Page 193 - One Thousand Ways to Make $1000

avoidable. No better way of preparing yourself for a successful career in
business may be found than is furnished by specialized training in business
practice and business fundamentals. It certainly shortens the way to that “first
thousand.”

The “Ins and Outs” of Running a Gift Shop

M

RS. BARCLAY had $500. She wanted to start a business of her own. There
were already two struggling gift shops in the town, but they carried mediocre
merchandise. Any gift the least out of the ordinary had to be purchased from
the department stores in the near-by city. Practically everyone played bridge
the year round in this town and there was an active social life—plenty of
“showers” for brides-to-be, baby “showers,” announcement parties,
children’s birthday parties, etc. Here was a madeto-order market for gift
merchandise. “What this town needs is a good gift shop and I am going to see
that it has one,” Mrs. Barclay remarked to an old friend one day.

The first step was to find the proper location. A vacant store, near enough to
the business center to attract trade and not too near that the rent would be out
of line, proved to be an ideal location. The interior was painted a pale yellow,
and the inexpensive shelves and display tables made by a local carpenter
were painted the same color. Sheer yellow curtains at the two display
windows were drawn to the sides in order to permit the passer-by a clear
view of the interior. This one-color scheme made an effective background for
the display of merchandise which naturally comes in every color of the
rainbow.

One wall of shelves held china, pottery and glassware. The wall across from
it held brass, pewter, woodenware and silver gifts. The display shelves on the
back wall were low and above them was hung a lovely piece of chintz and a
colonial mirror. These low shelves held toys suitable for children from
infancy up to the age of ten or so. The space above the shelves on the other
two walls was large enough to permit the hanging of several pictures—
etchings, prints, reproductions of oils and water colors. Two comfortable