Sprouse Ritz Move to New Store Planned with Confidence in Future
September 3, 1939
In their new location at 610 Main Street, the staff of the Sprouse Reitz store is making every effort to have the store in order for a big opening day Monday. District Manager J. T. Snyder has been here several days assisting and will call in Managers J. B. Laveaga of the Sparks store and Walter Richards of Fallon to lend a hand.
Manager Sheeley of Portola will arrive Sunday morning, and these with a force augmented by local salespeople, will be ready to receive buyers and visitors all day Monday and also in the evening.
The building, formerly occupied by Safeway during the past five years, and previous to that by the Lassen Advocate, has been completely overhauled, enlarged and newly decorated throughout. As compared with the previous location, Sprouse-Reitz will have more than double the counter space and will display a number of lines of merchandise.
The building is 30×120 feet, with three large skylights, and electric lighting consists of 20 semi-indirect cylinder reflectors near the ceiling.
“Step up” display counters which have been adopted by all Sprouse Reitz stores during the past two years offers a distinct advantage in displaying the varied lines of merchandise. In dividing the counter space into compartments about 21/2 tons of bulb glass have been used. This is one of the interesting details in the general design, as bulb glass when first brought into use was the “waste” from immense glass factories. Its rounded edge with graduated thickness one time was cut away from around the edge of large plates and discarded. Of late years the demand far exceeded the supply and it was necessary for the store to ship from Belgium.
The counters are all open top, but underneath there is closed-in shelving, stocked with the lines shown on top.
At the entrance is a glass-enclosed candy case, divided into compartments of stainless steel with glass bottoms, assuring thorough cleanliness and sanitation in a greatly enlarged candy section.
Passing through the store one may wind through the aisles and in order to see attractive displays of toilet goods, notions and sewing needs, then infants’ apparel and silk underwear; on more counters are the electric supplies and hardware, kitchen tools, wooden ware and brushes, and at the extreme back of the store are shown 50 or more patterns of oilcloth on rolls, with paints and enamels in shelving at each end.
On the west side of the store towards the front is a much enlarged ribbon department with everything up to width 40, jewelry, art goods, hosiery and dry goods. Then on shelving which widens from the top to the bottom giving clear views of the display are glassware, crockery and dishes.
On the east side toward the front are souvenirs and novelties arranged under a mirror and indirect lightning most attractively. Extending along the east side are displays of toys, stationery, party favors, greeting cards, then come the aluminum, enamel and tinware.
Flood lights in the display windows and at the front of the store near the ceiling will be operated by time switches.
The Susanville store is not the largest amount the 152 Sprouse Reitz stores, all in the western states, but none has been more carefully planned and stocked, according to the district manager. The investment of thousands of dollars in store improvements, fixtures and enlarged stock, is cited as a mark of their confidence in the future of Susanville.
