| Description |
1 online resource (xxi, 222 pages) : illustrations |
| Contents |
A region develops -- Downtown retailers and "Main street towns" -- Selling in hub and hinterland -- The "chain store question" and the independent retailer -- The depression and local spending -- Hard times and good times at home |
| Summary |
Annotation "Between the two world wars, the retail world experienced tremendous changes. New forms of competition, expanded networks of communication and transportation, and the proliferation of manufactured goods all posed challenges to the department store and small shopkeeper alike." "In western New York, Buffalo and Rochester in particular, retailers were a crucial part of urban life, acting as cultural brokers and civic leaders. They were also cultivators of area pride. Even as they adopted the latest merchandising techniques or stocked the newest items, merchants emphasized their local roots and their ability to put a local spin on national trends and innovations. Regional identity became a powerful selling tool not only during the prosperity of the 1920s but also through the economic crisis of the Great Depression." "Sales and Celebrations explains how local traditions and institutions affected the evolution of American consumer culture. It expands our understanding of American consumerism, demonstrating that local particularities and loyalties could often coexist with, and occasionally challenge, the spread of mass consumption. Sarah Elvins provides new insight into the relationship between America's largest metropolises and its smaller centers. Retailers in Buffalo and Rochester did not simply imitate the practices of their counterparts in Manhatten and Chicago; they highlighted their unique ability to serve the wants and needs of their particular markets." "By drawing attention to this persistent power of the local, Sales and Celebrations illuminates a neglected aspect of the story of American culture in the interwar period."--BOOK JACKET. Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 205-218) and index |
| Notes |
Print version record |
| Subject |
Retail trade -- New York (State) -- History -- 20th century
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|
Economic history
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|
Retail trade
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| SUBJECT |
New York (State), Western -- Economic conditions
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| Subject |
New York (State)
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Western New York (State)
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| Genre/Form |
History
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| ISBN |
9780821441688 |
|
082144168X |
|
