The Store That Measured a Town's Ambition

There is nothing that has advanced with greater strides in this city than merchandising. The quantity and quality of stock, the amount of sales and the receipt of goods tells a story of prosperity more effectually than anything else. A good name may look well on paper, but it takes real tangible business to prove solid and substantial growth. If there is nothing to the place but wind, the character of the shops therein is of the same inflating material. Talk may hoodwink some people, but it takes faithful figures and stuffed stores to show the actual business of a town.

We do not believe our statement will be gainsaid when we say that few towns anywhere have shown such a remarkable record in business statistics as has Spokane Falls. Men have opened out here and made fortunes, and those now in business have no cause to regret that they settled down in this city. Only a few years ago, so few that you may count the number on the fingers of one hand, the only store that the Falls could boast of was a little affair, with a small assortment of those articles indispensable to actual existence. No luxuries, no ornaments, no finery. The stock was displayed in a small, poorly lighted log house. Yet the proprietor was not at fault for the meagerness of his stock. It is true that his capital was short and remoteness from centres of trade made freighting very expensive, but the chief and great difficulty was that there existed no demand for any of the luxuries — and very little for the necessities of life. The traders were confined to a few settlers, an occasional emigrant, and the Indians, whose desires went a long way further than their cash.

But see what has sprung up out of this scanty nucleus. Look at the mammoth stores carrying every line of goods known to commerce, and stocks that would seem large in great cities. With the increase of population, the introduction of speedy means of transit have jumped up these marts of trade, several of which are carrying thousands of dollars worth of wares. Out of these several is one that we wish to speak of in particular in this notice, as it is an establishment that the entire population should feel justly proud of. We refer, and call attention, to the wholesale and retail mercantile house of Chas. Sweeny & Co., that has just taken possession of the magnificent storeroom in Union Block, at the corner of Howard and Front streets.

It is not our purpose to go into a detailed history of the progress of this firm, enough to say that ever since Mr. Sweeny opened here in the early spring, the business has steadily increased, until the sales per day are at the rate of almost $300,000 per annum. The long experience of Mr. Sweeny and the energy of himself and Mr. Linden have brought about this remarkable success to their business venture. The new store is, without a doubt, the most complete and the finest in every detail of any house in Washington Territory, and we make no exception. The storeroom proper occupies a space of 6,000 feet, every available foot of which is filled to overflowing with every description of merchandise. The ceilings are high, and the room is well lighted with an almost solid glass front. A double row of fluted columns running through the building support the upper floor. The carpenter work has been finished with great care, and the shelving has been put in with an eye to convenience and utility. At night the scene is brilliantly illuminated with a dozen large chandeliers and a number of bracket lamps, with piping in position to introduce gas.

In the northeast corner is a roomy, comfortable private office, with glass fronts, from which the entire store can be surveyed. To the right, upon entering the room, is a counter devoted entirely to staple and dress dry goods, embracing everything from the cheapest calico to the most expensive silks, satins and velvets. Beyond, on the same side of the room, is the boot and shoe department, and this line of goods in itself represents many thousand dollars. In the centre is a large oval platform of shelving surrounded with counters. This is the fancy goods and ladies' furnishing goods department, presided over by Miss Josie Sweeny — a new departure that will meet with real favor among the ladies. In the rear of this are a number of tables upon which is displayed an enormous stock of men's, youths' and boys' ready made clothing, of endless variety and prices. The left, or north, side is entirely devoted to the grocery department, which is in keeping with the other divisions of the store.

Standing in the front door one can see spread out, heaped up and shelved a stock of goods representing a vast capital and embracing everything that the wants of man may desire. And besides the neatness and elegance of the place everything is in perfect order, while a corps of able, obliging and accommodating clerks are hustling around in response to the ceaseless demands of customers. But this is not all. Let us descend into the basement. There is a floored cellar the same size as the room above. The dull gleam of a swinging lamp casts weird shadows in every direction, but as one's eyes become accustomed to the dingy light he is confronted by tier upon tier of boxes, bales, barrels and packages of goods. The entire basement is crowded full of merchandise in bulk of every description, from New York, Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco and Portland, and the firm is able to fill any order on the moment it reaches them to $10,000. A 2,500-pound safe occupies a position there, and an elevator is on the way from Chicago, which is to be used to hoist the heavy cases out of and into the basement.

You come up into the light of day struck with the extent and value of the stock, and surprised that so young a house has made so great an investment. Beside this down town house the firm will retain the store heretofore occupied, where such articles as crockery, glassware, queensware, carpets and oilcloths will be kept in stock, thus keeping up two separate branches. We cannot but regard the establishment of this mammoth house as a credit to Spokane Falls, and adds another impetus to the growing city. Mr. Sweeny tells us that he will fit out a complete wholesale department, which will meet the demands of the wholesale trade of the upper country. Such enterprise should be rewarded with great financial gain, and we hope to see the firm of Chas. Sweeny & Co. reap the harvest that they merit in this display of enterprise.

Messrs. Chas. Sweeny & Co. are making every preparation to increase their wholesale trade, and if capital, facilities and experience amount to anything they are bound to succeed. The wholesale department is under the management of Mr. R. I. Linden, who has had thirteen years' experience in the trade and who is perfectly familiar with the wants of interior merchants.