Decatur Daily Democrat, Volume 34, Number 262, Decatur, Adams County, 4 November 1936 — Page 9

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SCHAFER’S PLANNING FOR OPEN HOUSE

mastic Changes ■fc/e In Schafer |! Store Remodeling

Work. Startn lune 20. Has Igluuhl Many Radical n ■ u niit ' 1,1 st,,re 1 av 1 KTBKI’IA MODERN I 'Bv-' "" ,k b,gan ” n ,b ° 8.X ; ,. i! ' Schafer Store. I K e | akl.-swai'" d.-pa t■n. s f> . t ,b pertinent in ;l change and reI’his department. K ~i pied a. prominent ; :] of the moved to the i..( tn E-X room. Such a change for the over grow lot I tied With this first the MB, made. This deyears ~0 ;; - - /■ begun _B W hardware st<»" t n.-iipinutioii of silks and v.i too ’*• of tile size ami proposed remodeling -'.- goods store struck Tins to be no small I and taler/ .< to make a good ' iii/ed the best adWith mind, the Store oi i ids company of St. contacted. This firm st . and in a week or tinic sent George B. Kyi" i > modeling problems ' ' .id been in the stoi" ;• - .-. " 'h" ’ I.limit i L d and t separated th" ' the ho said. “That v. i.ll The remtind.ir die was spent by Mr. Kyl» HMglg of all the Schafer stoi" ami officers was held ami it wa.s decided to il Kvle to put all of his I ’> ' Images on paper and i bine print, not only I^B' Goods Department, bin entire first floor. paper it could easily '* it Mr. Kyle's remod-'l-■B"':i.ih meant the expondi-i 'mil" a. sum of money and weeks of vabtspecifications call th" rebuilding of every Ittßof G iving and every table ! "i' . Hi" construction tallies ami displays, new - ami last but not least '-'.I of a wall. After < BM a I" lime and costs wet" BB ' 'tensive remodeling I ■B' Tit.- Schafer Store was I a series of drastic 1 ' changes which were to ''‘'amis of dollars, changes "'mild take months to com ■H ' ' Which would make it.a department stores of 1 "i.iract for the removal of BB thirty feet of the wall BBptiim the dry goods store

I Open House Thursday I I The Schafer Store will hold open house I | Thursday evening. opening' the doors to thejien- | I eral public at 7 o’clock. No merchandise will be I I sold during the evening, with the store open for | I sales purposes Friday morning. | The store has been completely remodeled |H ’’nd redecorated, making of The Schafer Store r one of the finest and most complete stores of ? any in a city its size in the country. I Patrons and friends of The Schaler Store k I are cordially invited to visit the store Thursday i evening and make a thorough inspection of all ! departments. The first floor, in particular, has been rei arranged. The dry goods department has been i greatly enlarged, with the chinaware department L moved to the rear of the dry goods. New fivj tures, new display cases and new shelving have i been added in all departments, to make the store » highly attractive.

DECATUR DAILY DEMOCRAT

from 'the hardware department was let after some discussion as to tlie advisability of such a move. I Work began on the wall, and with |it canie a series of "dust storms’’ common only in western Kansas; brick dust, plaster dust so thick and heavy that it was difficult to sen from the front of the store to the rear. It was necessary to cover all merchandise to protect it | from this dust, but by doing so, the store's business was thrown into a state of confusion. This confusion, unfortunately, was a part of the remodeling program which could not be avoided, but rather had to Ire endured. Fortunately the clerks and customers cooperated and withstood the inconveniences created by the remodeling and rebuilding. The Dry Goods Dept was the first department to be completed. New tables, displays and shelving took the place of the old: a beautiful. modern, and larger dry good/ department was completed. Before attempting to build new hardware and home furnishings displays, representatives from the store visited other stores, outstanding in appearance and merchajidising facilities. Drawings were made of model store display fixtures, and new table land shelving ideas were conceived. Th" results of some weeks of careful study and analysis were blueprinted. and the wot king model was completed. For the next six weeks the store was filled with workmen; ten or twelve carpenters pounding and sawing, day after day; painters and electricians busy with their ■part of the job. The remodeling (program seemed an endless job. Finally the work progressed far to permit one to ritualize the completed store, and after several more weeks of intensive work the new shelving, tables and displays were ready for me.rcha.ndise. Placing merchandise in order was a difficult and tedious task. This was only accomplished through the splendid cooperation of the Schafer store employes, working nights in order to speed up the work and 'complete the store. The store is completed, and ready for your inspection. We are sure that you will find it a better place in which to shop. Yon will find many new lines of merchandise, displayed in a truly modern manner. Every department in our store is filled to capacity with new merchandise. With this great opening in mind we have stocked heavily in furniture. hardware end dry goods. We hope that Decatur will be as ' proud of this new store, as we. i the officers and employes are of I it. Only because of our faith in the present and future of Decatur and of its rich surrounding farm lands did we expend so much energy a,nd go to such great costs in offering to ’ you a beautiful, modern and complete Department Store. We hope that you will permit us to serve you. — Bread Kept 50 Years Porterville, Cal. — (VP) Mrs. i Nora M. Reinsberg has entered the ’ nationwide contest for 'he piece of sta'est bread in the country. Following tlie declaration of W. G. Scales of Concord. N. H , that he has a piece of biscuit served to him during the Spanish American war 37 years ago, Mrs. Remsberg announces she has a piece of bread 50 years old. baked by her mother-in-law.

• ■ ■ 8- Is i' 9 Ia B B ’''BraK 188 ' .kflU' |g ■ ■ S ■ BB > ‘ k w wk MMag ■ ®s ..... •• w K^B'>' W* Ek--" BBS -ST 818 .WB S ...... 1b | | - w — *■’ ?r.-. w . _ _ M . ' ■ c ‘t JTH ____ :w-„Ax ~'< ■ • |

Pictured above is the front of The Schafer Store, which has completed an extensive remodeling and redecorating program. The store will hold open house Thursday night, and the forme,! sales opening will be held Friday morning

SCHAFER BROS. ! OPENED STORE 62 YEARS ACO Fred And Jacob Schafer Launched Business In 1874 Bv Clark J. Lutz In the year 1936 Decatur cele--1 brated its Centennial and we pride i ourselves in the beautiful City of today. However. considering the 1 bounties which we constantly en--1 joy it may be that we are prone I to forget tlte source from which I they come, how the pioneer business men by years of toil and privation, by honest efforts and strict attention to business, the merchants of -this city during the past century have been and still are the back bone of our com-. niunity. All honor to the memory | of jhose who have passed on as i well its to those who are still en-1 gaged in the many lines of buei- ■ jtess. It was sixty two years ago that Fred Schafer and Jacob Schafer, j sons of thrifty German parents | embarked in the hardware bus!- j ness under the najne of Schafer' Bros.. in a small frame building | on Second street directly east of the court house. They remained at that location for several years and then moved to a small frame building, located on a. part of the present site of The Schafer Hardward Company. It was aliout 8 p. m. on the 10th day of September. 1882, that an alarm of fire was heard in Decatur, it wa.s on j | Sunday evening, the churches of the city dismissed their congregations t' join the bucket brigade in fighting Ue fire, but to no ! avail for every business building on the east side of Second street ’ from Monroe to Maxiison street burned to the ground, including j tbe building occupied by Schafer I Bros. The Schafer Bros, in a few I weeks commenced the construe-j tion of a two story brick building | 1 on the north 40 feet of the pres : ent site. Jacob Schafer sold his ; interest in the business about the year 1900 to Fred Schafer who gave a working interest to Noah j l>ock. Who had been in the employ of Schafer Bros. This partnership i continued for several years' under j j the name of Schafer & Lock, when *

Decatur, Indiana, Wednesday, November 4, 1936.

Schafer Store Holds Open House Thursday

Fred Schafer purchased the interest of Dock and the business has since been conducted under tho name of Schafer Hardware Company. This company has been incorporated for a number of years. It was on the night of December 22, 1914 lha.t the alarm of fire was again sounded in Decatur. The temperature was far l>elow zero, the well organized fire department of Decatur worked valiantly but the large brick building of the Schafer Hardware Company was in ruin. Scarcely had the smoko cleared away until the old veteran, Fred Schafer and his son, Chalmer C. Schafer, who were the sole owners of the company, commenced the construction of the present three story building, which by the way is the largest business building in the city of Decatur, with a total floor space of 32,000 feet, which is all occupied by the company and which has beeil lately; remodeled, and now homes one of the largest department stores in

Quadriga Cloth One Os First Items Sold In Dry Goods End

The word “quadriga” means, lit--1 erally, a four horse chariot. In RoIman history, two carriages were I most in favor as a means of transportation; the Biga, which was a two horse vehicle, and the Quadriga, a four horse chariot. The Quadriga was used by royalty and the nobility for transpor-l tation and triumphal processions, | and consequently typified strength, beauty, smoothness. These same attributes are conceded to Quadriga cloth, as the name suggests. Quadriga cloth was one of the I first items ever handled in the dry, goods department of The Schafer Store in this city and has been one of the best selling products in the store since its inception. Quadriga comes in the gray colQuadriga comes in the gray cloth first, and belongs to the well known family of 80 squares. The stability of a cloth, as well as a house, depends on the foundation. No really fine piece of fabi ric can be produced from a poor j quality of gray cloth. I To insure the very finest results for Quadriga cloth, the first consideration is the cotton from which the cloth is made. The entire mar- j , ket throughout the United States is investigated to secure the cleanI est and strongest staple of the . proper length. ! The next step is to have the

northern Indiana. The present active owners of the Schafer Hardware Company are Chalmer C Schafer and his two sons. Frederick ‘Schafer ami Daniel Schafer, all active in the management of the business. They trav -1 far and near visiting the merchandise markets of the country and in pursuit, of merchandise which will be suitable to their patrons in eastern Indiana and western Ohio. i Much of the success of the Scha.fer store in the past as well us the present is due to their organization and sales force. Tlie present store, lateh remodeled, is divided into many separate departments which are in charge of numerous employes, for instance, the department of stoves, ranges, paint, electric supplies and repair parts ia under the management of Harve Shroll, who is the eldest in point of service and who has been ; connected and employed by this company for the last thirty six years. Prior to his coming to tho

i cotton processed properly. This can be done only a gray mill of the finest type, with the most modern machinery and equipment. Every yard of cloth for Quadriga is made in a mill of this type with the result that quality, uniformity and texture surpass any I product made withous this care jand these facilities. I One of the most important things to achieve in the first process is a proper mixture of all cotton in a specified lot. After the cotton passes through the mixing bin it then goes through the picker machine. This machine insures uniform weights per yard in the finished cloth. The cotton then goes through the carding machines and from there to the drawing frame. Frbrn the different drawing flames the cotton then goes to the intermediate frame and the cotton is wound on spindle tubes andl from this process the cotton is ready to be spun into yarn on the spinning machines. After the cotton leaves the spinning room it is ready for weaving. When the cloth comes from the loom it is knon as Greige (gray) ■ cloth. After the gray cloth is bal--led and delivered to the finishing plant. The gray cloth is sewed together in 20,000 to 50,000 yard lengths. (CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO)

j ployed by the J. D Hale Grain 'company a,nd E. L. Carrol Elevator company of Decatur. In the department of harness, cream separators, washing ma- ■ chines and matters pertaining thereto is under the management of James Gattshall, who has been with the Schafer store for the past thirteen years. Mr. Gattshall came to Decatur about twenty-five years ago from Grover Hill. Ohio. |He has wide experience in retail merchandise stores. Some years □go he WU3 employed by the RilllI yon & Engler store of Decatur and I for some years was a trusted em- ' ployee of John W. Vail and his various industries located in the South and engaged in the manufacture of egg cases. * The department of sporting goods, bicycles, tools and builders hardware is in charge of Charles D. Briener. who has been employ--led in the Schafer store about three years. He was formerly an ; insurance salesman in Fort Wayne and Marion. Indiana, and for several years was in the employe of ’ The Schafer Company, wholesale i hardware, as postal clerk. The department of granite. I galvanized, tin and aluminum ware, and kitchen utensils is under the management of Mat Harris, who lately joined the I sales force of this company. Mr. Harrfe, prior to his coming to the Schfer store was in the grocery business in Decatur and was a member of the firm of Fisher & Harris. Mr. Harris came to Decatur in 1915 from Peru. Ind., where he was connected with a large department store. Employed In the hardware department is Sam Howard, who has been with the Schafer Hardware company for twenty-seven years acting in the capacity of sales clerk, also in charge of the . re-building shop of the Schafer . store. As a general salesman on the floors and in delivering land rei ceiving merchandise. Mart Weil.land, has been with the Schafer . Hardware company for twentyI seven and one-half years. I One of the imiportan t matters ; connected with the oneraition of a i Department store is the question of advertising and buying of meri ’ chandise. The Schafer Hardware company has been fortunate in securing the services of Max Boxell who has been in their employment for the past four and one half years. He has charge of I the advertising and is purchasing agent for the Dry Goods department. Mr. Boxell formerly resid(CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO)

Newly Remodeled Store Plans Open House Inspection

BLACK BEAUTY HARNESS MADE BY SCHAFER CO. Manufacture Os Harness Started By Schafer’s 35 Years Ago By Ferd L. Litterer The Schafer Company as a man ufacturer of fine harness is an old established factory as we count ; the years in this country. Its beginning dates back to some thirtyfive years ago when the late Fred j, Schafer, now deceased, who was then the head of the Schafer Store | and his son, Chalmer C. Schafer. I the present head of The Schafer I Store, who was then a young man just out of school, purchased the harness business located on north Second Street in Decatur operated by Frank Smith and Walter Kauffman. For several years previously the Schafers had been buying their harness from Smith and Kauffman. It was their determination to give their customers a quality product as well as their desire to promote local enterprise which prompted their purchases from the local boys. Factory harness in those days was principally made for the southern trade which did not demand a high grade product, and consequently factory harness at that time did hot bear a very good thing to see a set of cheap factory ' name. It was not an uncommon : ■or mail order harness of that day | 1 after being soaked in tjte raint | [with the trace stretched a foot or, |so and the young man had to stop] ' and wrap the trace around the! single tree several times to keep | his horse in its proper place with-! in the shafts of the buggy. It spoke i eloquently of “leather bellies” in its make up. No wonder factory i harness had a bad name. The i Schafer Store found it impossible to buy factory harness which they | could sell and stand behind. The success which followed from their purchases of good harness ( from Smith and Kauffman opened i the eyes of the Schafers to the' | wonderful opportunity for busi-! ness that could be done with a line i well made harness, a quality pro-[ duct. This has been the ideal of Schafer harness from that day to I this —a quality product-made of I the best leather that money could I buy—cut from the back of the hide I i—full size—an all around good harness, ready to go out and stand I 1 the gaff day after day. So the Schafers purchased the harness business of Smith and Kauffman ami moved it upstairs over their harness room in tho (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

Fred Schafer Laid Foundation For Present Big City Store

(By a Friend) All successful present day commercial institutions have had a founder, a rugged individual unafraid of hardships, whose faith and enthusiasm was never daunted by disappointments, inherently honest, and who in promoting his own enterprise through studious work and application, also contributed greatly to the building of his community as a whole. Such were the attributes and accomplishments of Fred Schafer, pioneer merchant of Decatur, founder of the Schafer Hardware store, father of Cha Inter C. Schafer and grandfather of Frederic and Daniel Schafer of this city, owners of the newly remodeled and enlarged Schafer Store. It was hack in 1875 when the name Schafer became identified with the business life of Decatur and from that time until 1932, when death removed him from active life, Mr. Schafer was one of the potent forces in mercantile and industrial circles in this city. Typifying the pioneer, Mr. Schafer was one of the exceptionally successful business men of his day. He builded from a small venture in the tin Shop business in 1875 to the largest enterprise in the city operated under one ownership and management. He had the zest of the pioneer, the

SCHAFER EDITION

The Schafer Store Will Hold Open House At 7 p. m. Thursday; Sales Opening Friday. PUBLIC INVITED Tim Schafer Store, one of the most modern, most diversified department stores in any city of this size in tho country, will hold opeu house Thursday night for residents of Decatur and vicinity. The store, completely remodeled and redecorated from the first floor to the third, is all in readiness for the opening. Formal opening of the store for sales purposes will be Friday morning. No merchandise will be sold 'Thursday night during the open house, as St hater's desires to devote the entire evening to patrons wishing to inspect the store. Doors of the store will he opened at 7 o'clock Thursday evening, and she store personnel will be present to show the visitors the many improvements made. When first considered by owners of the store, only the remodeling and enlarging of the dry goods department was planned. This department had far outgrown the space and facilities originally laid out, and additional I floor, display and shelf space was imperative. To this end, the china department was transferred to the rear of the dry goods department. When plans were, discussed for remodeling of the dry goods department. George B. Kyle of the store engineering department of Ely and ! Walker dry goods company was called. Mr. Kyle, in discussing enlargeIment of the dry goods department, j offered suggestions for improveiment of the entire store. Accordingly, he was instructed to draw plans for the entire first i floor. This he did. and as a result l of his suggestion, the entire first floor was practically re-built. A large portion of the wall separating the dry goods and itardi ware departments was removed. Every piece of shelving, every Hable in the store was rebuilt. New tables and displays were constructed. i The stairway from the first to 'the second floor was enlarged, mak--1 ing the stairs much easier to clntb 'than formerly. Before new hardware and home furnishing displays were built, rep- | resentatives from the store visited i other stores which had been termled outstanding in appearance and 1 merchandising facilities. Drawings were made of model I displays and fixtures, with many new ideas conceived. And now. The Schafer Store has been remodeled, has been redecorated one might say, from tip to toe. and is ready for Inspection by (CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX)

energy of the merchant and the tact of the executive combined. No doubt one of his greatest pleasures came in seeing his establishments succeed, like ‘‘Sturdy oaks from little acorus grow." From the tin shop. Mr. Schafer expanded his business to the hardware and farm implement line, patronage growing with in(CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX).