The Florists^ Review 



January 8, 1920. 



RETAIL STORE MANAGEMENT 



WHAT THE LEADERS IN THE TRADE ARE DOING 



MADSON, OF MANITOWOC. 



It is not often that a flower store 

 occupies the best corner in town, but 

 sucli is the case ut Manitowoc, Wis., 

 where tlie M. G. Madsou Seed Co., one 

 of the old concerns, has just branched 

 out by starting into the retail florists' 

 business. For their flower store the 

 Madsou interests were fortunate iu se- 

 curing the most prominent corner in 

 their city; just back of the store is the 

 gas office, where a representative of 

 every family in town goes at least once 

 in each month. The store, shown in the 

 accompanying illustration, has displav 

 windows on two sides and is the bright 

 spot of the business center. 



As will be noted in the picture, a 

 large and favorably located room hav- 

 ing been secured, it was fitted up in 

 modern fashion. Your up-to-date flower 

 store contains no counters; there are 

 tables for the display of stock and a 

 wrapping counter, perhaps, but salesper- 

 son and patron meet on equal footing — 

 no barrier between. The workroom is out 

 of sight. For the Madson store a s])o 

 cially designed display refrigerator was 

 built by the Central Refrigerator & 

 Equipment Co., Chicago, and independ- 

 ence of the iceman, with freedom from 

 his muss, was obtained through the in- 



has shown that it will be a success with- 

 out injury to those previously in the 

 business; it is another case of compe- 

 tition being the life of trade. 



LIGHTING THE FLOWER SHOP. 



Help on a Teclmlcal Subject. 



All retail florists recognize the value 

 of good lighting. In the stores built 

 and remodeled for the trade in late 

 years the most up-to-date methods of 

 lighting have been utilized. In such 

 cases the selection and installation was 

 I)art of the architect's or contractor's 

 job; the florist only prescribed the re- 

 sult he desired to secure. Often, how- 

 ever, before making improvements in 

 his present store, the florist wishes to 

 consider the subject thoroughly him- 

 self. Though he knows in general what 

 he wants, he is not ready to call in a 

 lighting expert until he knows just 

 what he wishes to discuss with him. 

 And, sometimes, with a better knowl- 

 edge of lighting, a florist is able to make 

 a few changes himself that accomplish 

 much. 



Knowing what constitutes good store 

 ligliting, the retailer is able to act with 

 a definite object in mind and feel cer- 



New Retail Flower Store of Madson Seed Co., Maaitowoc, Wis. 



stallation of a quarter-ton automatic 

 refrigerating macliine ])y the Lipman 

 Kefrigeration "Works, Chicago. This ap- 

 paratus was found to be giving good 

 service in a number of flower stores and 

 iu the Madson store was located just 

 hack of the icebox — you can see the box 

 in the picture, but the machine is out 

 of sight, and also out of hearing for 

 those in the store. 



Although the Madson store has boon 

 in operation only a few weeks, it already 



tain of obtaining it. Otherwise he is 

 working more or less at random and de- 

 pends for success largely upon fortune 

 and accident. 



Lighting Requirements. 



In remarks by the engineering de- 

 partment of the General Electric Co. re- 

 garding the desirable intensity of il- 

 lumination for stores handling various 

 sorts of merchandise, it is stated that 

 tables have been worked out by compe- 



tent engineers giving the desirable 



quantity of light for each kind. That 



the florist may compare his needs with 



those of other types of stores, the table 



is given herewith: ,,^,^^ ^^^^^^^ 



Art (Uglit lUKi exhibits) r..O 10.0 



Hoolc 3.0 5.0 



Clilna 2.0 3.0 



Cigar 4.0 6.0 



Clothing 4.0 7.0 



Cloali and suit 4.0 7.0 



Confectionery ti H.O 5.0 



Drug 'J.O 4.0 



Dry Goods 4.0 7.0 



Florist --'.O 3.0 



Furniture J.O 4.0 



Fur n.O 8.0 



(Jroceries li.O 4.0 



Haberdashery .").0 7.0 



Hardware l-'.O 3.0 



Hat 4.0 6.0 



.Tewelry ..; 4.0 0.0 



Millinery 4.0 6.0 



Music ±0 4.0 



Notions 3.0 5.0 



Piano '_'.0 4.0 



Hug racks 8.0 10.0 



Shoe 3.0 5.0 



Stationery 2.0 4.0 



Wall i)ai)er 4.0 5.0 



Those figures are not adhered to 

 rigidly, of course, but they supply a 

 good starting i)oint for4!ie calculations 

 of the merchant who aims to illuminate 

 his merchandise in the degree and man- 

 ner best conducing to its sales. 



Items that Count. 



The efficiency of a store lighting sys- 

 tem must be judged by the results in 

 illumiivation which it provides, rather 

 than by such items as expense of in- 

 stallation and upkeep. The meter sup- 

 ])lies data on the amount of current that 

 is used, but it rests entirely with the 

 florist to see to it that he gets the 

 amount of light he pays for. That 

 means (1) proper choice and arrange- 

 ment of fixtures, (2) the correct selec- 

 tion of lamps and (."5) careful attention 

 to both lamps and fixtures. Dust and 

 dirt, for illustration, may reduce the 

 amount of light as much a.s fifty per 

 cent. In other words, one clean lamp 

 will do the work of two dust and dirt- 

 covered ones. 



Into the choice of fixtures enters the 

 relative merits of three systems of 

 lighting and the question as to which 

 suits the florist's needs the best. 



Three Systems of Lighting. 



The simplest method of explaining 

 the three systems of lighting is to refer 

 to the methods of nature. That explana- 

 tion also will make it plain why light 

 without stint is not necessarily good 

 lighting. The sun's light is "without 

 stint," and we all know just how much 

 eye-discomfort, or strain, direct sunlight 

 occasions. 



It is generally recognized tliat ideal 

 lighting occurs on a cloudy day, when 

 light from the sun must pass through a 

 screen of vapor and clouds before reach- 

 ing us. So, if we may take a lesson from 

 old Mother Nature, we may safely con- 

 clude that she accomplishes her best 

 results by means of modified lighting. 



When the light of the sun falls direct- 

 ly upon us nature may be referred to as 

 supplying a direct form of lighting. 



When man conspires with nature so 



