RETAILER PREFERS TO WEAR OUT

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33607, 8 August 1974, Page 3

RETAILER PREFERS TO WEAR OUT

Mr Ralph Grade, founder of the Christchurch firm of the same name, is, on his own word, the oldest retailer in Christchurch. In his ninetieth year he still does a full day’s work in the shop, and often walks two miles and a half to get there, summer and winter.

“Better to wear out than sit down." he said in the shop yesterday, tape measure round the shoulders of his three-piece suit.

“People ask me when I plan to retire I always say, 'Ask a silly question, get a silly answer. What would I do with myself?’ "Next March I may retire. But I may not, either.” Until he does, people he has met through his trade and his long association with sport will continue to seek the shop out. perhaps to buy clothing, or just to visit him. START IN 1900 Mr Gracie has been in the men’s wear business for 73 years. He left his home just south of Auckland at the age of 17. on his birthday, and began work in 1900 in Timaru in the men’s-wear section of a large firm foi 25s a week. He stayed in the men’s-wear trade more by accident than by design. "The jobs just came my way,” he said

the only interruption in his long association with the trade came for two years very early in the century, when he worked in a general purpose store in Geraldine. in the drapery and manchester departments, and ‘‘used to run round measuring up rooms for fitting” —

a good background for measuring up clients later, he said.

In 1902 he moved to Wellington. where regulation ' clothing for assistants in the business was striped troupers, black waistcoat, white shirt, and black tie. STARCHED SHIRTS

Correct fitting out of men for local dances meant tails and dress suit, and white starched shirts.

“They might have been very correct about attire for some things but men today are more fastidious generally,” he said. “It used to be that any old thing would do. Not today.” When he took up a position as manager of a large men’s-wear firm in Nelson in 1921. he realised there was no reason why he could i not run his own business. ’ He moved to Christchurch, in the iame year, and spent . 40 years in two inner city: premises before he settled, into his firm’s present quar-i t.ers in Cashel Street in; 1960. HOCKEY INTEREST Outside the shop his main interest has been sport. For 28 years he was a member of the New Zealand Hockey Association executive, and an examiner of players at test match level.

He refereed three test! ! matches — two between; 'New Zealand and Australia, and the other between India and New Zealand.

He also judged amateur! athletics in Christchurch for! 15 years. He attributes his present fitness to ready par-; ticipation in both athletics L and hockey. Now he plays bowls for exercise, and gains any more exercise he needs by walking to work in the morning and again at lunch time. But he confides, there is another reason for walking: "I enjoy ,my pipe, but 1 can’t smoke lit on the buses.” |