CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13316, 17 January 1912, Page 1 (Supplement)

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

MESSRS. HANNAH AND CO.'S PREMISES. (From "The Colonist," Dec. 23.) It always gives us great pleasure "O chronicle the march of progress iv md around our city in either civic >r • commercial life, and there- is no loubt that the principal business ;horoughfaros always most readily show improvements in commercial conditions. .The well-known and progressive business firm of Messrs. R. tlannah and Co., Ltd., finding then premises in Trafalgar street all too irnall and ineonvoniect for their rapidly growing business, recently let x contract to Messrs Robertson Bros., Ltd., i'or very extensive additions and alterations. These hare now been sompleted. and the result is a new, xnhmodioiis-, and thoroughly up-to-late place* of business. The new jjorbion has been carried out in brick, and the shop is now nearly seventy feet long. The wholo of the fixtures md fittings so long in use have been scrapped, and new and modern equipnenfc substituted. Every contrivmco that wide and extensive experience can suggest has been embodied in tliis, the latest of this enterprising firm's improvements. A special 'eature of the modernising of the premises is the new type of show window. The firm has, within the last year of two, erected quite a number )f.' now windows at thoir branches throughout the Dominion, notably at Wellington, Auckland, Mosterton, Ohristehurch, Grey-mouth, and other places, and the experience gained in this process of evolution has been fully taken advantage of in Nelson. The window frames, besides being of .lovel construction, show nearly twice the frontage obtainable formerly, and ire so contrived that tho goods shown in them are not only well displayed and easy of inspection, but are easily adjusted and kept quite free from dust. There is a very lino oncaustic tile pavement in the vestibule sntrace. These tiles, of this special design, are used exclusively by the firm throughout their branches hi various parts of the Dominion. Another special feature of the entrance is the lower part of the windows. This is filled'with a series of incised stall boards .setting forth the specialities carried iv stock. The floor arrangements in the interior of tho store are also carried out with the idea of uniformity, as the patterns of inlaid linoleum and velvet pile carpet runners are also used throughout all the branches.. The lighting was carried out by Mr. H. J. Flatt, and the painting by Messrs. Savage and Sons, Ltd. The shop fronts were made and fixed by Mr R. Low, the well-known shop front builder of Wellington. Mr GeorgeMcConchie, who lias been with the firm for over 20 years, for seven years as manager of tho local branch, will be pleased to see all old and new customers in the new premises.