The grocer's window book

Front matter

The Grocers WmdowBook

Class _±LtL5$3r°l

Copyright>3?-

Part One

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONCERNING CONSTRUCTION, VENTILATION AND LIGHTING OF SHOW WINDOWS; SHOW CARD WRITING.

The Modern Store Front

*w* HEX retailing began, the art of dis- JgL play began, and up through its various *™ stages probably no part of retailing has undergone such radical improvement as the art of display. It is useless to try to get by the fact that every purchase each one of us makes, no matter what it may be, follows naturally that first step of attraction. The store front of today possesses the very same function it possessed in its conception — to show and sell merchandise. The degree of its success is always dependable upon these elements; its fitness to the business with which it is associated, its general attractiveness and its efficiency. By "fitness to the business with which it is associated" is meant that a store front to be successful must be designed so that the merchant is

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A Variety of Store Front Plans Showing Different Methods of Providing for Vestibule, Window

Space and Entrance to Upper Floor enabled to exhibit practically every line every day.

The primary function of a store front is to show and sell merchandise. Put an article in the window on display and its chance for quick sale is increased. Then it is safe to say that if four articles are displayed in the windows the sales on these four articles will increase. A store front that will make possible the most comprehensive and attractive display every minute of the day is one of the fundamentals in window trimming.

A design of store front that has been adopted by a good many grocers with much success is one that can be installed in a building all the way from 20 feet to 30 feet in width. There is one point it is well to bear in mind, and that is in the desire to increase actual show window space, don't sacrifice vestibule space. No matter how many hundreds of people become interested in the store's window displays, and even stop to study them, they will not enter the store if crowding and jostling become necessary.

Large rentals are paid by stores to become centrally located — to become so located that the maximum number of people pass the store's windows. To be able to show the greatest number of people what they have for sale, through their store front, large rentals are paid. Some merchants even go so far as to state that two-thirds of their rental is for show window purposes.

That the installation of modern store fronts is justified only in the largest cities *nd that the small-town stores cannot afford to adopt modern and attractive store fronts is, of course, a fallacy long since exploded.

There are today thousands and thousands of examples to disprove that thought.

When a new store front is planned it is well to make a thorough investigation — to be unquestionably sure that the front adopted is the proper one.

Make a study of some modern fronts "to find new ideas, and when a good point is found and one that is successful, put it down on paper. It is not necessary to be a practical mechanical draftsman in order to lay out a modern store front because a successful front is built around the requirements of the business with which it is associated. The only reason a new store front is justified is its ability to increase your business because of its provision for attracting more trade.

When a new front is to be installed don't leave all the details to a carpenter. No matter how much experience he has had in building he is not competent to design the store front to fit the business, simply because his experience has not been in that channel.

First figure out what the business needs, then call in a carpenter to help work it out structurally. Most any carpenter can build a front that will keep out the rain and cold — most any of them can build a partition — but it takes a merchant or a store front specialist to design a front that will fit the business — one that will modernize it and increase the sales of the store.

The plans shown give an adequate idea as to the many different types that can be installed to produce the desired results.

In the first cut the front elevation of a popular style of store front is shown. It is of simple design and presents altogether cast-iron parts and glass. The construction aims at the presentation of the store's front, hiding nothing from the view of the passer-by.

At the top and across the entire front of the store is a wide metal cross beam supported at each side of the building by cast-iron columns. The prisms immediately below this beam are set in narrow metal strips, which applies as well to the plate-glass windows. The section below the windows are likewise of this same construction and the cast-iron vestibule arrangement is shown in the plan at the bottom of this group.

At the right is shown a cross section of the construction of the store front, so enlarged as to give in detail the metal parts which support firstly the wall of the building above the store front, the several sections of metal holding the glass, and then the ventilating feature, which makes possible a clear glass show window during cold weather.

A careful examination of this portion of the drawing will reveal the vents or openings designed to ventilate the window and so make possible a clear view of the contents of the show windows. The draining is accomplished by means of these openings, as all condensation from the windows falls directly through these openings, dispensing with the use of a gutter.

Another of the important features of this construction is the possibility of setting of all glass from the outside, making unnecessary the ripping out of the entire contents or inside fixtures of the window when a pane of glass is to be set.

The other cut shows a variety of floor plans providing for the layout of vestibule window and stairway entrance to upper floors.

"Increased sales" is the one big business excuse for the installation of a new store front.

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An illustration of a modern store front, providing the maximum of display space byreason of the island window in the center with the vestibule entrance, similar to Plan No. 10, illustrated in the plate on Page 12.

II

Ventilation to Prevent Frosting jfcwTIHEN the frost is on the window your jj^. big advertising medium is out of cir- *""■ culation. Cold weather is no excuse for lack of effort at window trimming and frosted windows cause the passer-by to pass faster.

An "open" window in a row of frosted ones will be the oasis in the desert and will attract that passer-by. A frosted window glass is worse than having no show window at all. It is a silent witness that the store is not as progressive as it might be. A bright, cheery show window in the coldest weather is all the more inviting because of the contrast between the window and the weather.

Frost on show windows occurs because of condensation, which is caused, of course, by the difference in temperature in front and on the back of the plate-glass. If the air in the window is warmer than outside, the moisture therein condenses when it strikes the cold glass and in extremely cold weather turns to frost.

For this reason it is necessary to have (some arrangement whereby the temperature on both sides of the glass is practically -equal.

Several remedies have been found successful to prevent frost-covered windows. Some of them are only good for slight cases of frosting. Where these simple remedies do not work, it will be necessary to ventilate the window, and in some cases to reconstruct the window entirely and have it built along scientific lines.

The methods to be described are not difficult to prepare nor do they cost very much. Figure A shows the floor of the window, with a hole cut in it and another cut in the outside baseboard. The two are connected by a common stovepipe elbow and the two holes should be covered with heavy mesh netting, in order to keep out hs much of the street litter as possible.

For a six foot window there should be Rt least two such openings and three would be better. On the floor of the window

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•p«B there should be placed a deflector that will send the incoming cold air up against the window, and will also protect the wire netting and prevent its being easily broken.

This metal cover should be closed on the two sides and made to flare towards the glass so as to throw the cold air towards it. Figure B shows the top of the window sash with holes drilled to allow the air from the openings underneath to escape. It is necessary that there be plenty of these holes in the top of the window, as constant circulation of this cold air is the essence of the plan.

Figure C shows a metal hood attached outside of the top window sash, so as to prevent snow or rain from entering the window.

There are several ways of ventilating windows of old pattern. First, the floor and background must be made thoroughly air-tight, and then the ventilation arranged by means of any of the following plans which adapt themselves to the constructioi of any particular window.

One method is to bore holes through th window molding in which the glass rests about one inch in diameter ; also bore cor responding holes in the upper sash of th window, these holes to be six to tweb inches apart. There is a metal tube wit screened ends that can be procured to fi

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4X.I into these holes, as in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 suggests how these holes can be bored on the lower and upper sash of the window.

If the glass is so set that there is no wooden sash to bore through, it will be necessary to overcome this by installing air ducts from the base of the window up through the floor. Fig. 3 shows an opening made in the front of the window base or bulkhead and a corresponding opening made in the window floor. These two openings can be connected with tin pipe. In the top of the window is an opening of the same size.

There are still some show windows built in what might be termed "bay-window style," protruding out over the sidewalk. Fig. 4 shows how it is possible to ventilate this type of window. All that is necessary is to bore holes through the floor which overhangs the sidewalk, with corresponding holes in the ceiling of the window. This provides for the ventilation. It will be necessary, however, to put a small tin cover over the holes in the roof, so that rain will not get into the window through the holes. In the upper corner of the drawing is shown a practical method of protecting these top openings.

In a detailed drawing, in the lower part of Fig. 4, is illustrated one method of arranging for a slide that will close up the openings in the base of the window. This is particularly desirable in summer, when ventilation is not needed, and when dust is likely to get into the window.

Where the back of a window is not enclosed it is practically impossible to use a ventilating system to prevent window frosting. About the only thing that can be done in a window of this kind is to get enough heat next to the glass so that it is too warm for the frost to accumulate. Electric heaters or oil heaters are sometimes used. Another method of heating the air adjoining the inside of glass is depicted in Fig. 5, where a gas pipe is run along the lower edge of the glass, the upper surface of the pipe pierced with tiny holes about one inch apart.

When the gas is turned on and a match applied to these openings, a series of small gas jets throw an even amount of heat up over the entire surface of the glass.

Xone of these methods are very sightly, and there is always the additional danger of fire, or damage to goods by the heat.

Some success has been had in slight cases of glass frosting by applying various preparations to the surface of the inside of the glass.

This plan at best is but a makeshift, however. In many cases frost will not accumulate on glass that has been rubbed with a rag saturated with alcohol. This alcohol operation will have to be repeated (in very cold weather several times a day. Instead of using plain alcohol, some stores use glycerine and water, while others use ammonia and salt water, or alcohol and water.

Another formula is the following: A thin layer of paste made of water, glycerine, white candy and sugar, in equal parts, with a small quantity of coumarin (which is a camphor derived from the tonka bean) spread over the glass, will not affect its transparency and prevents the precipitation of moisture and frost in many cases.

Where windows do not frost over very badly it is possible to keep the glass clear by throwing a strong current of air over the inside surface by means of an electric fan, although this may be called an expensive method. Screen the fan with merchandise or show card, so it cannot be seen. The current of air from the fan should strike the glass from one side and sweep over the entire surface, thus creating a circulation of air over as much of the glass surface as possible. For extremely large windows it is often necessary to use two fans.

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Lighting the Show Window

[fcnfllNDOW lighting is as old as the shop L£*^J window, and methods employed for Baaa illumination of displays have advanced with the development in prominence and importance of the show window itself. It is only a few decades ago that candles and oil lamps were used as a source of illumination for the night-lighted shop window. These were succeeded by gas jets and mantle lights, but when the electric incandescent lamps came into general use, a new era for window lighting began.

These lamps are easy to apply and because of their brilliancy and misapplication, the science of correct show window lighting began to develop rapidly. The window lighting unit now, instead of shedding only a certain amount of radiance, is made to serve a definite purpose. It is possible to control the light to meet the demands of the merchant, who by careful and intelligent use of the light may cause his window to stand out at night as attractively, or more so, than it does during the day.

Waste of light has been one of the most common defects. Too many lights have been used and these incorrectly located or placed in shades or reflectors of improper shape. In many cases half the light paid for has been wasted on the sidewalk or in portions of the window where it was not needed. Exposed lights have been allowed to blaze in the eyes of the possible customers. The importance of concealing the lamps is strongly emphasized, especially since the advent of the gas-filled lamp entirely changed ; a reflector better suited for the window was installed and located correctly in such a position that the lamp was not visible from outside. The recount that was made on four successive nights indicate that 72 per cent of the passers-by were attracted — an increase of 500 per cent. In other words, the merchant installing the

Types of Reflectors for Window Display Lighting: Designed to Concentrate Light as Required by Display which is now being very extensively used ' for window lighting purposes. The brilliant filament of this lamp, unshaded, is injurious to the eye.

Experiments furnish quantitative data on the effect of the attractive power of hiding the lighting units from the view of the passer-by. A window was equipped with fairly expensive lighting fixtures carrying a number of opal glass shades, suspended in full view. By actual count extending over four nights, this window attracted the attention of about 12 per cent of the persons passing. The lighting equipment was then up-to-date and rational system of lighting increased five to one his chances for making his window count in increasing his sales.

The light which falls upon the merchandise in the show window should come from above and from the front. The carrying out of this principle insures that the shadows will be correct.

The intensity of illumination required in the show window depends upon several conditions, such as the character of the goods on display, the location of the store, the kind of background and decorations used,

PJ as well as the intensity of the street illumination. Dark goods obviously require a brighter illumination than light goods, which naturally reflect a greater proportion of the light that falls upon them. The store in a small city or outlying city street can be attractively lighted with a much less intensity than is required for the prominent windows of the large metropolis. In many cases it is necessary to increase the intensity of window lighting, because of the competition of a bright street illumination.

Dim light lacks "punch." People pass such windows without noticing them because there is nothing to attract the eye. Glaring light hurts the eyes. A brilliant light attracts attention to itself instead of to the goods in the window. Bright light from concealed sources commands attention, displays the goods beautifully, makes seeing easy and holds the crowds.

Keen competition demands the use of the most efficient equipment in window lighting, as well as in other departments of a commercial enterprise. There are hundreds of ways to light show windows and the market offers many appliances for the purpose. Each show window presents a distinct problem for the merchant and lighting man. To illustrate the importance of using the correct shape of reflector of the most efficient type it has often been found that by replacing old equipment with properly designed reflectors, the light on the goods can easily be doubled without any increase in current. In other words, it is common to find losses of thirty to fifty per cent in a window lighting installation. These losses are mainly due to the inefficiency of the reflectors used, poor design or improperly shaped reflectors, or to the use of reflectors which are not intended or suited to window lighting.

The only reflectors to use for show windows are those which have been designed especially for this class of lighting. Present practice in show window illumination indicates that the units for one lamp only are to be preferred to reflectors with more than one lamp — such as troughs, clusters, etc. The individual reflector allows absolute control of the light given off by the lamp and delivers it on the goods within certain definite angles, thus avoiding a waste of light on the sidewalk and on the window top.

IV Writing Show Cards

"I" T is not the intention here to give ^-> a complete course in practical study §SS of show card writing, but merely to present fundamentals useful in doing the necessary show card writing for grocery stores, where a great number of cards in black and white work, or staple, easily read alphabets are in demand, and therefore just three of the easy, rapid single stroke show card alphabets are explained here.

Before taking up the details of the making of these different alphabets, a few remarks in regard to tools and materials required for doing rapid show card lettering are in order.

First, it is necessary to have a set of red sable chisel edge brushes, in sizes No. 6, making a stroke l /s inch wide, No. 8, 3/16' inch wide, No. 10, % inch wide, No. 12, 5/16 inch wide. These should always be taken care of at the close of the work, by dipping in water and drawing all ink from the bristles, cleaning thoroughly, and flattening to ^he chisel shape, then left to dry in this position. Do not carry these brushes in the pocket or in an envelope or receptacle where the bristles touch a surface to cause them to twist out of shape. Otherwise the brushes will be of little practical use for any length of time, and it will be impossible to do good work with them.

Prepared show card inks are to be had in any color from one ounce to one quart bottles. Because of the perfect preparation of these inks it is suggested they be used instead of oils or opaque paint for this work.

A suitable card for grocery- show cards is a plain white six ply bristol board, coated one side, which comes in standard dimensions of 22x28 inches, and this can be cut in the standard sizes p2, %, and % sheets. The best pens for rapid show card work to be had at a nominal cost are known as Soennecken pens, and range in size from Xo. 1 to No. 6. No. 1 makes a stroke 3/16 of an inch wide.

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The Roman Pen Stroke Letter Can Be Made Very Rapidly and Used to Advantage for

Many Smaller Signs

The Roman Stroke for Brush Work. Used for Large Cards, Show Letters and Numerals

The Roman pen stroke letter is very useful in card writing and has become quite popular because it can be made rapidly. This style of lettering can be used to advantage for small counter signs, price tickets, and window cards, on this account. The great advantage in using the pen for show card writing is its use on small letters. It is generally confined to letters less than y 2 inch in height, the larger ones being made with the brush. The cut on this page is an alphabet of the Roman pen stroke letter, made with the Soennecken pen.

To begin practice on the Roman stroke, use a No. 2 pen, and six ply bristol board, with a coated surface, and a good show card ink that will flow freely from the pen. Equal parts of Bissel's show card inks and Higgins' Eternal inks or letterine thoroughly mixed together made a good pen ink. Letterine or Bissel's show card ink used alone for the pen is too thick. Higgins' Eternal ink is jet black and very thin, and the two inks mixed together flow freely from the pen. Water may be used to thin the show card ink or letterine, if found too thick.

Take note of the letters A, B, C, D, E, F and G, also the figures 1 to 0, and the lower case letters a to e. Each letter is arrowed and numbered. Number 1 indicates the first stroke and the position. This same rule applies for all the letters.

In another sketch we will show almost identically the same alphabet made with the brush. Anyone who is familiar with, and has practiced, the Roman brush stroke will be able, with little trouble, to handle this alphabet, this being a matter of practice only.

For show cards of large size, or where striking headlines are suited, the grocer will find old Roman letters and figures easy to make and hence with a little practice, good style and results are obtained. The Roman stroke letter is of more general use than most of any of the different styles of letters. The grocer is likely to see a great many cards lettered with this style and thus become familiar with it, so that at spare times he will return to practice it ; and you know the old adage that "practice makes perfect."

The general formation of other alphabets is nearly the same as the Roman, the difference being the width of the stroke in different parts of the letters, the general direction of the stroke remaining the same.

Take the capital letter "H," for example. In practically every style this letter is made with two strokes downward and one from left to right. To make a Roman stroke capital H, take note on the plate this is made in three strokes, two down and one across. The spurs are made with a short stroke horizontally.

All strokes and directions necessary to do rapid work with this alphabet are shown at the beginning of the plate. Try this style, either large or small, when you have a great number of cards to make in a limited time. You will surprise yourself with results immediately.

Use lower case or small letters in conjunction with capitals for general work. This gives more white space as a background to make the wording stand out prominently.

The show card should be made to say something. There are just two kinds of show cards that talk, one has introductory reading the other suggests some specific quality demand, or use of the article.

Whatever a grocer may wish to say about certain goods he can print on a show card to place in the display window or the interior of the store alongside the goods : and here a good fast letter, made with pen or brush, is the best asset for doing good work.

The alphabet reproduced below is made with pen or brush, using a single stroke and movement from one position. If the pen is used it is held in one position throughout with the card straight in front of the writer.

The edge of the pen touches the card at an angle of 45 degrees. The spur and stroke of the letter is made in one swing of the arm. Again, we use the letter h, lower case, as an example. This letter is made in three strokes, spurs included.

Starting with the top spur made horizontally with a short stroke from left to right, bring the pen straight down, holding the point on the card at the 45 degree angle. Make the bottom spur with the same stroke, by using the short stroke to the right horizontally. Thus the first stroke and two spurs are completed without taking the pen from the card. Use this same principle throughout. In spacing the letters, the idea to bear in mind at all times is the equalizing of each space between letters, which does not mean that space between each must be the same but it is necessary to have the general area of white space equal.

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SiiKjte Stroke One fbaiiion

The Single Stroke for Pen or Brush. Made with One Swing of the Arm

Photographing the Show Window vjrfjHlLE the show window is one of the Jg£, most difficult things to photograph ^^ successfully, some simple precautions on the part of the photographer will produce satisfactory results. The first essential condition for a proper picture is to have the interior of the window lighter than the exterior. For that reason, the best pictures usually are taken at night under electric flood lights which themselves are hidden in the structure of the window. Early morning on a clear day, just before sunrise, is one of the best times to photograph a window because the light is strong and penetrating and a good picture usually results.

With a good lens, an exposure of from 10 to 30 minutes will be sufficient, though the size of the diaphragm in the lens must be considered. The smaller the diaphragm the more time required, but the small diaphragm gives an additional sharpness to the picture. During a long exposure people passing between the camera and the window without stopping will not injure the photograph. The time required is also influenced by the rapidity and make of the plate, so that in timing the picture, lens, plate and diaphragm must be taken into consideration.

The most frequent difficulty in securing good photographs is the reflection in the window. This is often avoided by providing a cloth screen of black cambric, sufficiently large to shut off all reflection when it is raised before the window. This screen, raised behind the camera when the picture is taken, will result in a clear picture. Flashlight pictures will not avoid reflection.

To avoid halation, photographers use as a backing for the plate a paper specially prepared to destroy these reflected light streaks. If the show window contains only black, white, brown, green and dark colored objects, it will be necessary only to use a destroyer back of the plate. If various shades of blue, violet and purple appear, it is advisable to use a ray filter in front or back of the lens.

Show windows should never be photographed when the sun is shining upon them. A dull day or early morning light will give better results.

If electric lights are in full view, precaution should be taken to cover them for a long exposure. Halation will result if this is not done. The best plate for the window photographer is a non-halation plate.