MARKET SURVEY, JACKSONVILLE, FLA. 15 



RETAIL FISH STORES 



During the survey 24 retail fish stores that handled fishery prod- 

 ucts every day in the week were in business in Jacksonville. Of 

 these, 11 stores handled fishery products only and 13 handled these 

 products in connection with poultry, eggs, or other merchandise. 



Interior construction. — The interior construction, display fixtures, 

 and appurtenances of the majority of the stores is much alike. 

 Interior fixtures for fishery products usually consisted of a display 

 case of wooden construction and metal lined. These measured about 

 5 to 8 feet in length, 23^ feet high, and 3 feet wide. Some cases had 

 the top and front of glass while others had only a top of glass. The 

 products were displayed on crushed ice in the case. In the absence 

 of this type of case the products were displayed on ice held in raised- 

 edge metal-covered tables, which were not covered. A wooden 

 ice box of much the same construction as the display case usually 

 was found in each store for holding reserve stock. Some stores 

 used only their ice box for displaying the fishery products. A few 

 firms have insulated cold rooms for holding reserve stock. 



Near the fish-display counter are tables for cleaning and preparing 

 the fishery products. Cages with live poultry or counters upon 

 which other merchandise is displayed usually are opposite the fish 

 displays in the stores that handle other products. The floors are 

 concrete. 



^Y^ndow displays. — Window space was utilized in only six of the 

 retail fish stores for displaying fishery products. Some of these 

 stores utilized the space every day while others used it only occa- 

 sionally, chiefly on Friday and Saturday. None of these displays 

 are inclosed. Receptacles (in the windows of five of the stores) for 

 holding the ice upon which the fish were displayed consisted of metal 

 pans and one was of sunken tile. Inside displays, out of which 

 retail sales were made, were arranged by six stores so that they were 

 visible from the street, thus forming both an inside and a window 

 display. 



As a rule fish retailers have neglected to make full use of window 

 space for displaying fishery products. As was noted above, only 6 

 of the 24 retail fish stores in Jacksonville had window displays. 

 Compare these to retail stores handling most any other line of mer- 

 chandise and it is found that in most every instance window space 

 is utilized to the fullest advantage for display purposes. Experience 

 has shown that persons will stop and look at interesting and 

 attractive displays of fishery products and that interest aroused in 

 onlookers usually has resulted in increased sale of fish at the store 

 displaying the fishery products. 



Inside displays. — Inside displays were made by 17 stores, of which 

 9 were in metal-lined display cases with glass top and (or) glass 

 front. Usually the products were displayed in the case on crushed 

 ice banked to within a few inches of the top. Eight stores arranged 

 their inside displays on raised-edge metal-covered tables and one on 

 a sunken-tile table. These were filled with crushed ice and the 

 products were arranged so that the ice partly or fully covered them. 

 Some products prepared as fillets or steaks were placed in porcelain 

 pans on ice on the tables or in display cases. Earthen jars sunk 



