Thursday, March 7, 1957
Brookings-Harbor ¿îlot
The PILOT
BROOKINGS-I1ARBOR PILOT
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
N A T IO N A L
E D IT O R IA L
I A S Í O C ÍA t IO N
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through paying — or by uniting in a common front
through a businessman’s group, and get rid of stamps
collectively.
We at the Pilot have said our piece. We would wel
come letters either pro or con on the subject, and place
our columns at your disposal.
Brookings Items
Mrs. Violett Gillette drove to
Grants Pass Friday on business.
The Home Economies club will
meet Friday at the Grange Hall.
Mrs. Ellen Jaggers and Mrs. Ellen
Johnson are hostesses for the day.
Mrs. Calvin Gorte and s o n
Brookings, Oregon
Mike left Wednesday for Port
land. She was accompanied by
Mis. Viola Schustrom.
Mrs. Zirbar of Walla Walla, Wn.
and her sister are visiting Mrs.
Zirbar’s daughter Mrs. Clarence
Dial They will all spend spring
vacation with relatives in the
Bay area.
P U B L IS H E R S
A S S O C IA T IO N
Entered as second-class m atter at the postoffice at Brookings, Ore.
March 7, 1946, under an Act of March 3, 1879
Ray Pisarek, Joe Murphy
Editors and Publishers
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
One Year in Advance (in Curry County, ................................. $3 00
One Year in Advance (outside Curry County,
. $3.50
What About "Trading Stamps"?
I here lias been considerable discussion among tF
businessmen in the area as to the trading stamp promo
tion. I bey have even appeared before the city council
to ask them to pass an ordinance, licensing trading stamps
—and in effect—shutting the door on trading stamps in
Brookings.
First, let us explain our position on trading stamps.
We are not in favor of them. We think that perhaps
there was some merit in them at first, as a gimmick to
bring new business into the store. We believe in promo
tional devices, and as such the trading stamp idea wasn’t
too bad.
But like many another good idea the thing was
worked to death. Competitive trading stamp companies
saw that they had a g<xxl thing, and more and more types
came on the market. There are, in fact, four different
kinds of stamps in Brookings today. There are stamps
that you can trade for merchandise, and there are stamps
that you can get a cash refund from.
And, because of the competition, lx,th the consumer
and the merchant are getting the raw end of the deal,
whether they realize it or not.
Here is the way it works. A store puts in stamps,
and then has to increase his col nine of Business, or has
to raise his prices to pay the additional cost for the stamps
That is logical. No businessman can afford to take the
cost of the stamps out of his own picket.
Certainly the first business to handle stamps increased
their dollar colume. But then, alas, his competitor saw
that he was losing customers, and then he too had to
put in stamps. And then the third competitor had to—
he had very little choice—put in a different type of stamp
Now, what does this all mean to the average shopper.
Obviously all three businesses can’t expect their volume
to increase. And yet, somelxxly has to pay for the
stamps, (iuess who? 3 he merchants may take less of a
profit—so in the long run he loses, hut its still so very
obvious that the purchaser has to pay for those stamps
So who loses—both the businessman and the consumer.
Other things are also important. First, it has been
estimated by businessmen groups that approximately
$60 ,000 a year goes out of tow'n to these various stamp
companies—who contribute nothing to the town in re'
turn. This $60,000 could pave plenty of streets, or build
build several classrooms, or he used to put a small boat
basin on the Crecto or any number of things. But no, it
goes out of town and its gone. Gone forever.
Also the businessman pays for the stamps, and then
gives them to his customers. If the customer tears them
up as he leaves the store, or if he sticks them in his shirt,
or his desk drawer, the merchant still pays the stamp
company for them. The estimates on stamps redeemed
range from forty to sixty percent. This is a complete loss,
f
Businessmen also arc well aware of the clerk hours
that are spent tearing off stamps. This is a loss to the
merchant that can never lx- regained.
Businessmen also know that many stamps are re
deemed for merchandise, such as toasters, radios and the
like. Here again, the merchant is the loser, because if
the customer gets a toaster via the stamp plan he is n o t1
in the market for another hxister in a local store.
We write all this at the risk of hurting: 1. Plentv of
people who like to save stamps. 2. Merchants, and adver-1
tisers who think stamps are a gtxxl thing, and 3. Stamp
companies.
We write all this because this is the way we feel, and
we’ve got the guts to come out and say it.
I lowcver, at the risk of hurting a fourth group—those
merchants that want to get rid of stamps, we want to say
one thing further. We don’t think that it should or
could lx* done through the city council. We think that
it isn’t within the realm of city council legislation to re
strict any type of a stamp plan. It is discriminatory, and
consequently we are opjxised to it.
It seems to us that the businessmen w ho think stamps
are costly and valueless can get rid of them easily enough
in two ways. lust tell the stamp companies that th v’rc
L ook! L ook!
Come One!
F‘ojo The Clown
Come All!
and Little Pudgy
will be at the OPENING of the NEW . . MAY’S FUN
& MAGIC & GIFTS FROM THE SEA . . to give gifts
to all the children. .SATURDAY, MARCH 9 t h . . . .
New location, 636 Chetco ave. next to Coos-Curry Elec.
O P E N IN G
S P E C IA L S
EARRINGS!— EARRINGS— EARRINGS .. 10c pr.
Wrist Watches
1 year guarantee................... $4.95
Hand tooled Leather Purses Large Size...........$12.95
Small Size...........$ 9.95
Hand Tooled Shoes ........... 20% Off Regular Price
Above Items add 10<£ Tax
We are still doing watch repairing—$6.95 flat rate
for all your watch needs to put it in 1st class condition
Work guaranteed for One Full Year
Clarice and May Say
Cake and Coffee will be served
to all grownups
Open 10 a.m.
tj|i 8 pm
I k i ARRY’<¡
t B ill 1 u
I . 0 W
about <,
Metco
PHONE 2411
Bisqilìd i
Large
Sego Milk 1
Suga * r
MEATS
Duri)
370
22E
CiH (MW
UOI>
10 lbs
14 G al.
CORNED BEEF - - 4 9 c lb
MARG ¡ARINE
Pork Shoulder
STEAKS
pound 49c
2« >c 2.9c
PUREX
LARGE FRANKS - 3 9 c !b
Bacon Squares
pound....... 2 9 c
BOB A D I V P
ORB'S
MEAT
MARKET
5c
ORANGES ”’“"9c
Cabbage
ib.