The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's WorkPenny, Virginia
General
The Employments of Women: A Cyclopædia of Woman's Work
Penny, Virginia
Women -- Employment
=107. Furniture Sellers.= A French woman that keeps a new furniture
store told me that her husband does most of the work, employing some men
to help him. She only attends store in his absence. The lifting,
repairing, and varnishing, she thought could not be done by women.
Called in the store of a woman--a German Jew. Her husband is away most
of the time. She has furniture made to fill orders, and, of course,
employs several men to make the furniture. I think she sells on credit.
I think women are better adapted to the keeping of house-furnishing than
of house-furniture stores. I was told in a furniture store by a
saleswoman, that she takes entire charge of the store, cuts and gives
out damask for making furniture, orders the men, and keeps the books;
for which she has a comfortable home with her employer, a widow lady,
and $5 a week. She says it requires one to be amiable and obliging, to
possess health and energy, and to be a good judge of human nature, to
succeed in business; but thinks good conduct and sobriety will insure
success in almost anything. The spring she finds best for selling
furniture. Small profits and quick sales is her motto. She never
credits. She regulates her prices according to circumstances, allowing
herself what she considers a fair profit, and yet doing justice to the
buyer. She goes into the store at seven in the morning, and remains
until ten at night. Only a strong, well-built woman, can move furniture.
A lady that keeps a furniture store told me she sold a great deal before
the holidays, but will not sell much again until spring. On making
inquiry of a lady that keeps a furniture store, about the business, she
uttered these practical remarks: "Never credit in the furniture
business, or your money and furniture are both gone. You may succeed, if
you have an honest, reliable man to attend to the business for you. It
is a money-paying business. You should have a man that can attend
auction, and buy furniture, and repair and varnish it. Besides, you need
a carman, to lift and move furniture in the store, and carry it home."
We would state that a woman can just as well attend the sales of house
furniture in New York, at residences, as men, and a carman can at any
time be hired to move furniture.
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