MURRAY'S QUALITY STORES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 740, 12 February 1910, Page 13

MURRAY'S QUALITY STORES.

A' very good idea of the importance of Masterton ai a business centra is evidenced by the two Eoparato,' establish'monts.in Queen.Street, owned by Mr. J. li. Murray. Both businesses are in two of the handsomest buildings in the town. One is confined to drapery, the other to mercery and clothing., Mr. J. L. Murray, who _ is regarded as one of Masterton's leading business men, made- his 'residence in New Zealand almost by acoident. He was born in Adelaide and came over here on a health-recruiting trip. The plaoe suited him ,so well that ho decided to stay ihere. 'After, being for five' 'years manager for the Wholesale Drapery Company's , store in Queen ..Street,, Mr. Murray started business far himself in 1893 in a small shop 15 z 2?, on tho site of

his present mercery DremiMg./ Ths'ljusi-: ness' then wm just .a lolothihg' storo.'./ln 1896 the premises .were enlarged, and "with a still further' business increase; Mr; Murray foundiit necessary to still-again en-; large, and i on" a: large , scale. ■ In 1900 ho' .therefore purchased: tho ' freehold section-' of. the M'Miister Estate in-,Queen.Street,; and . built thereon , the..'handsome'-edifice, known, as the Exchange. Buildings.'Thego are;, two-storied; with 1 a: big' glass . front arcade, and. fitted on tho ground floor with fine commodious rooms, which.' are utilised .as drapery, emporiums, show rooms,' tea'rooms, and sample rooms. This floor, has twenty-two, plate-glass.;windows; On the' top. floor - are social. and exchange halls, club rooms, and: suites of rooifls,

occupied by . professional men.:! 1 Owing to rebuilding operations* going On: at• the old premises t \ next ths'Club "Hotel,-Mr. Murray .teniporanly v . removed ' his -'.whole business to-.; the ■' Exohongo.-Hall.- ;;*Howevor, thero:,-was such'an/increase mi'his business -that he 'decided i to. separate : tho - two •departments,and uivtho courso. :of:-tho next ; few months ho> continued the. lease of ,-.the- handsotne now; .buildings : which had;been erected on: the site where, seventeen years before, he had first commenced business on lus own . account;' This new building is also: two-storied, 50 feet x 100 feet, the upper part being utilised, for offico and mooting-room purposes. In tho lower, Mr. Murray runs a clothing: and mercery store on a very largo scale. The goods are especially , well , shown, the window displays being a feature. Mr. . Murray buys, from the English and colonial manufacturers direct. The .'advantage to purchasers is;obvious.' Every : article, of man's and boys' clothing, shirts,-mercery, underclothing; and'collars is made'according to : special . measurement supplied • by Mr.'.Murray himself. In connectibn'.with: his goneral. business, Mr.\ Murray:' makes a speciality of the mail Order, system, and supplies goods into the country on very, reasonable concessions., ' In: his oversea trade he is an, agent for. Welch. Morgetson; and . Company, Lloyd, Attree, and Smith, Woodrow. and'Compa!ny, and othor well-known housos.

Xlossrs. Rnhoy Bros., whose-advertise-ment appears . in this issue, 1 established their business in. Mosterton 1 in:1894, but both, principals ..had been in the- , same line in England. ..Their 'business, connection is generally regarded as one of the widest and most ' influential in the Wairarapa. : • :' '■ ' . : Show, visitors from the country are invited to read an interesting announcement m this issue regarding buying at bargain prices by Mr. M'Qrner, draper and clothier, Queen Street.

' The Masfcerton branch of, Messrs. jjety and Company was established Some seven years ago, when it took over- the old-established business of Messrs. I'. H. Wood. Mr. J. & Moodio, tho. first manager of the new branch, is still in charge, and generally the business may be said to have evidenced great ■ progress. • A largo staff is employed,' and stock sales are regularly conducted over the whole x dis- ; trict, extending from Martinliorough to Pahiatua. • i'lio firm also holds regular sales' of vskins, wool, and ' hides, and amongst'some :of its very important agencies are tho Wolseley sneop-shearing machines and Quibell'a dips. . "Good underclothing and nobby shirts" forms part of an announcement in; this lit., l^y£7*'auaßac ' ftioM