The E. S. C. Quarterly VOLUME 7, NO. 3-4 1949 SUMMER-FALL # Merchandising Set New Record in North Carolina Last Year, Retail and Wholesale; History of Development ** One of North Carolina's many fine and modern department stores (see inside cover) PUBLISHED BY Employment Security Commission of North Carolina jpttm^awm FROM RALEIGH, N. C. - B^Y L : ;sTy im PAGE 82 THE E. S. C. QUARTERLY Summer-fall, 1949 The E. S. C. Quarterly MERCHANDISING IN STATE (Formerly The U.C.C. Quarterly) Merchandising in North Carolina is big business. Both wholesale and retail trade has developed and Volume 7, Numbers 3-4 Summer-Fall, 1949 expanded in the State to keep pace with the ever Issued four times a year at Raleigh, N. C, by the growing demands of the State's citizenship for more and EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION OF better merchandise. Retail trade exceeded $2,- NORTH CAROLINA 137,000,000 during the fiscal year ended last June 30, and the North Carolina Department of Revenue does Commissioner:-;: Mrs. Quentin Gregory, Halifax; Dr. Harry D. not claim that these figures tell the complete story. Wolf, Chapel Hill; R. Dave Hall, Belmont; Marion W. Heiss, Much trading does not go on the records. Greensboro; C. A. Fink, Spencer; Bruce E. Davis, Charlotte. But the retail trade produced through the 3% sales and use State Advisory Council: Dr. Thurman D. Kitchin, Wake For- tax more than $40,000,000 in taxes, which is the est, chairman; Mrs. Gaston A. Johnson, High Point; W. B. Horton, Yanceyville; C. P. Clark, Wilson; Dr. Alphonso largest single item in the revenues which keep the Elder, Durham; Corbett Scott, Asheboro; L. L. Ray, Raleigh; State's governmental machinery in operation. The Joel B. Leighton, Rockingham; J. A. Scoggins, Charlotte. revenue reports show that 59,995 active merchants in the State at the end of 1948 were collecting and re- HENRY E. KENDALL Chairman porting sales taxes. R. FULLER MARTIN Director Unemployment Compensation Division Wholesale distributors, numbering several hun- ERNEST C. McCRACKEN Director dreds, handle business which amounted to more than Nortli Carolina State Employment Service Division $1,290,000,000 in the fiscal year ended last June 30. M. R. DUNNAGAN Editor These figures include the business done by eight Informational Service Representative wholesale drug firms which have an average age of more than 54 years, the oldest having been in opera- Cover illustrations represent typical North Carolina tion for more than 80 years. The wholesale distribu- industries or business activities under the Employ- tors have a heavy investment in plant and merchan- ment Security Program. dise and distribute large sums in payrolls in the Cover for Summer-Fall, 191fi—North Carolina has an abund- State. ance of group department stores, operated by native sons. Among these are Belk, Eflrd, Ivey. In variety stores, Rose North Carolina has a few men who are merchan- leads the held. Many other department, variety, food and dising geniuses. Three of these, W. H. Belk, J. B. other types originated and are operated in the State. Picture Efird and J. B. Ivey, all of Charlotte, have developed shows the remodeled and modernistic front of the Ivey De- partment Store in Charlotte. See articles in this issue on huge department store firms which cover this State all merchandising groups. and have overflowed into many other states. Another is P. H. Rose, Henderson, who has developed a vast Sent free upon request to responsible individuals, agencies, variety store organization that covers several states. organizations and libraries. Address: E. S. C. Informational This State also has many other merchants who have Service, I'. 0. Box 5SU, Raleigh. N. C. established group or chain stores in these and other lines of merchandising which not only reflect credit CONTENTS upon the State, but also are important cogs in the State's business structure. Page Merchandising in State 82 Many nation-wide chain stores of various types Kendall Reappointed; New Members; Integrate Services.— 83 have numerous units in North Carolina. These chain Price Deputy Commissioner 84 stores purchase many millions of dollars worth of N. C. Retail Trade Exceeds Two Billion Dollars a Year 85 their merchandise, distributed through their units Trading Paths, Packs, in Early Merchandising in State 87 throughout the nation, from North Carolina manu- By William S. Powell facturers and producers. These items include cig- North Carolina Home Base for Large Department Stores ... 90 arettes and other tobacco products, textiles, hosiery, Four N. C. Natives Achieve Fame as Merchandising Leaders 94 clothing, furniture, novelty items and food, feed and N. C. Has 42 Variety Chain Groups Owning 250 Stores 98 other items produced on North Carolina farms. Nation-Wide Variety Store Chains Operating in State 102 This issue contains articles dealing with the early Eight Wholesale Drug Firms, Long, Prosperous Records 106 days of merchandising in the State, the extent of Wholesale Distributors Have $1,290,000,000 Business ... .....110 wholesale and retail trade at present, activities of Two Big Machinery, Equipment Firms Started in Raleigh .118 various wholesale and retail organizations, in addi- Ancient, Odd, Interesting Retail Firms in Operation 120 tion to many items about outstanding or character- Food & Drugs Handled by Large National & Local Firms 124 istic mercantile firms doing business in North Caro- Clothing, Furnishings, Apparel, Shoe, Furniture Stores 129 lina, those originating within and outside the State. Retail Merchants Have Large and Effective Association 132 By Willard L. Dowell Efforts have been made to give as complete a pic- Wholesale Association Promotes Interest of Members 134 ture of wholesale and retail trade in the State as pos- By E. S. Yarbrough sible. Numbers of firms have been given space. Many N. C. Automobile Dealer Group Most Active in Nation .. _ 135 others could just as well have been included. Many Mrs. Bessie B. Ballentine By heads of firms have been contacted in securing in- N. C. Readjustment Allowance Program, Sept. '44-July '49 ..136 formation, either by personal visits or by letters. By Mrs. Viola T. March Most have responded gratefully. Others have failed North Carolina (A Poem)..... 138 By James Chadwick to respond to requests and a few have declined. The Note: Articles not credited with By-Line, were written by M. results give a fairly complete picture of merchandis- R. Dunnagan, editor, with cooperation of firm members. ing in North Carolina. Summer-fall, 1949 THE E. S. C. QUARTERLY PAGE 83 Kendall Reappointed; New Members: Integrate Services Col. Henry E. Kendall, filling out three years of Labor (AFL) and representing employees, also a the unexpired term of Col. A. L. Fletcher as chair- member since 1941; and Marion W. Heiss, Greens- man of the Employment Security Commission, was boro, who succeeded, in turn, Senator R. Grady Rank- reappointed by Governor Scott for a four-year term in, Gastonia, and T. Clarence Stone, Stoneville, as expiring June 30, 1953. He and other appointees employer representative. were administered the oath of office in Governor One important step taken by the Commission at its Scott's office August 1 by Associate Justice M. V. meeting that day, in addition to routine matters, was Barnhill. adoption of a resolution providing for complete in- Dr. Harry D. Wolf, State University professor, tegration of the services performed by the Commis- who had been a member since reorganization of the sion through its two principal divisions, Employment Commission as of July 1, 1941, as a representative Service and Unemployment Compensation, particu- of labor, was reappointed to a four-year term as a larly in the 65 local, branch and divisional offices in representative of the general public. As such, he 54 communities of the State. succeeded S. Buxton Midyette, Jackson, who finished Under earlier practices of the Commission the the unexpired term of Judge C. E. Cowan, Morgan- local office manager was responsible for all func- ton, resigned. Mrs. Quentin Gregory, Halifax, was tions of both divisions. When the Employment appointed as a representative of the general public, Service was loaned to the Federal Government Jan- succeeding Mrs. W. T. Bost, Raleigh, who had re- uary 1, 1942, for the war period, as was the case in signed. Bruce E. Davis, Charlotte, assistant State all states, it became necessary to set up a separate director of the CIO Organizing Committee, began a Unemployment Compensation Division staff in each four-year term representing employees, taking the office to handle the claims load. Since the return of place of Dr. Wolf. the Employment Service to the Commission in No- Three of the members were appointed two years vember, 1946, separate operations have been carried ago to four-year terms and will continue to serve on in local offices, although some of the Central Office until 1951. They are R. Dave Hall, Belmont, a mem- functions were integrated. ber since 1941, representing employers; Charles A. The new integration program, similar to steps Fink, Spencer, president of the State Federation of taken by other states since the war, means that a Pictured are members of tlie Employment Se- curity Commission of North Carolina in the entrance of the Cas- well Building, home of the Central office, Aug- ust 1, fottoioing admin- istration of the oath of office to Chairman Kendall and Dr. Wolfe, reappointed, and Mrs. Gregory and Mr. Da- vis, new appointees. Members are, left to right, Bruce E. Davis, Charlotte; Dr. Harry D. Wolf, Chapel Hill; Chairman Henry E. Kendall; Mrs. Quentin Gregory, Halifax; Ma- rion W. Heiss, Greens- boro; Charles A. Fink, Spencer, and R. Dave Hall, Belmont. (Photo by Robert M. du Bruyne) : PAGE 84 THE E. S. C. QUARTERLY SUMMER-FALL, 1949 manager in the local offices will be responsible to the PRICE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER Commission for all local office functions.