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the store. iMiss Inez, his daughter, by his \ iirst wife, who was Miss Mary: Pfttton, is also a full time helper ' at the store, (which is certainly a family affair!) . . . but I did not meet her then.Sitting in a comfortable chair in the office was J. W. Baker, taking “just, a little nap; but When his son touched him on the shoulder, he arose at once, a? gallant as a young blade, to meet the “reporter” who had come to talk to him. It was decided we should go over to the house to meet Mrs. Baker and have nor lt;9Mit there. So in the cozy In mgroom, where every thing spoke ot happy, comfortable days, he trrtd me the story of. the. store Which has served the commurutvtime and pretty serious about everything My first little store hero burned down. In 1883 I built the present, store and then 1 stopped driving the wagon and stayed m ihe stove all the time. I got another man to drive, (his name was Wheeler) and that wagon was on the road every week for 45 years, until after the first Wo: id War. We had a regular route through Muskingum, Licking and Coshocton counties, making the same stops every two weeks. People would watch for iand give orders for the nextTHE HUCKSTER WAGONWhen he storied driving him-seU\ he had a pair of white marcs, and the little canvas cov-.fit’ ? : . - £ m-9%.■y k-a**'. - ». ' \- • fm.C si o’-S.' ■* ’• i jj)'(x^ X.- ..X.\ ..Jv,Vf A V.The good stiff silk and vel-veli lit* ordered by the yardfot a best” dress lor a prosper* ous customer, was supplanted by georgette crepe and eta-mine. Calico, once bought by the frugal mother for children's dresses, gave way to more pleasing gingham, with larger patterns and gayer colors. Overalls were still ordered, but so were shirts with stiff collars, for the men-folk. All sorts of new fangled gadgets found trfbir way from the shelves of the well-slocked store to the hampers and the shelves of the wagon wheie they were eagerly pounced upon by ihe customers. Hals and shoes, rat traps and spades.-Xv*5.iff •v.•t'I «■a flit central ttor# at Frazevsburg run by the Baker family, which has bf*rt in In prwunt jocatioitfcm tor over 63 years. It looks much the same today as when this ruc-taken in 1002. Left to right, stand J. W. Baker, Lawrence McNaught and Elmer t, nephews; while the two small lads in front are Walter and Roy, the two Inackster wagon is in the rear, at right. The store faces State street which was it that Unanew came on the market. Baker's produced it lor thecustomer* almost before ihewhile marcs could switch the flies off, on a hot summer day.; “THERE WAS AN incident that. surely tickled me.” reminisced the old gentleman. “There was an eldr-iiy lady who had bought1 stuff ti I'm me from the first trip' : I ever made. When I told her |' I' I was going off the wagon and ] .stav m the store all the time and 1ethat there would be another; •driver around the next trip, she' , said she wouldn't like anyone j ■else so well and he just needn't; stop. But he did, and one day Ishecame into the store and con- ;: li-ssed she liked the new man bet- ;: ter than she did ME!” j!; He was very particular ahout :: his drivers and unless they were I ! conscientious and interested and j : courteous to the customers he! ; wouldn't let them take the wagon 1 : out. after a trial trip to see how1 they did.1; you journey to Newark and ! go inio the fine Carroli store there you will sec a suave and polished gentleman who has been manager . of that store for years. He was; at one tune a very ‘'popular”' j driver for this notable huckster i wagon and we show you a picture of him today taken with the wagon ahout the period of 15)08. He is ?%Ir. Ross Davidson' You i see that wagon was an excellent place to learn merchandising!The wagon was really a ' store on wheels ’. Not only dry-goods and notions but groceries werepacked in its commodious “innards.” During the time that Mr. Baker himself was driving it. he made many friendships which have lasted his whole life, and it is the part of his career he likes most to talk about.Merchandising has taken an awful wallop driving the present war-shnrtage, but he has taken that in his stride, as he has everything else. Also the changes ift ! stork since he first, began husi-: ness are a part o history, which ; old-timers can appreciate. Green coffee was bought by the sack; molasses, crackers, flour and t ginger snap*, by the berrel. £vtry-
Newspaper Details
Coshocton News
Coshocton, Ohio, US
Sun, Jan 27, 1946
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Muskingum C.
OH, USA 31 Jan 2020
Other Publications Near Coshocton, Ohio
Coshocton Morning Tribune
Coshocton Daily Tribune
Coshocton Daily Times
Coshocton Daily Age
Coshocton County Democrat
