Monday, April 02, 2007

And That Starts with “P”

Hulga was a rather formidable women, both in size and demeanor. Even though the war was over by now, the draft was still on and one of the store’s employees was called. We had a going-away party for him and coming home from the restaurant, Hulga glanced out of the car and remarked about a girl trudging along the street. “She looks like she’s been following the plow all her life,” Hulga said in her own blunt form of talking. “Well,” said our guest of honor. “My family lives on a farm and that’s my sister!” “That’s not the first time I stuck my foot in my mouth and it probably won’t be my last,” said Hulga with no more of an apology.

Pete was a good merchandiser and ahead of his time in some respects. Super markets today stay open 24 hours a day but in small town America in the 40s, Saturday was the only open night, but there was no self serve. The customer came in with a list and a clerk filled it. On Saturday nights the customers would come in early, leave their list and then go to the movie, the tavern, or just visit in the town square, only to come back at midnight to pick up their groceries.

Pete tired of that system, so he put a notice in his newspaper ad that the next week we would close at 8 p.m. and any groceries left in the store would be stacked out front. I think we had one box of groceries left that first week, but after that we were able to get out of the store early and no complaints. Customers can be trained!

Food rationing was still in effect and many items were hard to get. Wholesalers used the situation to get rid of slow moving products. They promised extra boxes of candy bars, or whatever was in short supply at the time, if the grocer would accept these slow movers.

In this situation, we were stuck with a dozen cases of Otoe brand beans that just didn’t sell. Pete told us to build a wooden bin and put it right in the front where customers couldn’t miss it.

“Take the beans and dump them in the bin,” Pete said. “Don’t line them up in rows or anything -- just pile them up”

The beans normally sold for 10 cents a can but Pete made a huge sign that read, “Just In -- New Otoe Beans--2 CANS FOR 25¢.” The beans sold out in three days and we got extra goodies from the wholesaler. The candy bars were used as gifts to customers when they paid their bill at the end of the month.

That was something I still don’t understand. Pete carried them for 30 days without interest and then gave them a bonus. That practice changed, of course, when stores became self-serve and cash or check was required.

Bill O’Brien owned the one pool hall in Ida Grove. He was a large, bald-headed man who ruled his place of business with an iron hand, at least in the eyes of high school kids.

Since I had learned to play pool in Avoca and my dad found Bill’s place to be acceptable, I started frequenting the place when we arrived in Ida Grove and in that way became acquainted faster.

Bill did not allow any horseplay in his establishment and we considered him unduly strict. I learned much later, that for all of his gruffness, his heart was in the right place. Apparently many of his pool-playing high schoolers found him a source of financing when it was time to go to college. Several college graduates owe him their starts in life.

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