Sacramento
County
Biographies
WEINSTOCK, LUBIN &
CO.
WEINSTOCK, LUBIN
& CO.—The history of Sacramento would be
incomplete with out some description of its greatest retail dry-goods
establishment. It is a modern
institution, and its growth has been phenomenal. The store building, which is on the southeast
corner of Fourth and K streets, is 120 x 160 feet in dimensions. The proprietors, who are half brothers, began
here in 1874, in a small way, in a building 16 x 24 feet, on the corner where
they are at present, and they have so increased their business that at least
for a large portion of each year, 250 to320 employes
are required to do the work. As their
patronage extends throughout the coast much of their business is transacted by
mail, and for this alone many hands are employed. They have offices and buyers in New York city, San Francisco and other large cities. They have added to their business the feature
of co-operation, and named their magnificent establishment the Mechanics’
Store. The method adopted in the sharing
of the profits is as follows: The employes are divided into four grades,--the first, who are
permitted to be stockholders, being a few of the most trusted hands; the
second, the heads of the departments, who hold executive and important
positions; third, the juniors, who hold subordinate positions, and have served
a certain length of time; fourth, the remainder of the employes. As promotion is strictly according to merit,
a book account is kept of the conduct of each employe,
and small fines are imposed for shortcomings.
The fund thus arising is divided pro rata among the class from
which it had arisen. The proprietors
take an active interest in the welfare of their employes,
adopting means for interesting them outside of business hours. An educational department has been created,
and teachers employed for the different branches. All persons under seventeen years of age in
the employ of the house have the benefit of this instruction. The firm name was Weinstock
& Lubin until the beginning of 1888, when the
association was incorporated under the name of Weinstock,
Lubin & Co.
The officers are now: H. Weinstock, president; D. Lubin,
vice-president; Albert Bonheim, secretary and
treasurer. The board of directors
consists of the above-named officers, together with William Skeels
and Charles Phipps. The proprietors are
public-spirited gentlemen, and have done much for the improvement of the city
of Sacramento.
Transcribed by Karen Pratt.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of Sacramento County, California. Pages 581-582. Lewis Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007
Karen Pratt.