Symbolic Unity and the Neighborhood

Duis, Perry R.

doi:10.1177/009614429502100202

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…Natalie recalled that paper would be taped to the glass front door to create more privacy (Plate 5). This might also have been necessary during the Chicago air raid drill black-outs early in WWII (Duis, 1995;Spinney, 2000).…”

Section: Store Layout and Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…War supply contracts greatly stimulated the national economy. Chicago alone received nine billion dollars in contracts and its diverse industrial base contributed the second highest amount of War equipment after Detroit (Duis, 1995;Spinney, 2000). Americans of all social class, ethnic, and racial groups, as well as both genders, found more jobs and had more money to spend, but shortages of housing, consumer durables, and many non-durables limited purchasing opportunities (Witkowski, 1998).…”

Section: Effects Of World War IImentioning

confidence: 99%

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General Book Store in Chicago, 1938‐1947: linking neighborhood to nation

Witkowski

2009

Journal of Historical Research in Marketing

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Purpose -Through an account of the layout, operations, and four main product lines of a small Chicago bookstore between 1938 and 1947, the purpose of this paper is to show how a neighborhood retail establishment reacted to the sweeping events of the Great Depression and World War II. Design/methodology/approach -The research is based upon multiple primary data sources including store financial records, family photographs, representative artifacts and ephemera, oral history interviews, and period retailing literature. Findings -Located in an area of Chicago heavily populated by Polish and Jewish immigrants and their children, General Book Store was a traditional mom and pop operation. The mix of its product lines -books and magazines, model kits, greeting cards, and camera supplies and photo-finishingevolved over time while always connecting customers to the national experience. The store afforded its owners a modest, but upwardly mobile middle-class life style. Originality/value -Although much has been written on large-scale retailing, marketing historians have conducted very little research on small-scale retailing in the USA. This study documents the intermingling of a business and a household economy and how the management of merchandise assortments and maintenance of customer relationships depended upon both owner interests and the opportunities and constraints presented by environmental forces.

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Section: Store Layout and Operationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Effects Of World War IImentioning

confidence: 99%