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WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1923 Retail Trade Is Moving to Suburbs of Larger Cities Advantages of shopping at home in preference to making the frequent journeys to the downtown retail dis- tricts are set forth in a most convinc- ing fashion in the accompanying article, submitted to Wilmette Life by a prom- inent local merchant, which appeared in a recent issue of The Drygoodsman and Southwest Merchant-Economist, a trade journal. While the article touches particularly upon Atlanta, Ga., and its near-by sub- urbs, it is likewise applicable with ref- erence to Chicago and suburbs and should, therefore, be of interest to north shore shoppers. In commenting on the article, the lo- cal merchant points out that the busi- ness districts of the village in New Trier township are probably more high- ly developed than those cited in the in- stance oi the environs of the southern city. The article reads: "Is the suburban civic center to be- come a serious rival of the downtown shopping districts? "Within the past five or six years--in Atlanta, Ga., at least--there has arisen a situation 'that would seem to indicate a change of trade from the downtown to the suburban shopping centers. In at least three such centers the growth of chain stores has been little short of re- markable, and leading downtown stores have been compelled to open branch stores in these suburbs--or lose in their trade. "One cause of this change has been, of course, the automobile. Fully 50 per cent oi the people who live in these sub- urbs own cars. And whereas a trip to town used to be an event, covering per- haps an entire day, now people do their shopping day by day--and don't want to go too far to do it. Parking Regulations "A second cause, perhaps more or less local, has been the tremendous in- crease in automobile traffic in the down- town section of the city. It takes from half an hour to an hour to get into the shopping district from any direction. And most of this time is consumed in the twelve or fifteen blocks comprising the shopping district itself. "Not only this, but parking regulations are so numerous and parking spaces so few and far between that the average driver does not know whether he can park or not, even granted that he can find a suitable place. "A third reason is, of course, the growth of the suburbs themselves. "As a result of all this, people are not trading at the downtown stores when they can get the same thing at the civic center nearer home, They are not going to spend time driving in to town, hunt for a place in which to park, walk sev- eral blocks to the store, and then leave in half an hour to comply with the parking regulations--not when they can drive a few blocks, park where they please and stay as long as they wish. All Kinds of Stores "And as a secondary result, the civic center that used to contain only a drug store with a branch post office and two or three grocery stores, now has every kind of a store imaginable--and the stores carry the same line of goods that are being shown in the downtown sec- tions. "People are going to town now only for special lines. For their staples--the bulk of their goods--they are patroniz- ing the local, the suburban, the civic center store. "It is not too much to predict that the large department store, at least in our . larger and more crowded cities, has just about reached its limit. And the wise store keeper will be on the lookout for desirable locations in the suburban cen- ters. He will resort to the chain store rather than to the large store, which may shortly become a white elephant on his hands. "So, whether you are a clothier or a drygoods man, watch the chain store ind the suburban civic center. That is 'he direction in which. trade is moving. That is the way you will have to go if you want to do business in the not far distant future, "What is true of Atlanta in this re- zard is also true, in one way or another, of other cities. It is believed that this development is well worth watching." CHRISTMAS SEALS Said little Jack Horner as he sat in his corner Writing a letter each day: "A nice Christmas Seal Makes Christmas more real And helps drive T. B. away." Special Dancing Telephone d' Hotel. person. Announces A Special NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION Monday Evening, December 31st "in the Orchid and Gold Ballroom Supper Will Be Served Promptly at 11 P.M. and A Sensible Good Time or reservations to the Maitre All reservations must be accompanied by check. Tickets $5.00 per Music Favors mail your " WILLYS-KNIGHT--OVERLAND | F. O. B. Toledo $1,175.00 | $495.00 SALES-ROOM AND SERVICE-STATION : 1107 Chicago Avenue C. H. BRIGGS Evanston Mrs. J. C. Carpenter, 422 Wood- K oil th So jal stock avenue, entertained impromptu a| ford road, enlwor Clals party of sixteen at dinner on Monday | Saturday night for Miss evening to welcome home Mr. Carpen- ter, who has been in Washington, D. C., Miss Miriam Shattuck, 338 Kenil-| on business. worth avenue, entertained the bridal party of Miss Jackson and Mr. Leon Allen at dinner on Thursday. Dr. and Mrs. Donald Gallie, Jr. of Evanston, and Mrs. William J. Taylor and Olive Jackson Taylor will give a supper on Sunday evening. Mrs. Jefferson Jack- son, aunt of the bride, will give the bridal dinner on Tuesday evening at the Orrington hotel in Evanston. --C Mrs. Rufus K. Porter, 428 Cumnor road, is entertaining at luncheon on Thursday for her sister, Mrs. Dana Pierce, lately of New York and for- merly of Kenilworth. Mr. Pierce has accepted the presidency of the Under- writers' Laboratories in Chicago and the many friends of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce are glad to welcome them back. spend the week-end. Christmas Books 2 fo All the New Books Fastinating Children's Books & Books Foreign Books e Christmas Cards and Calendars ®Ussit Brentano's Art Corner for Unusual Gift Suggestions yal * The Home and Garden club met a* ip 4 the residence of Mrs. Walter Marx, We invite all booklovers of the North Shore, especial- 522 Essex road, on Monday. Mr. John ly those who in former years obtained their books Hopkins of McPherson's gave a most interesting and instructive talk on "In- terior Decorating," illustrating with chalk and blackboard. Mr. Hopkins in- vited the club to meet at his studio for tea on Thursday of this week. at this store, to come here for Christmas buying. BRENTANO'S Inc., 218 So. Wabash Ave., Chicago Successor to McClurg's Retail i Withan, musical enjoyment is unlim- ited~the oni range of piano- forte literature is available, as interpreted by the world's most eminent pianists. With the Ampico becomes doubly effective because its life-like interpretations are aided by a tone quality of supreme beauty Make it. BISSELI"-WEISERT 26 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVE, 7 Mrs. Frank M. Cherry, 422 Abhotts- entertained at supper on Cherry, who came home irom Madison with a party of seven house guests to