32B 



The Florists^ Review 



< K Toltfcli •>, l'J-1 



THE HISTORY 

 OF AMLING'S 



'* Great Oaks from Little Acorns Grow" 



DEGINNING about as small as any Wholesale 

 ^ Florist ever did begin, before it had passed 

 through its first year, "Amling's" had established a 

 reputation for careful, dependable service. It was 

 the year of the great World's Fair and many Florists 

 from other cities visited Chicago. They carried 

 home with them the impression that "Amling's" was 

 to be depended on by those who, because of dis- 

 tance, could not personally select their flowers on 

 this market. Although Chicago then was little more 

 than one-third its present population, it already was 

 coming to the front as a center for Cut Flower sup- 

 ply. Mr. Amling was one of those who early saw 

 the possibilities of the Wholesale Shipping Trade 

 and it was due to his initiative as much as to any 

 other one factor that the business has developed to 

 its present far reaching extent. Under his personal 

 guidance Mr. Amling's enterprise continued to grow 

 even faster than the flower business in general grew 

 and the name of "Amling" became better known 

 each year to Florists in cities that use Chicago mar- 

 ket Flowers. 



General view of salesroom, shewing in part the packing and shipping room in rear 



pr ROM the very first "Amling's" has been the cen- 

 ^ ter of the market. Moving from time to time as 

 local conditions changed, the Amling store con- 

 tinuously has been the hub around which the market 

 activities revolved. It was the first street-level 

 Wholesale Cut Flower Store in Chicago and today 

 occupies a greater street level floor space than any 

 other. Among Mr. Amling's friends stories fre- 

 quently are told of his early experiences in the busi- 

 ness, when he took to the city in an ordinary market 

 basket all the flowers that he would need for his 

 day's sales. This anecdote is significant of the spirit 

 of the institution, the success of which always has 

 been on a basis of hard work. The policy of the 

 business from the beginning was consistent service 

 to all those who needed it, aiming rather to hold old 

 customers than to find new ones. It was Mr. Am- 

 ling's idea to build a business through the growth 

 of those already interested rather than to force the 

 development of his owm business by steps which 

 might endanger the welfare of the Growers and Cus- 

 tomers who had been dealing with him for years. 



IT WAS in October, 1910, that 

 the E. C. Amling Co. was in- 

 corporated by its founder, in 

 association with several of the 

 larger Growers consigning to 

 the house, and with some of the 

 older Employees. Mr. Amling 

 continued as, and is today, the 

 president of the company he 

 founded. It is to his advice, 

 watchfulness and guidance that 

 much of the continued growth 

 of the institution is due, a 

 growth as steady and substan- 

 tial as that in the earlier years 

 of the business. Mr. Amling 

 has gathered about him a large 

 following of satisfied Growers 

 and Customers. 



E. C. AMLING COMPANY 



NOT OPEN 

 SUNDAYS 



The Largest, Best Equipped and Most Centrally 

 Located Wholesale Cut Flower House in Chicago 



