Supermarket Opening

The grand opening of the discount market naturally required Wilkie's presence. According to the earlier plan, Wilkie had hired at least a thousand newspaper boys in New York, paying each 25 cents per flyer, to insert the supermarket's promotional leaflets into newspapers and distribute them to the public.

He even spent some money to buy a few days' worth of radio ads during the prime time after dinner. Believe it or not, the money spent on advertising was actually a bit more than what he spent on a polo club membership.

Business owners of this era were already keenly aware that to sell their products, they had to advertise. While traditional print media still held great influence, the emerging medium of radio was becoming a key battleground for publicity.

Controlling a medium like radio — something regularly listened to by urban residents — could only benefit marketing efforts.

By the way, Neil advised Wilkie not to invite any obviously political figures to the supermarket's opening ceremony. After all, they didn't want to be fully tied to the Republican government, which had already been labeled as corrupt and incompetent.

Wilkie agreed wholeheartedly and even thought it best not to host any grand opening ceremony at all. Just open the doors plainly, guide the media narrative a bit, and present himself as someone purely devoted to offering affordable goods to the people, with no interest in fame or profit.

Smart move, kid — you're starting to think one step ahead!

Neil thought Wilkie's idea was excellent. Since they already had friends in the media, this kind of maneuver was perfectly reasonable. Wilkie was starting to craft his own public image — perfect.

Thanks to all the pre-opening promotions, quite a crowd showed up on opening day. What attracted them most was the promise of cheap food listed on the flyers — specifically, the one-quarter of items that Neil had insisted Wilkie sell at or below cost price every week.

The Great Depression had hit. People were short on money. But eating and staying warm are the most basic survival needs. Naturally, affordable food had enormous appeal.

Products like margarine, jam, cooked cereals, and potatoes were all sold in bulk packaging — boxes and crates — and were at least one-third cheaper than small-package or retail equivalents elsewhere.

It was Saturday — a deliberate choice. People usually worked from Monday to Friday. Sunday, being the Sabbath, meant many devout Catholics would spend much of the day in church. In those days, religious faith was stronger than it would be in future generations. So Saturday was the best day. Citizens of New York, arriving by car or public transport, were amazed by the scale of the store. Department stores were nothing new, but a massive facility just for selling fresh and daily goods? This was a first.

Once inside, the customers didn't need any demos or explanations. The bright, clear price tags immediately won their hearts.

"Damn, this is cheap!"

"How can it be this cheap?" Even though the goods were from the same brands as those sold in town, the per-unit price was one-third lower. Some were naturally skeptical, but the samples on display seemed perfectly legit.

More importantly — how do you fake potatoes? Bags of them were right there in plain view. What, were they made of mud? Faking potatoes would cost more than just buying real ones, buddy.

Same with the sacks of oats — no matter how much you stirred them, there was no way to fake it. Farmers had been burning them as fuel. Now Wilkie brought them to the supermarket — essentially selling at a loss just to attract attention.

Even cookies, beef, and whole chickens were noticeably cheaper than in town. All this was openly laid out before people's eyes — real and yet unfamiliar.

Buy, buy, buy!

At these prices, not buying would be foolish. Potatoes could last two weeks at home. With the average family having four or five kids, even twenty kilos would be gone in no time. As for flour, oats, and wheat — those kept well and were consumed quickly.

Can't afford vegetables or fresh meat? Then stock up on carbs. Carbs are tasty. Carbs fill the stomach. Everyone grew up on carbs anyway. Protein can wait — first, fill the belly.

After shopping, customers were surprised to find a dedicated rest area at the exit. With a receipt from the day, they could drink as much hot coffee and milk as they liked. The rest area could seat nearly a thousand people for eating and relaxing.

All the tables were rectangular, easy to clean and space-efficient. Parents could drop their kids off in the play area and enjoy their coffee while the scent of spices wafting from the kitchen tempted them further.

Neil knew full well that the average person's food seasonings were rather limited back then. Except for the French and Italians, most Western countries used few spices in cooking.

With modern food additives readily available, it was easy to enhance flavor and aroma. One big pot of soup in the back kitchen, loaded with seasoning, was enough to attract those used to bland meals.

Compared to a typical 25-cent sandwich in the city — a measly slice of ham — this place was paradise. Frederick once had three sandwiches at breakfast just to feel full.

But here? For 25 cents you got a big plate of porridge with vegetables, meat, bread, and even a rich soup with crackers. Hot, tasty, and filling — way better than anything they had at home.

Eat, eat, eat!

Very quickly, the entire rest area was packed. Some people even sat on the ground, eating their meals from lunchboxes. Paired with free hot coffee, it was pure delight.

The overall shopping experience in the supermarket was outstanding — aside from the crowd. Suddenly, a bell rang through the crowd — signaling the birth of the daily raffle winner. A young couple with a son and daughter had won the free-shopping coupon of the day, thanks to their child's lucky draw.

Their entire $9 worth of purchases was refunded on the spot, and they were even given a year's supply of toilet paper.

Surrounded by the crowd, the young couple appeared in public for the first time but didn't act shy. They waved to everyone while holding their children.

Little reporters stationed all over the store — arranged by Wilkie — immediately swarmed in for photos. No doubt, the supermarket would be making headlines in the papers soon.