ON SHOPPING.
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A party of visitors in which there are one or more ladies will
unquestionably go on a shopping excursion of greater or less extent,
according to the tastes of the fair ones and the length of the purses
possessed by their escorts. It is not intended to give any advice as
to where to go on such occasions. To do so would be to “get oneself
disliked,” as the saying goes. It is not possible to mention all
the great shops or stores in detail; it would be manifestly unfair
to praise a few to the exclusion of the many. There are a few great
houses, however, the names of which are in a sense landmarks, and have
nothing to lose or gain by being either spoken of or omitted.
It has been said that one can buy absolutely anything on State street,
from a stick of candy to an elephant. Certain it is that there are
some stores on that thoroughfare, notably Marshall Field’s, Gossage’s,
the Boston Store, Mandel’s, Schlesinger & Mayer’s, the Fair, the
Leader, J. H. Walker & Co.’s, and Siegel & Cooper’s, that contain
almost everything obtainable for money. State street is the great
retail thoroughfare of the city and in any of the stores mentioned the
customer is certain of fair treatment and his money’s worth. These
houses are all extensive advertisers in the daily newspapers and if
extensive purchases are contemplated it is just as well to scan these
advertisements for notices of “special sales,” as they are called.
During “special sales” of certain articles the reduction in the prices
of those articles is very low and much is to be gained by looking out
for announcements that may save the purchaser considerable money. The
first five houses enumerated are located between Randolph and Madison
streets. The Fair, which is a wonder in itself, and very popular, owing
to the cheapness of its goods, stands opposite to the Leader, at State
and Adams streets. James H. Walker & Co. have a large building on
Wabash avenue, at the corner of Adams. Siegel & Cooper’s great place,
occupying nearly a block, from Van Buren to Congress streets, is one
of the sights of the city, being, it is said, without exception the
largest store in the world which is devoted to the sale of general
merchandise.
All the leading stores have high-class restaurants attached to them,
a feature keenly appreciated by lady shoppers, who find it very
convenient to rest from their arduous labors long enough to take
luncheon and then resume the happy pastime of getting rid of the
dollars that their husbands and fathers have bestowed upon them for
this purpose.