. Commissions will not be paid to '* drummers " 
 or mutual friends introducing customers — aU 
 advantages .that we can give, we make over to 
 our customers, and have no -margin of per- 
 centage to pay to runners. 
 
 RELATING TO. THE EMPLOYEES OF THE MOUSE. 
 
 1. It is the endeavor of the firm to employ only - 
 such persons as are competent, polite, interested, and 
 whose interests are linked with the house. The 
 salaries are not uncertain percentages, as is the cus- 
 tom, so dangerous to buyers, but fixed sums, that are 
 equal, and generally superior, to those paid for same 
 services elsewhere. Faithful attention to the in -crests 
 of each customer, and to the regulations of the house 
 is therefore required. Any person in the empioy of 
 the firm, having cause of complaint on any ground 
 whatsoever, should present it in a sealed envelope 
 at the office, or. in person to the Head of his 
 Department. It is hoped that a person who has 
 no complaints, but is dissatisfied from any cause, will 
 .not remain in the service of the House. Loyalty to 
 the rules and a cordial understanding with, and good 
 feeling fc», ail the employees, is earnestly desired 
 from ail persons. Though positions are not guaran- 
 teed to any one, yet, the custom of the house for 
 years has been not to dismiss faithful clerks during 
 dull times, except for cause. PromotioH^can only 
 take place as fast as earned and vacancies arise, 
 
 2. In serving customers, the truest politeness 
 must be observed—with every ens whether rich or 
 
■ 1 . "I 
 
 poor ; whether persons are agreeable or otherwise ; 
 whether they are buying, exchanging, or calling to re- 
 turn goods to get their money back. The utmost cheer- 
 fulness to the latter class especially, and such as come 
 simply to look at goods without buying, is particu- 
 larly desired. Undue persuasion to purchase is 
 especially prohibited, and it may be noted that with 
 many salesmen the habit of over-talking is very 
 offensive to customers as well as a hindrance to sales. 
 
 3. The hours for duty are fixed according to the 
 season, and designated^ on Time Cards, which must 
 be deposited in Time Boxes before the hour named. If 
 employees arrive behind time their cards must be 
 handed in and explanatien made at the office. All fines 
 for non-compliance with the rules and for careless 
 blundering are credited to the Sick Fund account, 
 and used to aid employees who meet with accident, 
 or for relief purposes.during long-continued illness. 
 
 4. Each employee is expected to be cleanly and 
 careful in dress. Hats must not be worn during 
 hours of service, and closets are provided for excess 
 of clothing. 
 
 5. Smoking, reading of newspapers during busi- 
 ness hours, boisterous talking, or profane language, 
 will not lie allowed in any part of the establishment. 
 
 6'. The use of paper to light gas is not allowed. 
 
 7. All packages must pass through the Delivery 
 Department, and should first be checked by the 
 Cashier. 
 
r 
 
 
 
 prefer to bring their lunches from home, a Dining 
 Room is provided with Cooking apparatus for such 
 use as may be desired. Eating in Sales, Work 
 Rooms and Offices is not permitted. 
 
 It is earnestly hoped that eves? person connected 
 with the House will recognize and do his utmost to 
 sustain the principles of equity" and uprightness on 
 which the House is established, and by a lively in- 
 terest in the place assigned to him aid in swelling 
 the business of an establishment which, by reason of 
 its good system and just regulations, cannot fail to be 
 of great benefit to the city and surrounding country. 
 
 Though the heads of the House strive to secure 
 and retain the good opinion and support of the com- 
 munity by producing only reliable goods; though the 
 prices are in all cases marked at but a slight advance 
 on cost ; yet much depends on the employee who 
 comes in direct contact with the customers. Let 
 each one be courteous, straightforward, diligent, 
 truthful, and painstaking, and thereby win for him- 
 self and the House he represents permanent and 
 merited prosperity. 
 
 Very truly, 
 
 WANAMAKER & BROWN, 
 
 The S. E. Cor. of Sixth & Market Sts. 
 The Whole Block at Thirteenth & Market Sta. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA. 
 
 HOW TO GET TO THESE STORES. 
 People coming to the city by the railroads named, 
 
 take the city passenger cars as follows : 
 Pennsylvania Railroad.— The Market Street Cars in 
 front of depot, bring you direct Neither store. 
 North Pennsylvania, Railroad. — The 6th Street Cars 
 in front of depot, land you at the Market street 
 door of Oak Hall; an exchange ticket out Mar- 
 ket, carries you to the 13th Street Block. 
 
1 
 
 Reading Railroad. — From 13th and Callowhill depot, 
 take the 13th Street Cars in front of depot, 
 direct to the Block on' 15th and Market. From 
 Ninth and Green, take the Union Cars at depot, 
 which will take you to within one square of the 
 South-east corner of 6th and Market ; or, 10th 
 Street Cars to Market, and out to 1 3th Street 
 Block, or to 6th Street Corner, as you please. 
 
 Philadelphia, Wilmington &* Baltimore Railroad.— 
 Take the 13th and 15th Street Cars at the depot, 
 to 15th and Market, and exchange at Market 
 for the 13th Street Block, (two squares sast), or 
 the 6th Street Corner. 
 
 West Jersey Railroad.— Take Cars at Market Street 
 Ferry for the 6th Street Corner, and 13th 
 Street Block. 
 
 Camden &* Atlantic Railroad.— -Take Callowhill 
 Street Cars at Vine Street Ferry, and exchange 
 at 6th Street, or at 13th Street, as you wish. 
 
 Camden 6> Atnboy Railroad. — Take Cars at Market 
 Street Ferry for 6th Street Corner and 1 3th Street 
 Block. From Kensington Depot, 5th and 6th 
 Street Cars to 6th Street Corner, and exchange 
 with Market Street Cars to 13th Street Block. 
 
 West Chester &> Media Railroad.— The Market Street 
 Cars in front of depot, pass either store. 
 
 The elegant Tailoring House of John Wana- 
 maker & Co., en Chestnut Street, adjoining the 
 Continental Hotel, is a part of the business of this 
 House. The Merchant Tailoring Department for 
 making of goods to order has no superior in Paris, 
 London, or America. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
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