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Article Rambles among the Shops of London. Page 1 of 1 Article Rambles among the Shops of London. Page 1 of 1 Article Rambles among the Shops of London. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Rambles Among The Shops Of London.
Rambles among the Shops of London .
THE GENERAL PROVIDERS , MESSRS . D . B . J OHNSTONE , & CO ., EDGWARE ROAD , W . Alighting from the Edgware-road Station on a visit to the above well-known establishment , now opposite the Station itself . thevistor had to face the question , did the railway create the shop , known under the title of this article , or did Messrs .
D . B . J OHNSTONE construct the railway to bring customers to their varied stores ? Certainly , on alighting from a train which brought us from the city in twenty minutes , the first and most patent facts presented were establishments in which the general providers of the West of London supply food , drinks , clothing , furniture , IN ALL PRICES AND
VARIETIES FOR ALL CLASSES IN SOCIETY . Having a leisure afternoon at our command we availed ourselves of a card of introduction to the resident principal , Mr . A . Milling , and soon found ourselves in an ofiice bristling with rules and documents and a communicative courtesy which easily supplied information to many inquiries .
CO-OPERATION AND M ODERN SHOPKEEPING . Query . Do not co-operative stores meet the requirements of " the public for low prices and variety ? Reply ; No . Co-operation in trade , as understood by the public , may succeed in the city itself , say at Queen Victoria-street , or at Westminster or Covent Garden , but it fails in the suburbs . What is known as co-operation is simply capital to
purchase by the principal , and cash payments by the purchasers . When the purchaser pays cash , small profits are practicable , and business becomes remunerative ; the buyer is satisfied , and the seller is able to pay his way . Unfortunately , an unreasonable public required low prices and credit . The inevitable average of bad debts ensued and necessitated an increase in price to cover losses . The introduction of
cooperation and cash payments conferred a benefit upon modern traders , the health y results of which are permeating society . Query . What is the difference between a cooperative store and your various departments . Answer . Great . A co-operative store , by an aggregation of capital supplies for cash certain articles in demand to members who pay a premium in the shape of an entrance fee or
ticket , but in our business we individually supply the capital , charge no entrance fees or subscriptions , mark every article in plain figures for cash , and , buying with judgment , paying cash , and receiving cash , rule our little kingdom with diligence and courtesy . We forget cooperation , or when alluded to , present to our clients the co-operation we control , of capital , enterprise , and
knowledge , and abide the result . Querist . But do not many minds , like heads of departments in a co-operative store , secure advantages to the public . Answer . Not necessarily . It is the old question of monarchy or republic . A vigorous monarchy is better than a divided republic , a virtuous body of public men is better than a fiddling Nero , or a luxurious Charles II ., or a
military despot like the first Napoleon ; so in business a concern like D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . 's , nourished by capital , controlled with personal vigilance with an eye only to the public favour and weal , must be a certain and personal success . ¦ It is co-operation pure and simple . DRAPERS PURE AND SIMPLE ( Query ) . — Why extended to supplies of furniture and goods ? (
Answer)—The concentration of four millions of people in a narrow area , carried by an underground system of railway in a short space of time , needed a corresponding response from the capitalist . This travelling public , with little time to spare , require , at certain convenient centres , depots where they can buy in one call , food to eat , furniture to use , and clothing to put on . The envoys sent to buy
reasonably require variety in the stock to select from—the lowest prices for cash payments—well-lighted modern premises in which articles required may be viewed from many standpoints . Evidently these desiderata arc not secured in the old City of London proper , where land , light , and space are fabulously valuable . They are at the service of capitalists in the suburbs , and the underground railway
contributes to the nourishment and development of such suburban trade , to the great advantage of the public . Fearing lest we should weary our readers with too much of the A . B . C . of political and commercial economy , wc brought our enquiries to a close , and requested our courteous host and general provider to enable us to view the machinery by which the world becomes acquainted with Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & CO .
The house that has been known for many years as D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co ., has recently passed into the possession of a firm of silk mercers and warehousemen with large places of business in Leeds , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , and possessing collieries and other properties in the North of England . Such an addition of wealth and capital to an old established concern gives the stability and the means of purchase which many an old established concern
requires . The extensive premises occupied by the firm comprise departments of business each presided over by a principal buyer , who is acquainted with the sources of supply , and is personally acquainted with manufacturers at home and abroad . The main divisions of this great business are comprised under the heads of Clothing , Furniture , and Food . Our readers may , perhaps , learn something interesting and profitablejrom the following notes on
CLOTHING . Dress for ladies , children , and gentlemen covers an enormous area of production . Wool from the Colonies ; cotton from Jndia , Egypt , and America ; silk from China , Italy , and Japan ; Linen from Ireland , Russia , and Belgium ; alpaca from South America and South Africa . The whole world is laid under tribute to furnish materials for
the clothing supplied by Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . Ladies' Dress . — The important articles of dress for ladies in silks , satins , woollens , with a miscellaneous variety of cottons , forms a considerable portion of Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . 's business , and the towns and seats of industry supplying such are Lyons for silks , Dublin for poplin , Macclesfield , etc . The merinos , a modem industry , are contributed by Bradford , etc . Nor is the
continent neglected by the buyers of the firm in seeking for novelties in texture or design . Rouen and kindred towns are periodically visited for the selection of everything that is new , useful , and cheap . The season of depression having passed away , and the economy necessary thereto diminished , silks and satins appear to be coming into force as the dress in which our fair ones may deck themselves in time to come . To make provision for this probable demand orders have been
Rambles Among The Shops Of London.
placed , and the shelves replenished with novelties in satins , velveteens , and silks . French Prints and Cottons . — The public is well acquainted with the wonderful strides that have recently been made in cottons for dress purposes . It is impossible
in many instances to distinguish the material in which some of the cottons appear , owing to the skilful manner in which the blocks have been cut and so carefully printed . Mantles and Costumes . —The mantle , costume , and milinery department is so pre-eminently a ladies' department that we hesitate any opinion .
HOSIERY , GLOVES . The continental sources of supply are very little known to the English public , nor do they understand the care and judgment required by experienced buyers in purchasing the ' products of flannels from Germany and hosiery of all kinds . We are sorry to state that vcry many of the best patterns that appear in Messrs . J OHNSTONE ' S window are more the invention of German manufacturers than they
are of our Leicester or Nottingham friends , who follow at a distance in designs and combinations of colour . So much attention is paid to art in the industrial education of operatives that Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . would be wanting in loyalty to their constituents if they did not recognise this essential and bring into one great emporium the productions of all looms of manufactories . Wc well remember the days of gloves , when kid in its various preparations was of most limited supply , and we
venture to say our grandmothers would be surprised to see the modern gloves that are nearly the length of an ancient stocking , with sixteen buttons , encasing a lady's arm in any colour , and forming , in many cases , a very suitable contrast to the dress . In the leading lines of this department Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . presented to our notice kid gloves for ladies , double buttons , at 2 s . Gkl . a pair , in all shades . With a view of extending business in this department , we were informed the same arc sent in return for P . O . orders , post free .
HABERDASHERY , LACES , FLOWERS , & C . The sources of supply are Leicester , London , and the Continent . The firm show an endless variety , with constant changes . When it is considered how much the trimmings of a lady ' s dress and the decorations of a home are contributed to from this department , the necessity for
judgment in selection and large variety wifi be seen . Owing to the revival of fashion in laces of recent years , the lace department of any large firm must necessarily be a most important one . Lace , as our readers well know , is divisible into two sources of supply—viz ., that for personal use , and that for domestic purposes , such
as curtains . Lace is supplied from Brussels , Nottingham , Paris , Calais , Valenciennes , Sepuy , Honiton , etc . They also show the following for the season : —Point d'Alencon , Marie Stuart , Vermicelli , Coraline , Cardinal , Mechlin , Newport , Brabant , Duchesse , D'Art , Russe , Languedoc , Bretonne , Fillegreue , Bruxelles , Old English Point , Honiton Point , Dentelle Modjeska , Old Valenciennes
Point , Irish Point , Dentelle Bluet , the St . James , the Regency , Old Venetian Point , Old Devonshire Point , etc . It would appear that Spanish lace is to be the fashion for the coming season , and Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . have supplied themselves with goods which are practically worth more at the market than what they are now offering them to the public—thus , laces purchased at Sd . in the season are now lod . and 11 Jd . manufacturer ' s prices . Spanishlace
is to be used for fichus , mantles , and all the latest novelties . Intimately connected with the milinery department is that of flowers . The perfection which has been attained in recent years making this now an indispensable part of a lady ' s modern attire . Our country friends can scarcely realize how perfectly modern art and ingenuity can produce flowersso perfectly imitating thebcauties of the garden , in fact , even excelling the works of nature
herself , as she is often fickle and produces an impelled article . 'I he manner in which a rose or a camelia , grasses , sprays , & c , are imitated , leaves nothing to be desired cither as to perfection of colour or form . Of course there are disasters sometimes in business , and it would appear that one of the most eminent city firms has recently succumbed to such , and the stock of this good firm , whose name it would be invidious to quote , has been purchased by Messrs .
JOHNSTONE & Co ., and we had the pleasure of viewing it , and must confess that the artificial flowers were undistinguishable from real . The window looked very much like a florist's shop such as Messrs . Wills ' , of Regent-street , and failing their smell or odour one could hardly believe but what they were real . They were sold at 7 gi per cent , off makers' price . Owing- to the subtle and uncertain climate of the country one hardly knows how to dress one's self , either as against
frost or heat . The department of Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co ., in which exigencies are made for the weather , includes umbrellas , parasols , und waterproof clothing and cloaks made specially with hoods for the protection of the dress from wet . For the more severe weather ( of which we at present have a taste ) cloaks lined with fur , and the usual contents of a furrier's shop , are here in great variety . Gentlemen can find at Edgware Road hats , caps ,
readymade clothing- for distribution or personal use , or readymade clothing for the boys ; while for their own personal use a first-class cutter , and handsome show-rooms and material are set apart for the use of gentlemen . We were glad to notice that Messrs . MILLING , the present proprietors , have made provision for a tailoring
department being made in well-ventilated premises for the purpose . All who know the . 'adly squalid homes in which too often the tailor and the operator reside must dread the contagion necessarily consequent upon articles being made up where cleanliness does not prevail . It would appear that at Edgware Road the ladies' costumes are made in appai tments clean , wholesome , and well ventilated .
FURNITURE . In the Furnishing Department several very handsome large and well lit rooms have been devoted , where goods are displayed to advantage , and can be seen without any doubt as to quality or character , which is too often the fate in ill-lighted or over-crowded shops . Every article of furniture , from the simplest cottage or workman ' s home to the requirements of the bungalow in India or the nobleman ' s palace in England , can be supplied at the shortest notice .
I he selection of carpets from Persia , Kidderminster , Brussels , Turkey , and other looms of the earth contribute a great variety , open to the purchaser at prices varying from tapestry at is . a yard up to 20 s . a yard when required . This sum not being spared or grudged by the wealthy in fitting up their sumptuous palaces . Wc do not know if any of our readers have ever betn into a room where carpets are made . Certainly , few have
Rambles Among The Shops Of London.
the ability to plan and make carpets . This would appear to be a special business , both in laying , cutting , p lanning , and stitclii ng . The floors of single rooms furnished by this firm were reproduced by laying carpets out as they appeared ; they were made thereto , every little corner of the intended room is carefully cut out , so that the article can be sent home and falls lightly as a chair into its place . To make carpets by hand is a special feature requiring a peculiar sleight of hand which at present no machine has
ever been able to accomplish . The carpet makers in Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . ' s business have been some years in their service . Great attention seems to have been paid by the firm in the matter of coverings for passages , kitchens , offices , etc ., etc ., in the use of materials known as Linoleum , Kamptulicon , etc . In a well-lighted vestibule some of the most beautiful prints and fashions upon the old-fashioned oilcloth were displayed on enormous coils or rollers . As
showing the great perfection reached by our modern floorcloth makers the designs did not exhibit the old glaring colours as formerly , but are more harmoniously blended and resting to the eye . In these spacious furniture rooms—which we are informed are the largest and best lighted in London , cabinets and general furniture are sufficiently varied to meet all tastes , but the lovers of the Queen Ann era furniture may furnish their houses to any extent with modern reproductions of an ancient form .
HOUSEHOLD LINEN , & C . All heads of households know full well the importance of what is called solid drapery , in the form of calicoes , linens , blankets , flannels , and the other hard wearing materials for domestic use . This would appear to be one of Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . ' s leading departments , and Rochdale , Manchester , Belfast , and the Yorkshire districts are laid under contribution by buyers for the supply of the various textures
required , from a cambric handkerchief to a costly tablecloth . The purchaser need not depart from Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . ' s to seek elsewhere for ironmongery , crockery , electro plate , bedsteads , bedding , kitchen utensils , musical instruments , general bric-a-bac , pictures , oleographs , curtains , and ornaments , as they are displayed in these handsome rooms , in the greatest variety and price . It would appear that in tiiis department Messrs . JOHNSTONE & Co . aim to "furnish complete . "
FOOD , DRINKS , & C . Grocery Department . — As the business of Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . includes customers in all parts of London and its extensive suburbs , it follows as a matter of convenience and developement of business , that the same carts that can deliver millinery , furniture , and clothing in general , might just as well deliver provisions to Messrs . J OHNSTONE ' S various customers . In recent years a very
important addition to their business has been made in the addition of stores where food , consisting of bacon , ham , butter , cheese , potted meats , soups , etc ., are supplied at the very lowest wholesale or export prices , the principle being that such exceptional rates require cash payments . Butcher ' s meat appears to be avoided , but the grocery department appears par excellence the leading feature in the food section of their business . We had the pleasure of
sampling a blended tea fit for any table at is . Sd . per lb . When one old enough remembers black tea at 5 s . and 6 s . per lb . in his boyhood ' s days , andean now secure an article equally as good at the ridiculous rate now quoted , some of the advantages of living in 1 SS 1 will be apparent . In connection with this department Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . supply wines , spirits , clarets , champagnes , beers and ales of all brands ; also , for the use of gentlemen , cigars ,
tobaccos , pipes , & c . Being colliery proprietors in the North of England , they can supply a special coal of their own production , but owing to its friable character it is undesirable to bring it to the London market . Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . having made arrangements with several owners are ready to fill coalcellars as well as the wine-cellars of their clients with good coals .
STATIONERY , TOYS , DRUGS , PERFUMERY . In other departments the most ample stocks seem to be kept of stationery , toys , drugs , and perfumery . The great preference the co-operative stores have hitherto had by the public was due to their supplying articles little in demand at a small profit , such as patent medicines , perfumery , etc . ; this has hitherto been their chief attraction . Messrs . D . B . JOHNSTONE & Co . supply patent medicines , sauces , etc ., at store prices .
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS . All articles are marked in ready-money figures , and the prices will challenge competition . There is a natural reluctance to ask many questions when purchasing about price , when the buyer is hesitating as to what he can spend ; here every article is plainly ticketed , thus saving
considerable trouble . While the firm in no case" aim to be manufacturers , yet in upholstery special attention seems to be paid to the finishing of materials , hence the house are practically upholsterers , as a large and skilled body of men are kept for this purpose ; every article is stuffed with clean , wholesome materials , and furnish a pleasant contrast to many wc have
seen . A room of very ample dimensions is set apart for preparing patterns to meet the requirements of country correspondents . Vcry few people have any idea of the extent to which this is carried in a large house of business , and the material cut up and the cost of postage gratis ; also private rooms for trying on ladies' dresses . The packing room in which the porters rule , and through
which the goods pass for distribution b y their carts all over London , occupies a basement , commodious , well ventilated , and very different to many where clerks and porters have to pack . This establishment is served by a staff of 200 or more ladies and gentlemen engaged as assistants in the various sections of the business . The philanthropic among our readers will rejoice to know that this large staff are well
housed on the premises , in handsome rooms , with proper accommodation , well fed , and treated with the consideration due to their class , and their salaries are liberal . The various places of business are closed in the evening at S o'clock , and on Saturdays at 2 o'clock ; these hours of business being very different from those experienced by
shopkeepers in general some twenty-five years ago . Every member of the staff has the special privilege of a fortnight's holiday during his year of service . A library and smoke room are at their service ; concerts are held , and cricket and rowing clubs and other wholesome forms of recreative amusement are encouraged by the firm and enjoyed by the staff .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Rambles Among The Shops Of London.
Rambles among the Shops of London .
THE GENERAL PROVIDERS , MESSRS . D . B . J OHNSTONE , & CO ., EDGWARE ROAD , W . Alighting from the Edgware-road Station on a visit to the above well-known establishment , now opposite the Station itself . thevistor had to face the question , did the railway create the shop , known under the title of this article , or did Messrs .
D . B . J OHNSTONE construct the railway to bring customers to their varied stores ? Certainly , on alighting from a train which brought us from the city in twenty minutes , the first and most patent facts presented were establishments in which the general providers of the West of London supply food , drinks , clothing , furniture , IN ALL PRICES AND
VARIETIES FOR ALL CLASSES IN SOCIETY . Having a leisure afternoon at our command we availed ourselves of a card of introduction to the resident principal , Mr . A . Milling , and soon found ourselves in an ofiice bristling with rules and documents and a communicative courtesy which easily supplied information to many inquiries .
CO-OPERATION AND M ODERN SHOPKEEPING . Query . Do not co-operative stores meet the requirements of " the public for low prices and variety ? Reply ; No . Co-operation in trade , as understood by the public , may succeed in the city itself , say at Queen Victoria-street , or at Westminster or Covent Garden , but it fails in the suburbs . What is known as co-operation is simply capital to
purchase by the principal , and cash payments by the purchasers . When the purchaser pays cash , small profits are practicable , and business becomes remunerative ; the buyer is satisfied , and the seller is able to pay his way . Unfortunately , an unreasonable public required low prices and credit . The inevitable average of bad debts ensued and necessitated an increase in price to cover losses . The introduction of
cooperation and cash payments conferred a benefit upon modern traders , the health y results of which are permeating society . Query . What is the difference between a cooperative store and your various departments . Answer . Great . A co-operative store , by an aggregation of capital supplies for cash certain articles in demand to members who pay a premium in the shape of an entrance fee or
ticket , but in our business we individually supply the capital , charge no entrance fees or subscriptions , mark every article in plain figures for cash , and , buying with judgment , paying cash , and receiving cash , rule our little kingdom with diligence and courtesy . We forget cooperation , or when alluded to , present to our clients the co-operation we control , of capital , enterprise , and
knowledge , and abide the result . Querist . But do not many minds , like heads of departments in a co-operative store , secure advantages to the public . Answer . Not necessarily . It is the old question of monarchy or republic . A vigorous monarchy is better than a divided republic , a virtuous body of public men is better than a fiddling Nero , or a luxurious Charles II ., or a
military despot like the first Napoleon ; so in business a concern like D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . 's , nourished by capital , controlled with personal vigilance with an eye only to the public favour and weal , must be a certain and personal success . ¦ It is co-operation pure and simple . DRAPERS PURE AND SIMPLE ( Query ) . — Why extended to supplies of furniture and goods ? (
Answer)—The concentration of four millions of people in a narrow area , carried by an underground system of railway in a short space of time , needed a corresponding response from the capitalist . This travelling public , with little time to spare , require , at certain convenient centres , depots where they can buy in one call , food to eat , furniture to use , and clothing to put on . The envoys sent to buy
reasonably require variety in the stock to select from—the lowest prices for cash payments—well-lighted modern premises in which articles required may be viewed from many standpoints . Evidently these desiderata arc not secured in the old City of London proper , where land , light , and space are fabulously valuable . They are at the service of capitalists in the suburbs , and the underground railway
contributes to the nourishment and development of such suburban trade , to the great advantage of the public . Fearing lest we should weary our readers with too much of the A . B . C . of political and commercial economy , wc brought our enquiries to a close , and requested our courteous host and general provider to enable us to view the machinery by which the world becomes acquainted with Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & CO .
The house that has been known for many years as D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co ., has recently passed into the possession of a firm of silk mercers and warehousemen with large places of business in Leeds , Newcastle-upon-Tyne , and possessing collieries and other properties in the North of England . Such an addition of wealth and capital to an old established concern gives the stability and the means of purchase which many an old established concern
requires . The extensive premises occupied by the firm comprise departments of business each presided over by a principal buyer , who is acquainted with the sources of supply , and is personally acquainted with manufacturers at home and abroad . The main divisions of this great business are comprised under the heads of Clothing , Furniture , and Food . Our readers may , perhaps , learn something interesting and profitablejrom the following notes on
CLOTHING . Dress for ladies , children , and gentlemen covers an enormous area of production . Wool from the Colonies ; cotton from Jndia , Egypt , and America ; silk from China , Italy , and Japan ; Linen from Ireland , Russia , and Belgium ; alpaca from South America and South Africa . The whole world is laid under tribute to furnish materials for
the clothing supplied by Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . Ladies' Dress . — The important articles of dress for ladies in silks , satins , woollens , with a miscellaneous variety of cottons , forms a considerable portion of Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . 's business , and the towns and seats of industry supplying such are Lyons for silks , Dublin for poplin , Macclesfield , etc . The merinos , a modem industry , are contributed by Bradford , etc . Nor is the
continent neglected by the buyers of the firm in seeking for novelties in texture or design . Rouen and kindred towns are periodically visited for the selection of everything that is new , useful , and cheap . The season of depression having passed away , and the economy necessary thereto diminished , silks and satins appear to be coming into force as the dress in which our fair ones may deck themselves in time to come . To make provision for this probable demand orders have been
Rambles Among The Shops Of London.
placed , and the shelves replenished with novelties in satins , velveteens , and silks . French Prints and Cottons . — The public is well acquainted with the wonderful strides that have recently been made in cottons for dress purposes . It is impossible
in many instances to distinguish the material in which some of the cottons appear , owing to the skilful manner in which the blocks have been cut and so carefully printed . Mantles and Costumes . —The mantle , costume , and milinery department is so pre-eminently a ladies' department that we hesitate any opinion .
HOSIERY , GLOVES . The continental sources of supply are very little known to the English public , nor do they understand the care and judgment required by experienced buyers in purchasing the ' products of flannels from Germany and hosiery of all kinds . We are sorry to state that vcry many of the best patterns that appear in Messrs . J OHNSTONE ' S window are more the invention of German manufacturers than they
are of our Leicester or Nottingham friends , who follow at a distance in designs and combinations of colour . So much attention is paid to art in the industrial education of operatives that Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . would be wanting in loyalty to their constituents if they did not recognise this essential and bring into one great emporium the productions of all looms of manufactories . Wc well remember the days of gloves , when kid in its various preparations was of most limited supply , and we
venture to say our grandmothers would be surprised to see the modern gloves that are nearly the length of an ancient stocking , with sixteen buttons , encasing a lady's arm in any colour , and forming , in many cases , a very suitable contrast to the dress . In the leading lines of this department Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . presented to our notice kid gloves for ladies , double buttons , at 2 s . Gkl . a pair , in all shades . With a view of extending business in this department , we were informed the same arc sent in return for P . O . orders , post free .
HABERDASHERY , LACES , FLOWERS , & C . The sources of supply are Leicester , London , and the Continent . The firm show an endless variety , with constant changes . When it is considered how much the trimmings of a lady ' s dress and the decorations of a home are contributed to from this department , the necessity for
judgment in selection and large variety wifi be seen . Owing to the revival of fashion in laces of recent years , the lace department of any large firm must necessarily be a most important one . Lace , as our readers well know , is divisible into two sources of supply—viz ., that for personal use , and that for domestic purposes , such
as curtains . Lace is supplied from Brussels , Nottingham , Paris , Calais , Valenciennes , Sepuy , Honiton , etc . They also show the following for the season : —Point d'Alencon , Marie Stuart , Vermicelli , Coraline , Cardinal , Mechlin , Newport , Brabant , Duchesse , D'Art , Russe , Languedoc , Bretonne , Fillegreue , Bruxelles , Old English Point , Honiton Point , Dentelle Modjeska , Old Valenciennes
Point , Irish Point , Dentelle Bluet , the St . James , the Regency , Old Venetian Point , Old Devonshire Point , etc . It would appear that Spanish lace is to be the fashion for the coming season , and Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . have supplied themselves with goods which are practically worth more at the market than what they are now offering them to the public—thus , laces purchased at Sd . in the season are now lod . and 11 Jd . manufacturer ' s prices . Spanishlace
is to be used for fichus , mantles , and all the latest novelties . Intimately connected with the milinery department is that of flowers . The perfection which has been attained in recent years making this now an indispensable part of a lady ' s modern attire . Our country friends can scarcely realize how perfectly modern art and ingenuity can produce flowersso perfectly imitating thebcauties of the garden , in fact , even excelling the works of nature
herself , as she is often fickle and produces an impelled article . 'I he manner in which a rose or a camelia , grasses , sprays , & c , are imitated , leaves nothing to be desired cither as to perfection of colour or form . Of course there are disasters sometimes in business , and it would appear that one of the most eminent city firms has recently succumbed to such , and the stock of this good firm , whose name it would be invidious to quote , has been purchased by Messrs .
JOHNSTONE & Co ., and we had the pleasure of viewing it , and must confess that the artificial flowers were undistinguishable from real . The window looked very much like a florist's shop such as Messrs . Wills ' , of Regent-street , and failing their smell or odour one could hardly believe but what they were real . They were sold at 7 gi per cent , off makers' price . Owing- to the subtle and uncertain climate of the country one hardly knows how to dress one's self , either as against
frost or heat . The department of Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co ., in which exigencies are made for the weather , includes umbrellas , parasols , und waterproof clothing and cloaks made specially with hoods for the protection of the dress from wet . For the more severe weather ( of which we at present have a taste ) cloaks lined with fur , and the usual contents of a furrier's shop , are here in great variety . Gentlemen can find at Edgware Road hats , caps ,
readymade clothing- for distribution or personal use , or readymade clothing for the boys ; while for their own personal use a first-class cutter , and handsome show-rooms and material are set apart for the use of gentlemen . We were glad to notice that Messrs . MILLING , the present proprietors , have made provision for a tailoring
department being made in well-ventilated premises for the purpose . All who know the . 'adly squalid homes in which too often the tailor and the operator reside must dread the contagion necessarily consequent upon articles being made up where cleanliness does not prevail . It would appear that at Edgware Road the ladies' costumes are made in appai tments clean , wholesome , and well ventilated .
FURNITURE . In the Furnishing Department several very handsome large and well lit rooms have been devoted , where goods are displayed to advantage , and can be seen without any doubt as to quality or character , which is too often the fate in ill-lighted or over-crowded shops . Every article of furniture , from the simplest cottage or workman ' s home to the requirements of the bungalow in India or the nobleman ' s palace in England , can be supplied at the shortest notice .
I he selection of carpets from Persia , Kidderminster , Brussels , Turkey , and other looms of the earth contribute a great variety , open to the purchaser at prices varying from tapestry at is . a yard up to 20 s . a yard when required . This sum not being spared or grudged by the wealthy in fitting up their sumptuous palaces . Wc do not know if any of our readers have ever betn into a room where carpets are made . Certainly , few have
Rambles Among The Shops Of London.
the ability to plan and make carpets . This would appear to be a special business , both in laying , cutting , p lanning , and stitclii ng . The floors of single rooms furnished by this firm were reproduced by laying carpets out as they appeared ; they were made thereto , every little corner of the intended room is carefully cut out , so that the article can be sent home and falls lightly as a chair into its place . To make carpets by hand is a special feature requiring a peculiar sleight of hand which at present no machine has
ever been able to accomplish . The carpet makers in Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . ' s business have been some years in their service . Great attention seems to have been paid by the firm in the matter of coverings for passages , kitchens , offices , etc ., etc ., in the use of materials known as Linoleum , Kamptulicon , etc . In a well-lighted vestibule some of the most beautiful prints and fashions upon the old-fashioned oilcloth were displayed on enormous coils or rollers . As
showing the great perfection reached by our modern floorcloth makers the designs did not exhibit the old glaring colours as formerly , but are more harmoniously blended and resting to the eye . In these spacious furniture rooms—which we are informed are the largest and best lighted in London , cabinets and general furniture are sufficiently varied to meet all tastes , but the lovers of the Queen Ann era furniture may furnish their houses to any extent with modern reproductions of an ancient form .
HOUSEHOLD LINEN , & C . All heads of households know full well the importance of what is called solid drapery , in the form of calicoes , linens , blankets , flannels , and the other hard wearing materials for domestic use . This would appear to be one of Messrs . D . B . J OHNSTONE & Co . ' s leading departments , and Rochdale , Manchester , Belfast , and the Yorkshire districts are laid under contribution by buyers for the supply of the various textures
required , from a cambric handkerchief to a costly tablecloth . The purchaser need not depart from Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . ' s to seek elsewhere for ironmongery , crockery , electro plate , bedsteads , bedding , kitchen utensils , musical instruments , general bric-a-bac , pictures , oleographs , curtains , and ornaments , as they are displayed in these handsome rooms , in the greatest variety and price . It would appear that in tiiis department Messrs . JOHNSTONE & Co . aim to "furnish complete . "
FOOD , DRINKS , & C . Grocery Department . — As the business of Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . includes customers in all parts of London and its extensive suburbs , it follows as a matter of convenience and developement of business , that the same carts that can deliver millinery , furniture , and clothing in general , might just as well deliver provisions to Messrs . J OHNSTONE ' S various customers . In recent years a very
important addition to their business has been made in the addition of stores where food , consisting of bacon , ham , butter , cheese , potted meats , soups , etc ., are supplied at the very lowest wholesale or export prices , the principle being that such exceptional rates require cash payments . Butcher ' s meat appears to be avoided , but the grocery department appears par excellence the leading feature in the food section of their business . We had the pleasure of
sampling a blended tea fit for any table at is . Sd . per lb . When one old enough remembers black tea at 5 s . and 6 s . per lb . in his boyhood ' s days , andean now secure an article equally as good at the ridiculous rate now quoted , some of the advantages of living in 1 SS 1 will be apparent . In connection with this department Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . supply wines , spirits , clarets , champagnes , beers and ales of all brands ; also , for the use of gentlemen , cigars ,
tobaccos , pipes , & c . Being colliery proprietors in the North of England , they can supply a special coal of their own production , but owing to its friable character it is undesirable to bring it to the London market . Messrs . J OHNSTONE & Co . having made arrangements with several owners are ready to fill coalcellars as well as the wine-cellars of their clients with good coals .
STATIONERY , TOYS , DRUGS , PERFUMERY . In other departments the most ample stocks seem to be kept of stationery , toys , drugs , and perfumery . The great preference the co-operative stores have hitherto had by the public was due to their supplying articles little in demand at a small profit , such as patent medicines , perfumery , etc . ; this has hitherto been their chief attraction . Messrs . D . B . JOHNSTONE & Co . supply patent medicines , sauces , etc ., at store prices .
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF BUSINESS . All articles are marked in ready-money figures , and the prices will challenge competition . There is a natural reluctance to ask many questions when purchasing about price , when the buyer is hesitating as to what he can spend ; here every article is plainly ticketed , thus saving
considerable trouble . While the firm in no case" aim to be manufacturers , yet in upholstery special attention seems to be paid to the finishing of materials , hence the house are practically upholsterers , as a large and skilled body of men are kept for this purpose ; every article is stuffed with clean , wholesome materials , and furnish a pleasant contrast to many wc have
seen . A room of very ample dimensions is set apart for preparing patterns to meet the requirements of country correspondents . Vcry few people have any idea of the extent to which this is carried in a large house of business , and the material cut up and the cost of postage gratis ; also private rooms for trying on ladies' dresses . The packing room in which the porters rule , and through
which the goods pass for distribution b y their carts all over London , occupies a basement , commodious , well ventilated , and very different to many where clerks and porters have to pack . This establishment is served by a staff of 200 or more ladies and gentlemen engaged as assistants in the various sections of the business . The philanthropic among our readers will rejoice to know that this large staff are well
housed on the premises , in handsome rooms , with proper accommodation , well fed , and treated with the consideration due to their class , and their salaries are liberal . The various places of business are closed in the evening at S o'clock , and on Saturdays at 2 o'clock ; these hours of business being very different from those experienced by
shopkeepers in general some twenty-five years ago . Every member of the staff has the special privilege of a fortnight's holiday during his year of service . A library and smoke room are at their service ; concerts are held , and cricket and rowing clubs and other wholesome forms of recreative amusement are encouraged by the firm and enjoyed by the staff .