Sam Lambert and the New Way Store: A Book for Clothiers and Their Clerks

E-text prepared by Barbara and Bill Tozier
Published by Grand Rapids Show Case Co. Grand Rapids: Michigan
COPYRIGHT, 1912, GRAND RAPIDS SHOW CASE CO. GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Sam Lambert had the best clothing store in Medeena County—a corner store on the main street of Medeena opposite the Court House Square.
Medeena had four clothing stores, not counting The Blue Front, down by the Depot, with its collection of cheap watches in the window, a yellow guitar, two large accordions and a fiddle with a broken E string.
Everybody in the County knew Sam Lambert.
As a merchant and a citizen he was a whole bunch of live wires. A big-boned, free-hearted fellow—lucky enough to just escape being run for sheriff, as some thought he was too good natured, the “gang” was afraid he was not pliant enough, and Sam didn’t want to be away from the store.
Sam took great pride in his clothing business and kept pace with the most advanced ideas in the trade.
He was awake to the marvelous development of the ready-to-wear business. He carried the best and took a positive delight in each season’s new models.
He recalled the old days of “hand-me-downs,” and he had lived to see the two best tailors in Medeena take to bushelling “ready” garments, with less and less of that to be done—principally changing a button or shortening a trouser’s length.
Sam was broad-gauge in everything he did. He sold his goods at the marked price, for cash only—got a decent profit and told you so.
Why shouldn’t he? He had a sense of style. He was keenly alive to the artistry of clothes and his enthusiasm was contagious.