The Sunday Oregonian., September 22, 1907, Section Four, Image 40

THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND , SEPTEMBER 22, 1907.
Frank Store
PRESENT QUARTERS OF THE MEIER. &. FRANK STORE
Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary
The Northwest's Greatest Retail Firm
he Mener (8b
A History-Making Epoch in the
Annals of Portland's Commer
cial AffairsA Business Success
Attained by Few Concerns the
Length and Breadth of the Land
FIFTY years ago this month, in a little 6tore 35x50, on
Front street, a general merchandise business was estab
lished. The sign on the north side of the building heralded
to the world that Meier & Frank were anxious to 6erve the
public. Today, fifty years after, Meier & Frank, Portland's
largest and best department store, is still serving the public
through trustworthy channels which long since received the
' mark of confidence from thousands of patrons.
The firm's methods, its merchandise and its policy were ap
proved half a century ago. Its splendid growth," every day,
every week, every month, every year of its existence right up to
the present time, is the best evidence today of the manner in
which the public has stamped its approval. The policies which
inspired the confidence of the firm's patrons half a century ago,
and which spread the name of Meier & Frank the length and
breadth of the Pacific Northwest as a standard of business
excellence and integrity, are the same policies pursued today
policies which have built and held an enviable patronage, one of
the largest in the history of Northwest trade.
The store has grown rapidly in the past and its course in the
future will not deviate. Fifty years ago the Meier & Frank
store was very small. The firm likes to think cf its early begin
nings, to consider the growth of the city and the great empire
to which it owes its growth. As the city advanced and took on
a new population, so the firm grew and added to its increasing
list of patrons. The Meier & Frank store had hardly more than
begun its career of serving the public before the expansion of
its trade, through strict adherence to policies which quickly met
the approval of the community, compelled numer
ous changes to accommodate increasing patronage.
Naturally there was a removal of quarters to a
more commodious building. A few more years
elapsed and still larger quarters were needed, and
each succeeding twelve months for a half-century
past has brought with it a demand for
greater floor space and more room to meet the
requirements of a trade which at this time
stretches thousands of miles north and south, an
equal distance eastward, and touches the Oriental
countries on the other side of the Pacific.
From a store of one room the store has grown
and expanded, doubled and trebled its stock and
patronage, until today sees it without an equal
in the retail trade on the Pacific Coast, and the
largest retail merchandise firm of its kind west
of Chicago.
One of the greatest assets pro
duced by the Meier & Frank
store, and one which has been
1 1 i
Mr. Aaron Meier
Founder of the Mrir-r tt Frank Store.
Mr. Aaron Meier, founder of the Meier 8c Frank
tore, was born May 22, 1831. He came to Port
land around the Horn In June, 1857, and Imme
diately ' laid the foundation of what has grown
to be the largest retail mercantile business west
of .Chicago. Mr. Meier died Aug-ust 16, 1889, while
filans were being formulated for the removal of
he business from First street to the present quar
ters. Thousands upon thousands of the score's
patrons remember Mr. Meier as a man and mer
chant with few equals. - He was probably in
Closer touch with the store's patrons than any
other merchant In America. He knew his trade
and his trade knew him a big, eenerous-heart-ed,
successful business man who left behind him a
great and p; osperous business and an army of
friends In evxry section of the Pacific Northwest
WJ V5K.-
i X s l-feiw r "lfjyyy-i hi' 1 it'1 tt --5 -3 3 - - ,
. --4 wp:J. , - - ?
The lareBt retail firm In the country west of Chlcaco. Th bullainc Is Ore stonas in nelstit, wltn Daaement. the noor apace approxlmatlnc three acres.
building of this magnificent mercantile establish-;
ment. Fifteen buyers travel twice a year to the
Eastern centers,' and three buyers four times an
nually seek the markets from which the immense
line of goods carried- by the flrm here in Portland
is selected. Quality is paramount, and not even
in the Eastern retail centers is greater variety
shown. Meier & Frank maintain offices not only
on the Pacific Coast, but in the East and across
the Atlantic as well. With headquarters .in New
York City, where the best grade of goods afforded
in the United States can be inspected, the firm
continues its active search for better goods for
its patrons through its offices in Paris, Chemnitz,
Berlin and Plauen, Switzerland. Here in these
market places the selection of the world's best
goods is made for the benefit of the thou
sands who buy from the Port
land store. , ,
Here then is a purchasing power
seldom equaled, the facilities for
satisfying the most fastidious cus-.
tomer, and yet with all the world
wide purchasing range of which
the firm constantly takes advan
tage, buying is not done for a
particular few, but for all. With
the idea ever in view that the best to be had in
both foreign and domestic countries is none too
good for the patrons of the Portland store, the
latter is stocked several times a year with goods
whose merits are unquestionable. The many
offices at home and abroad maintained by the
firm is an important factor in securing goods
for Portland the same as for Metropolitan cen
ters. All the newest designs, the novelties and
other requisites of a modern establishment are
found in the Portland store of Meier & Frank,
the same as in New York, Chicago and others of
the larger cities.
Here at home again, the Meier & Frank store
adds to its patronage through its ability to sell
the best merchandise obtainable in the world's
best markets at lower prices than any other retail
firm in the Northwest. This is due to the fact
that it buys in immense quantities and buys
often, besides owning its own buildings and prop
erty and figuring a profit on a valuation realty
basis of ten years ago. These factors combine to
make possible the selling of merchandise by the
Meier & Frank Store at 10 per cent less than the
prices offered by firms in the same lines of trade.
Not content with filling every want and fancy
of its many thousands of patrons, Meier &
Frank hold to the
f - policy that the pub
s' - i ; 3
small things as well
as large by helpful,
courteous and will
ing clerks who are
interested in their
work and in satisfy
ing to the minutest
detail every desire
of their customers.
There are no "Be polite" signs held out to
Meier & Frank clerks by the management. There
are no iron-riveted rules by which they' are com
pelled to obey, but instead there is the closest
and friendliest feeling existing between the em-
ait
feltr.il t mil It
The Meier St Frank Store
Second-street annex Occupied
In 1890 In addition to the
First-street store.
pS It ,v t
The Meier & Frank Store
in 18ST.
the chief factor in securing for it
an unrivaled trade, is its close re
lationship with the firm's patrons.
This was the policy upon which the
store was founded the policy that
the smallest buyer should be shown
the same consideration as the larg
est and that all transactions, both
large and small, be transacted with
the spirit of friendship prevailing.
How well this method of doing
business has succeeded is evidenced
in the unprecedented growth of the
firm. It is still the policy, and,
coupled with other factors of
scarcely less importance, makes for
the great strength of this business
institution.
The members of the firm are con
stantly in close touch with the
trade and its wants. No line is
overlooked, no detail is too small
to be given consideration in the ef
fort to further, if possible, the
completeness, thoroughness and sat
isfying departments of the firm's
business.
gT,,'..WM.n...r
L -S
The Meier st Frank Store
In 1S80 Portland's laxseet and
beet department store First
street location.
Strength in Meier & Frank's sys
tematic buying organization is by
no means the least of the many
features which continue the up-
fS Sfc Meier & Frank
SSt f ' , - , , "C ' warehouse, located
J?yC' ' "-JSv I tA y 7 I at Seventh and Tay-
X II yir ' I I lor streets A mod'
1'tffPfrTTlW 1& H tlw A proper care and dis-
' tfWg patch-of merchan-
uJMM L mwmtm ' fensive imrrt
i' fsSpiiiE aiedw' &
rt " - : : v wbSSSSS&S y
VytySsSir J TEN FLOORS STEEL AND CONCRETE I jff&&
rk vx r 1 - .
PSr y! r,' 30XIOOFEET J V 7&.
(ItfVir A J . hfNSrHf? l Meier Frank Stablee thwfo)j
VwTtA f ."'""''J'y' fcVJ'rff X. W 111 lllL-i I largeet and most modern private aw.
Vj9P. 7 WKWomooDi
yVl OI 1 f WZsi w 3 -y?v. v If OJT I wagons are cared for here. En- Jl
MM Sixth -street I 1 J&'?s-!f 1 Jrf' k... I l.r ' - I tire plant is perfectly equipped (fL
Ml annex to h. I I " 'jSr? i ( V !!. Th 'TV. W I l3SOOOO. I wittr electric elevator, harness
CQ)B . to be - I - , " " l i3 liJTSLiJ "SV-SS r4 I I -V y room aprtnkler ,y,tem. lunch VV7
iXr D erected during- M I S 5C' M I kjsJ3X2?i. ' II 1 ' end smoking rooms for employee. c))
the next .Irh " ' J 'v ' Jb? Ls t m J -""SW ?V? 1 1 1 ' living apartments for u- J
' 1 ei8h I s I tjr&t I" - J-"' . S tJ 3 1 1 perlntendent and family. .
teen months. l f' t 'fiti rT".- " J iSJLJYS - . 1 . ' bath-rooms for drlvera,
Ground space f t; f' ft f jl JtTi rtf, H I WSSj'" 1 ' AT
The annex will ? r'-. I J i A.
anHfSer. CPflJ XF ' "V
s I y'ia i v
ss ; V y
row,nK. busi- 200 X 100 FEET - SIX FLOORS -EMPLOYING AT HOLIDAY ' '1
SEASON OVER 1200 PERSONS-PORTLANDS GREATEST 3WRE.
.
I I . '
ployer and the employe. Human consideration
is shown every person who draws a salary from
the Meier & Frank store, and, unlike the vast
majority of large department stores, the lowest
salaried as well as the high-salaried ones are at
liberty at all times to talk freely and openly to
the ones to whom they are responsible. There is
no aloofness displayed, friendly relations among
all are cultured, and the spirit of contentment
and eagerness to serve faithfully and well is the
highly satisfying result.
To enumerate all the elements which have ad
vanced the Meier & Frank establishment to the
front rank of department stores in the country
would be an exhaustive story on fair dealing,
trustworthy methods and other cardinal points
which nave made for the firm a standard of ex
cellence in every state and country in which it
is so widely known. Suffice to say that with
Portland's phenomenal growth, it, too, has leaped
ahead, a growth which could not have been
brought about had not the foundation of the
establishment been based upon the implicit confi
dence with which it has always been held by
the public.
The tremendous business of the firm which is
transacted yearly with Nevada, Washington,
Idaho, Montana, Alaska, the Philippine and Ha
waiian Islands and the American colonies in China
and Japan, necessitates the occupation of the
largest building occupied by a department store
in the City of Portland. The present quarters
cover a ground space of 200x100
feet, five stories in height with
basement. The building is of the
- best mill construction, with a hand
some rotunda 40x70 feet in the
center, permitting a flood of day
light to strike every nook and cor
ner. The building has three en
trances, one each on Morrison
street, Fifth street and Alder
street. The floor space covers about
three acres, and more electric arc
lamps are used in lighting the
building than are found on the
streets of Baker City, Salem and
Astoria combined. At the holiday
season the store gives employment
to more than 1200 persons.
But even with all the room grant
. ed.by this large building, the ex
panding trade of the firm has been
such within the past few years that
plans have been drawn and ar
rangements made for the erection
of a building still larger in order
to accommodate the rapidly in
creasing business relations. The
annex will adjoin the building now
occupied and will probably be ten
stories in height, with a floor space
of 130x100 feet, costing about
$350,000.
Private office.
With, the annex complete it is
believed that space accommoda
tions will be sufficient for a num
ber of years to come, besides af
fording greater room for the mail
order department, which has grown
as rapidly as the retail branch of
the business.
With trade relations extending
in every direction, Meier & Frank
facilitate the satisfactory handling
of both local and foreign demands
upon their immense stock by pub
lishing twice yearly the largest
handsomest and most completely
illustrated catalogue published by
any dry goods house in America.
The editions are 11x14 inches and
contain 132 pages. Sixty thousand
of these business solicitors are
mailed every six months, postage
alone costing 8 cents on each. These
catalogues are distributed in half a
dozen states and as many foreign
countries, where their efficient
service is attested by a buying pub
lic whose wants are satisfied quick
ly and unattended by annoying
circumstances. ,