Books:

Discovered! 505
Odd Enterprises

Hidden Dollars

How to Make
Money at Home

Small Business
of Your Own

You Can Own
a Business

The difference is in the "overhead." Large ice-cream manufacturers must stint in order to show a profit. They have huge electrical equipment, etc., and that takes money. But this farmer made his delicious ice cream in a home-made freezer. The fresh natural ingredients taken right from the farm made his ice cream far superior to the "other brand."

A regular delivery service was conducted. The stoneware jars or small metal cans were picked up in about a week or two. Nine times out of ten the customer re-ordered when the farmer showed up for his container. And he didn't have to charge more for ice cream, despite its superior quality. Yet he could have easily asked more for his ice cream and the customers would have gladly paid up.

A telephone and a small advertisement in the local newspapers is about all the "promotion" needed for a venture of this type. After the customers tried this delicious cream, it would speak for itself later on. The delivery route could be supplemented with a stand on the roadside. A sign reading "Here is Brown's delicious Home-Made Ice Cream" would stop many a motorist who is either a regular customer on the delivery route or one who has heard of this delicious ice cream from a friend.

Federal Trade Commission rules that "home-made" ice cream MUST be Home-Made or can't be advertised as such. This means no competition for a business that has great possibilities.

THE "SAMPLE" PRINTER—50-52
It pays to have a hobby or a "sideline"…just in case! A man who suddenly found himself out of a job turned to his hobby, a small printing shop in his home, for a means of making a living. However, he bumped up against a few obstacles.

Sometimes it takes quite some time before a printer is "recognized" and many jobs coming his way. This man was in desperate straits. He had to make a substantial living from his hobby. So the problem was WHAT to print and HOW to get the printing job.

Two heads being better than one, the man's wife supplied the answer to WHAT while the husband had a clever idea as to HOW! "Envelopes," the wife suggested. Stores use them in quantity daily. Several good contacts would bring in huge orders. But how could this man cut in when he was a new-comer in the field? He supplied that answer with as fine a promotional stunt as ever thought up by a printer!

Next day, armed with pad and pencil, he visited the business district but never entered one store! He merely copied the name, address, type of business, etc. from the store fronts. One hour's work and his pad contained the information he wanted.

Back home he proceeded to print the data he secured on the envelopes. He made two samples for each store. The next day he went back to the business district but this time went inside to give the owner a little "sales talk" on the type of printing he could do for him. Near the conclusion of the sale talk he casually handed a "sample" to the listener. Imagine his surprise when he found his firm's name and address in the upper left-hand corner! The customer's first thought would be that someone gave this man their envelope printing work. After the first "shock" the business man got into the spirit of the clever bit of salesmanship and usually gave the man the store's envelope printing work. In fact the sales plan worked so well the man invested in better and larger equipment and soon had to hire others to work for him.

Another printer worked this idea a little differently. He picked up every printed form he could find with a firm's name and address on it. Back in his shop he would re-set the form. Naturally, improvements can be made on most anything. So the improved form was shown to the firm and the comparison played a heavy part in clinching printing jobs which were usually done by some other printer. That's getting printing work where the ordinary method would fail miserably indeed.

Francis, of South Dakota, tested this same idea by mail and came out the winner. He made connections with a printer who had a great deal of slack time on his hands-and they made up some 5,500 separate sample letterheads. Each letterhead bearing a boy cadet's printed name and address on it. He had secured the names of these kids from camps all the way across the country. One sample letterhead was sent to each of these boys. The work did involve a great deal of time, but they both dove into it with body and soul. The final day of the tally came not so long ago and he was very much surprised at the outcome. Out of 5,500 sample letterheads sent out, he got over 3,000 single orders for 100 letterheads and envelopes, 115 double orders, and repeaters coming all the time. He cleared 47¢ on singles and 62¢ on double orders. That's about $1,481! These boy cadets do a great deal of writing and therefore use a lot of stationery. Can you think of other groups who use a considerable amount of stationery or other printed pieces—or who would be likely to?

A "CLOTHING GARAGE" MAKES GOOD!—53
If you were to walk into a garage to have your automobile fixed and found a "clothing store" within the garage, you'd certainly tell other folks about this novel arrangement. And word-of-mouth advertising has propelled many a waning business establishment into the higher income brackets.

That's exactly the success that came to one man who decided to stock his garage with suits, sweaters, overcoats, etc. No one tried to sell the automobile owner a suit of clothes. If he liked anything on the racks, he paid for it and the transaction was over. Meanwhile he was getting his car greased or repaired.

A small gasoline station stocked up on fresh eggs and placed an advertisement in the local papers announcing the sale of eggs. The success was overwhelming. Today you can go into this gasoline station and buy almost anything. But don't overlook publication space advertising when mixing two businesses in one. People must be made aware of your odd venture.

THE LIBRARY THAT COMES TO YOU—54-55
A man on the West Coast conducts a library on wheels from his auto trailer. A phone call brings him to the door of book lovers who view his selection of books and pay a small rental charge for the book they select.

The trailer is painted an attractive white and lettered on the sides in bold lettering explaining the unusual service. Four glass sections allow customers to glimpse the long row of books pressed tightly against the window strips.

One could install an open air lending library in some public park. The "honor system" could be used to pick a book from the stand and settle down in a shady spot to read. Signs could be posted showing a set fee per reading hour or depend on the customer's honor or generosity as to whatever amount he or she wishes to pay for a loan of the book.

Still another man in a large mid-western city caters to secretaries and stenographers in office buildings. He will deliver any book the girls call for, on a rental basis. An advertisement to this effect would bring in many girl clients who are too busy to visit lending libraries in their short lunch hours. Too, this service could easily be operated by telephone alone. A youngster could be hired to deliver the books to the office girls.

CANNER FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSEWIVES—56-57
A canner who shipped a half million cans of home-prepared food to the men in the service decided the home front would keep his business alive after the war, It did…with the help of housewives who readily agreed to have the local canner professionally can their fruit, soups, pot roast, steak pie, etc.

It didn't take very much convincing to sell the housewives on this idea, having their own batch of fruit or vegetables, soups, meats, chili, ravioli, etc. put up in quick fashion, in shiny tin cans, vacuum sealed, all ready to set up in neat rows in the cool basement. He also guaranteed their canned goods free from bacteria poisons and spoilage.

Canners would indeed find a veritable oasis of women prospects who would gladly turn over their canning to them. Stock imprints could be made and the canned fruit or vegetable could bear the name of the woman customer. The same illustrated label could be used for each customer. The only difference would be in the imprinting of each woman's name on the label.

The success of a venture of this type, however, would depend largely on how adept the canner was at retaining the "home" canning flavor. So it seems the professional canner would most likely have to accept the ingredients entirely ready for canning. Such a plan would encourage women to buy up bushel baskets of fruits and vegetables whenever they found a good bargain.

"TIME TO SEND" FILE—58
A "Time to Send" file is a well-organized plea for remembering to send cards on birthdays, wedding anniversaries, holidays, etc. worked out by a youth in his spare time. His service enabled him to raise enough funds to go to college.

The first step was to purchase a gross of heavy envelopes, each with a tab. The gross was divided into sets of 18, giving him eight sets. In each set was an envelope for the 12 months in a year, an envelope for each of the four holidays—Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, and New Years—and an envelope marked "Convalescence" and one marked "Condolence".

In every envelope except the last two named, he put a ruled card with a place for the date of the month and for the name of the person having the anniversary. A supply of cards for almost every occasion were also placed in each of these envelopes.

He named his set-up "Remembrance", placing it in an eye-catching box.

He set out to sell his brain child to housewives and young women in the neighborhood. One woman told another and the boy launched his business on a broader scale. Other towns were canvassed. It was the same story in every town. Men and women now talked of the "Remembrance" box. The men greeted the idea enthusiastically, having little time to remember birthdays and anniversaries.

HERRINGBONE WALLETS—59
Because moths made a feast of an actor's riding habit, which was stored in a trunk, a Hollywood tailor hit upon an idea that started a flourishing sideline making pouches, wallets, caps, bow ties and 4-in-hand ties to match men's clothes.

What really happened was that the actor came to the tailor with the ruined riding habit and asked if he could do anything with it. The tailor didn't think so but started marking off the uneaten areas of the garments. This was the "salvage" from which he made the items mentioned. This, of course, was an idea that caught on with many members of the film colony. Large orders pour in for these odd accessories.

Men, even as women, like things that are different. Here's a chance for a local enterprise on the same order. The items would command nice prices for the very fact they were different.

THE GROCER WITHOUT A GROCERY STORE—60-63
A new twist…the grocer without a grocery store. He quit his own grocery store because of the long, tedious hours, overhead, etc., and moved to a portion of the town where grocery stores were few and far between.

The only thing he had to show for his new grocery "store" was a Ford truck. With it each morning he interviewed the housewives in the neighborhood and "took orders" for groceries. His former contacts with wholesalers served him in good stead. He got any and ALL groceries at wholesale prices and charged the housewives the regular retail price.

The women acclaimed this service. It saved them precious time. They got ALL groceries without going to several different stores for them. Even then they might not have been able to get some things, but the "grocer" did.

Meanwhile, the grocer's plan was simple. He made the rounds in the morning, took the orders, went to the wholesaler and received one giant order. He referred to his order book later on when distributing the orders. All this was completed in much less time than he would have spent at his stationary grocery store. Too, there wasn't any overhead, lights, help to pay, etc.

For one who wished to do the same a contact with a reliable wholesaler is all that's necessary, providing, of course, you have a truck to distribute the orders. Any small truck would do.

Point out the fact that no charge is made to deliver the orders. Grocery stores charge extra for deliveries, or else make it up through higher prices. The personal visit and chat each morning is more effective than ordering by phone. You can practically guarantee the delivery of all things ordered by the housewife. It would also be wise to establish contacts with several wholesalers, just in case one may be temporarily out of certain groceries or meats. Delivery for items other than food could be handled for an extra fee.

One "little fellow" has changed this plan around a bit and he's operating a "Shopping Service" store. The customer either calls up this "store" or visits it in person, leaves his shopping list with the operator and then lets him do the work. He'll shop any number of different stores, secure any type of merchandise, and have it ready to be picked up at the "store" later in the day. Or it will be delivered! His fee for everything is quite moderate.

A Shopping Service for the married woman who works in a factory or office would be a splendid sideline to either of the above mentioned services. Orders could be taken over the phone and delivered to the worker's home. Or a trailer could be taken to various large offices or plants during the early morning hours and noon hour. Here the operator would accept shopping lists and agree to have the goods back by quitting time. In this manner it would not be necessary to equip the trailer with a stock of goods, although a grocery store on wheels might be more successful (if the operator had enough capital to build, equip and stock it).

CHILDREN'S PARADISE—64
The playground problem, where better-class families are concerned, is a constant nemesis to parents who are careful of their children's associates. A private playground would therefore solve the problem and bring some man, woman, or group an income worth-while.

This particular playground would be far different from the ordinary one. New games, new devices, elaborate equipment and the best facilities available would bring the best trade and a comfortable margin of profit for the operator of a playground like this.

There should be a trained nurse on the fenced-in premises at all times. Story-telling should be featured for the tinier tots. Games and children's rides like those found at amusement parks and carnivals with strict supervision over same would cause the children themselves to advertise an exclusive playground of this type. Miniature Merry-go-rounds, Autos, "Rides," etc., suitable for tots only, would encourage the parents to bring the tiny ones more often!

Mothers who are constantly busied with their varied social and civic functions would find this an ideal place to leave their children. The clientele could be selected carefully. Idea after idea could be worked in here until the children's paradise was promoted to perfection.

PUBLISHING THE "TRUTH"—65
A man who knew he could do a service to local grocery stores and capitalize on the idea decide to print a publication called the "Truth," a printed campaign to encourage the "Trade-at-Home" movement. He knew the individual merchants were antagonistic towards the chain store movement, which was rapidly draining local communities of millions of dollars annually.

Of course it took some time to garner the data he would need to print the "Truth" about the huge sums of local money that was being moved from "Main street" to "Wall Street."

When the information was garnered, 2,500 copies of the first issue was printed. He then mailed these, out to independent merchants located in his state and adjoining states, sending each a sample copy, a form letter telling how the merchants could profit by the purchase and distribution of "Truth" in their locality.

The success of "Truth" was phenomenal. Merchants from many states ordered from a 100 to 10,000 copies of the "Truth." He charged them $3.75 a hundred and $100.00 for ten thousand copies. One order asked for 60,000 copies of the "Truth." The business of printing this successful trade publication had to be expanded. Cash receipts soon ran about $200.00 daily and within a few months he was taking in $700, $800 and up to $1000 daily.

There was only one thing wrong with the venture. Financially the man did alright, however, the circulation soon began to fall off and if the "Truth" didn't suspend publication it would start losing money. The merchants soon got tired of distributing the trade paper after thirteen successive months of publication. If the circulation problem was handled differently, perhaps by direct mail to the families the merchants served, the venture would still be operating successfully.

A student in Journalism or anyone with the ability to write coherently could start a similar trade paper locally. The "trade at home" news is always popular with the highly influential business people in the town. Select an appropriate name for your paper…"The Home Town Builder," "Community Trade Booster," or "Trade At Home News."

A publisher of a sheet like this has a wealth of excellent material to work on. And he has the best backers in his town or city…the the merchants.

A "FARM" IDEA FOR THE HOME—66
Truck farming hadn't been so prosperous for a New York man during the last several years. He pondered on the problem of how he could bring together his crops and his customers in a mort profitable manner.

That was when he came upon the idea of organizing a group of people and planting their gardens for them. It was more or less a farming club that soon had one hundred members to start.

Sweet corn, beets, string beans, whatever he desired, would be made available to each member as he so directed the farmer to plant them for him. He charged the members $1 for planting, cultivating and fertilizing each row of vegetables.

During the summer the members would come to the farm and gather their crop in. In many instances, they would buy milk, eggs, butter, honey and many other things the farmer had on hand to sell. That was bringing the trade right to the farmer's door with this unique "share-the-farm" plan.

This idea would appeal to many city dwellers. A classified ad in the Sunday newspapers would bring in enough "farmers" to make cooperative farming like this profitable.

A ROADSIDE STAND FOR "BROWSERS"—67
A roadside stand that sells books!…instead of the customary hotdogs, hamburgers, ice cream, etc. However, the owner of this bookshop by the side of the road reveals that as many stop for books as would for the former.

A stand like this deserves some consideration. It is worked very successfully in Europe, especially in Paris. Huge signs on the roadside would make many a "browser" stop to view the bookshop…and make a purchase.

WAKING UP LAZY "BROTHERS"—68
Lack of attendance of many of their memberships is a problem that most fraternities, business associations and service clubs have been unable to solve. A member who doesn't attend meetings with some degree of regularity often loses interest, and many of these habitually absent "brothers" let their dues lapse. This situation would seem to present an opportunity generally and is one which an enterprising man capitalized upon. He made arrangements with the secretary of such organizations to furnish him with the names of the members who were not attending regularly. For a moderate fee, he agreed to telephone them before each meeting, reminding them to attend. He found that most secretaries welcomed the idea. A pleasant, personal invitation over the telephone is far more effective than a printed meeting notice. When he phoned he said something like this: "I'm calling for the Rotary Club, Mr. Blank. Mr. (Secretary) asked me to be sure and tell you to come to the meeting Saturday. They've been missing you lately."

There are many clubs and fraternities in every city and also towns. This type of business service is different than the job your neighbors or friends might have; however that is to its advantage and indicates very little competition, if any. Certainly, it would be a pleasant home service to conduct.

WILD HONEY—69-72
In the Sierra Nevada mountains there is a fellow who has a roadside stand, and he sells wild honey! He gets a dollar a pound for it. It would seem that there is no limit to the products in this country, especially things to eat, that can be developed by integrity, plus imagination. Consider the man on a southern California highway: His roadside stand is backed up by a couple of old railroad refrigeration cars. This enterprising gentleman goes up into, the mountains and brings back mountain apples, selling them chilled, crisp and cold from the inside of his refrigeration cars. Obviously, he advertises his apples as "mountain apples" and "ice cold."

Then there is the man who started a place under some walnut trees and specialized in nuts. He built up one of the busiest eating places in the state. Another persons did the same with berries, and you will read details about this elsewhere in this book. Reverting to the wild honey enterprise. It would seem that this could be carried on in about the same fashion a Tennessee operator handled his unusual and profitable business of collecting medicinal roots and herbs. The roots were wild and were naturally hard to find. Starting with his neighbors, he eventually employed about 5,000 part-time workers in three states. They all collected the wild herbs and roots that the large drug supply firms needed. Wild honey could be collected in much the same way but perhaps on a smaller scale. Often one can find as much as 100 pounds of honey in a tree!

SALTING PEANUTS IN THE SHELL—73
A lucrative business could possibly be developed selling peanuts in the shell that have been salted. Such peanuts are a novelty to the average man—few people having heard of them. However, at one time they were quite popular. In fact the originator of the salting process met with considerable success back in the years 1920 to 1929, just prior to his retirement. It is said that he did $200,000 worth of business during this period.

A similar process could be revived once again in the post war period ahead and perhaps make small fortunes for some of the readers.

The originator started out by obtaining a process patent and then proceeding to test out the process by selling some of the peanuts to the men in the plant where he worked. To make a long story short, the whole plant demanded more and more salted peanuts in the shell, and this was the beginning of the venture. Agents soon came to his home. School children sold them at ball games. Soon the stores started to come to him and so from a dollar's worth of peanuts a $200,000 business grew.

He found himself obliged to discard his hand process and tiny quarters and move to a small factory where he installed some processing machinery, soon turning out one solid carload of peanuts a week. At no time was it necessary for him to peddle the peanuts himself. One agent would tell another and the letters started to come from everywhere. In side of two years he had 25 employees! It is a success story that is startling, to say the least!

Shell-On salted peanuts are a novelty item and the American people seem to go for such things. Of course there are other selling points besides the novel angle. For instance—one doesn't get a handful of salt and grease every time he digs down into a bag of these peanuts. Many folks will find the Shell-On salted peanuts to be much more wholesome and sanitary than the greasy shelled salted peanuts.

Then too, there is something about hot peanuts in the shell that the American public will never grow tired of. Such peanuts taste different from the shelled variety and up to now they have lacked one thing—they haven't been salted.

The inventor of this plan didn't have much trouble getting the buying public to accept his product. The customer liked the surprise he received when he cracked into an ordinary looking shell peanut and found the kernel already imparted with a smooth salt flavor that permeated every bit of the nut evenly. No grains of salt.

Folks who have tasted these nuts and have used the process I am going to give herewith, have written me letters of praise. Here is a typical letter: "We placed quite a few and they are well liked. We are having calls for more. I believe it can be worked into a good business." And another: "The Salted peanuts in the shell sold very well. They were received most favorably by the public, were not hard to process and economical. Displayed well on counters and in windows. In my estimation you have developed a very fine plan and I am all for it."

The "little fellow" venturing into such a field could obtain Agents through out his own County or State by advertising in suitable newspapers. This product could also be sold through youngsters who would merchandise the peanuts at such places as baseball games, picnics, outings and the like. A business might also be established with grocery stores. Right now, though, you may be wondering how the peanuts can be salted in the shell. There are various methods or formulas. The following is one that is quite simplified:

Heat four quarts of water to a brisk boil, then add up to 12 tablespoons of salt (medium barrel type). Fill solution with as many peanuts as it will conveniently hold. Then place lid on container, weighted down so that the nuts are completely submerged. To accomplish this it will be necessary to use a container that is a trifle larger than the lid which will allow the lid to fit down inside the container snugly, and weighted down.

Then boil the nuts for about fifteen to twenty-five minutes before removing from the stove. Keep weighted lid down on the peanuts and let them stay in this manner for another twenty to thirty minutes. The peanuts should now be filled with brine. If not, allow to stand for a few minutes longer. Place on screens and allow to dry over a low flame or in the sun. This method of drying will take quite awhile. Some type of wire or screen drum could be used, revolving it over a form of heat.

When the nuts are ready for roasting you may send them out to some firm to roast them for you, or you can do the work yourself. Just put the nuts in a pan and set on the oven. Use a very moderate fire, just sufficient to keep the nuts hot, not warm. In about five minutes test a nut. If the skin is brittle and the nut fairly brown it is roasted. Remove immediately and place in cool spot.

Test every move you make. It would be a good idea to make up several batches until you get the "hang" of it, or the right system down pat. It is also advisable to test different periods of time for the boiling, drying, pressure, roasting and so on. Never make up too many peanuts at a time as they draw moisture and should be kept in airtight containers.

If you wish to operate on a large scale and start out with a unit that will accommodate large quantities of nuts, one could be made out of 3/8-inch boiler plate or rustproof steel plate and it should be electric welded. For such a unit steam pressure would be used, and water in one compartment would generate enough steam to fill the top of the brine compartment, thus creating the necessary pressure for forcing the brine through the porous shells of the peanuts. Usually, a hot brine is better than a cold one for penetration. The brine is made from water and salt. Enough salt is added to bring a salt brine hydrometer up to 80 degrees. Peanuts can be more easily handled if placed in some sort of wire container or wire drum. A pressure gauge must show at least 40 to 50 lbs. of pressure during the steam processing. As to the length of time the nuts must undergo this pressure treatment, that will be governed by the type of the nut and shell. Test from a half hour on up.

When the batch is ready for drying the brine can be drained out and the same unit used as a drying compartment. By allowing the screen drum to slowly revolve and by using built-in oven burners and fan (to circulate the hot air) the drying process can be hastened and also handled much more conveniently.

After the peanuts are dried they are ready for roasting and can be done in a regular peanut roaster. The job might, however, be done in the same processing unit, using all burners, and continued use of the revolving screen drum. Such a unit could be put together in any small machine shop.

If you are mechanical minded, you might be able to create a much better processing and drying unit than the one suggested herein.

DOOMED GROUP SELLS PRAYER REMINDERS—74
This story is so unusual and so humanly warm it deserves a place in this book. In a sparsely populated ranch country in the state of Washington there is an interesting group of people and each one of them had been given up by doctors according to whose verdicts "should have passed on several years ago." Curiously, however, since the colony was started no-one has died.

Through their combined efforts they are paying their way, caring for each other and are contented. You'd never believe they were once a group of fifteen doomed invalids. One Mr. Gillis, president of the group, was living on a farm with another couple, Frank and Nora, when he got the idea for the whole odd set-up. After being operated on for cancer, it seems that he had hoped to remain there for what few days were "allotted" to him by the doctors. Most of his stomach had been removed. His landlords were trying to keep their 40 acre farm.

Nora seemed to be spending much of the time on a cot, only getting up now and then to do a little housework. She had been informed by the doctor that her heart probably wouldn't last a year. Lillian, a friend, collapsed while visiting them. The doctors had indicated she was living on borrowed time also. She had a serious stomach ailment. It was at this time that Gillis gave voice to his thoughts: "There are others in this valley who are about in the same fix as the rest of us. Yet each of us has some good parts left. Now if we could get together, the ups could look after the downs until the down felt like getting up. Then, too, by working together, the ups could do something toward their own support."

It wasn't long before other "hopeless" cases heard about this plan. They came to the colony, liked the set-up, and stayed. Still, Doctors did not hold out much hope for any of them to live very long. The problem that confronted them, however, was how to support themselves but this was happily solved as we shall see.

The children were in bed and the group was talking about prayer when one of the Mothers remembered that all of the children had gone to bed without saying their prayers. One member in particular gave more than passing thought to the incident, and after the others had gone to bed he sat there until he had worked out a plan based on these thoughts. The next day the rest of the group saw on the wall a small cross. It had been cut out of white cardboard and then mounted on a piece of blue felt. Luminous paint had been applied to the cross so that it would shine like a star at night. His idea was to place this cross in the children's bedroom as a sort of prayer reminder.

The grown-ups liked the little cross and the thought behind it, so they had him make some more. These were placed in the other bedrooms and were of great comfort to the invalids during the middle of the night. These nights were mighty long for some of the group, especially if they were in pain. The message that the tiny shining cross seemed to be saying was encouraging and it helped them over these nightly "rough spots."

They had been looking for a way to make money on this farm. Why look further? Here was their opportunity! Here was something that they all felt they were capable of turning out. Cash was a scarce commodity among this group and they had a hard time to even raise a dollar, hut they did, and with this tiny capital they were able to purchase a few chemicals and some blue felt. The kids were sent out to tour the country-side for old cardboard placards. A number were found on fences, trees and poles. A recent election campaign helped a great deal. "We got 36 crosses out of a county clerk and only 24 out of a sheriff" one member said laughingly. A dozen prayer reminders were turned out and one of the young girls was elected to be the first agent. She was only eleven years old but she had little difficulty disposing of this first dozen.

To make a long story short, the crosses sold well when offered at church bazaars for 15¢ each. They were offered over a station in Washington by a radio minister and then an Oregon station did the same. Orders came in a flood which brought about a critical situation. They just didn't have sufficient money to buy materials. As a last resort they went to the town's only banker who listened to their story. They wanted $100. "You've given me," he said, "three good reasons why the bank shouldn't lend you the money. You want to invest in an uncertain business, you have no security and death is at your elbow." Discouraged, the committee got out of their chairs as if to leave, but the banker continued: "But I'll let you have it."

At the time all this was recorded, the "doomed colony" had a substantial cash reserve on hand with all debts paid. More than a half million of the reminders were sold. A syndicated cartoonist devoted a "strange as it seems" cartoon to them, and sales forthwith boomed. Then a radio station in Hollywood brought Nora down for a broadcast which caused sales to soar to new heights.

It wasn't long before a large religious supply company, learned about their product. The company published a folder that gave the whole story about this group. Over 400 dealers in religious goods became their customers. A doctor at the Northwestern University School of Medicine commented on their survival and his opinion as to the reason for this survival is most interesting. He explained: "When a physician is compelled to predict death, it is with the realization that the reaction of the individual may upset his estimate. Should the patient react morbidly, his distress disturbs physiological processes and shortens his life. By accepting fate, by resolving to make their last days useful, by discovering the self-helping outlet of helping others, they extend their own lives."

Religion in this country is being very much neglected these days and prayers are overlooked most of the time. A prayer reminder would fill an important need generally. It is true that it is a little thing and the cost is negligible but the nation as a whole would be better off with more of these "trinkets." Selling an item like this would be a dignified business and a profitable one. Just a case of doing good for others and benefitting yourself at the same time. There isn't a home in this nation, particularly those having children, that doesn't need one or more of these prayer reminders in the bedrooms.

7,000 SILVER DOLLARS—75-76
Faced with the ever-increasing competition from syndicate breads, a local baker thought the community would support any local business if they were awakened to it. So he thought of the idea to pay his help in silver dollars and adopt slogans for his advertising. The silver dollar was to be the by-word.

One of his most famous slogans, the one that put the bakery back on its feet, was…"Watch for the Smith Silver Dollars…Keep them rolling." Silver dollars were a novelty in this town. So every time a silver dollar was being circulated in stores, theaters, restaurants, etc., in the town, almost everyone knew the silver dollar came from the Smith Bakery.

Silver Dollars, especially in the Eastern states, are rare and thereby attract attention. Why not present them in some unusual manner? One enterprising woman wrapped each dollar in a piece of cellophane and stuck it into the center of five or six petaled artificial flowers, the dollar to be placed in the center of the flower. An artificial flower with a silver dollar stuck right in the center would certainly demand attention, and they sold well in novelty shops. Could be given as a bouquet to brides, or even as a gift at a bridal shower.

BOUND IN SKUNK—77
Many homes treasure the books found on their shelves. But a New York man figured a way to make ordinary books priceless to their owners.

He conducts a "book binding" business that's odd. He adapts the cover material to the subject of the book he is binding. For instance, a book about a soldier would be bound in the uniform of a soldier. Skins from sharks, kangaroos, antelopes, zebras, lizards, snakes, lions, tigers, skunks, hippopotami, calves and horses are only a few of the strange book bindings he has done for customers all over the world.

Particularly clever are the books on gardening that are bound in imitation lawn sod, the travel books which are bound in old luggage leather, the love stories that are bound in asbestos and the cookbooks that are bound in oilcloth.

An amusing feature of his business is the well-displayed copy of the late Adolph Hitler's "Mein Kampf". This man bound "Mein Kampf" with skunk fur! It was an unusual attraction and many people wanted the same book bound in skunk fur. Prices for the different bindings ran accordingly.

Here is an unusual occupation which certainly can stand competition almost anywhere. It can be started right from the home. People living nearby would like many of their books bound in the fashion described here.

TEACHER SALESMEN—78
Every year thousands of high school and college students are faced with the problem of getting a job. Good times or bad, there are many ads in the classified section of daily newspapers throughout the country in the "help wanted" department. Thousands of hopefuls answer the advertisement, but the old story is that many are called but few are chosen.

Despite a high school and college education, many students lack the ability to write a letter forceful enough to help them land the job they are after.

A situation like this started a nice little business for a young man who started selling a folio of "job-getting" letters and instructions how to go about securing a job. The folio was offered to high school teachers. It was priced at $2 retail. The dealer offered to supply the folios to all teachers interested for $1. A personal letter to each teacher did the trick. Many teachers are under-paid. Still, there are others who would like to make additional money. Many teachers were intrigued by this proposition and agreed to purchase so many folios from the distributor. Too, in his letter he stated that if the teacher sold 24 folios, he or she would receive two folios additional free, as a "bonus." That allowed the teacher-salesmen $4 extra.

In between the sales program he sent a letter to each teacher selling the folios telling them about a new profit-making idea he had for the fall. If they were interested, they were to drop him the enclosed postmarked "am interested" and he would send the idea along to them.

He sold a variety of products for the fall campaign. Some of the items could be sold by the school children, thereby making money for the children, teachers and the distributors.

However, the job-getting letter idea should warrant the reader's attention. Leading high schools and colleges agree, that many good students can't find a suitable job because they can't write a letter to "sell themselves." Even if the reader can't cope with the idea himself, he can have a good copy-writer prepare a series of job-getting letters and instructions, to be sold by high school teachers to their graduating classes.

"MOVING DAY" CUSTOMER LISTS—79-80
In many large and small cities laundry drivers, milkmen, bakers, coal dealers, ice men, cleaners, grocers, etc., would pay a reasonable price for an up-to-date list of new residents in all parts of the city.

Moving and transfer companies would allow any ambitious fellow to copy a list of all their customers once or twice a week. If the list was then mimeographed and sent to the prospects mentioned above, many of them would be willing to pay a "subscription" rate of about $3 a year for a service of this type. Knowing the new-comer's name is a wide open door for his business.

A telephone serves as the medium for a real estate business conducted by an invalid woman. She merely calls up people on the phone and asks them if they are the owners of the house they live in. If they are, she asks if they would be willing to sell the home. She takes all the information down, the physical description of the house, and tells the people they may expect a buyer soon. The list is turned over to the local real estate dealer who gladly pays the woman for this service. It saves him the time it takes to investigate "rumors" of persons about to sell their homes.

RECIPE PUBLICITY—81-82
One live wire promoter contacted housewives in a fairly large community and asked them to contribute a favorite recipe. He explained the recipe was to be printed in a book, with their name and address over the recipe submitted.

Appealing to vanity, he knew the women would all buy the printed book. Some would buy several of them to send to their friends. The "home town cook book" worked exactly as the man planned. Then again the advertising space in the book brought several hundred more dollars to swell the ante.

This idea is made-to-order for a fast-stepping mail order campaign. Many towns and cities could be worked at one time. "Canvassing" could be done by mail with a well written form letter. A blank form should accompany the letter for the woman to fill in her favorite recipe.

A cook book with a minimum caloric content would sell by the thousands to women who are careful of their figures. A physician could supply a complete list of low-caloric foods. Recipes worked around this cook book idea are worthy of serious consideration.

HOUSETOP COOLING SYSTEM—83
A plumber out of work paved his own way to plenty of work and still more cash with his idea for "house cooling." All he did was to install a perforated water pipe on the top floors of apartment houses. The spray of water reduced the temperature as much as 15 per cent . . . a welcome relief to uncomfortable apartment house dwellers. Plumbers, investigate!

MENUS TYPED AND DELIVERED—84
Most restaurants find it necessary to change their menus about every day which of course necessitates the need of typing. A Kansas housewife, looking about for ways and means to earn extra money, recognized this need. By personal calls and the use of the telephone she contacted restaurant owners and arranged to render a typing service in preparing their menus. Naturally her service was welcomed because it was inexpensive to each restaurant proprietor, and saved a lot of time typing. She visited the restaurants during the day and received the menu information. Taking care of eight restaurants at $3 a week brought her $24 a week total.

By operating her spare-time business on a mail order basis, using special duplicating, typing and mailing equipment, she might have earned more, doing less work. With the aid of another typist or two, she could have probably handled all the menu typing required in the city.

A service like this has possibilities in any city when carried on a large scale. Much of the business could doubtless be obtained over the telephone, even to having the menu information phoned in, and the actual menus delivered by hired messenger. Moreover, a specialized service along these lines could be efficiently handled by a man or woman or a husband and wife as joint enterprise.

CARROT CHIPS—85-88
Here is an unusual idea, that has commercial possibilities. Carrot chips when prepared in about the same manner as potato chips are really delicious. The fact that a young woman in an eastern city made a success selling them is further encouragement.

Carrots are sliced thin, just like potato chips, and fried in the same way. They are then salted, and you have colorful carrot chips! Potato chips are always in demand and there are many successful firms making and selling them today. If one operated an establishment making both potato chips and carrot chips it would be a double lever for increased profits. As a general thing, novelty foodstuffs are popular.

It is reported that a San Francisco fellow met with success selling rice candies, which he had made by the Chinese. There's another food item that is sold and put up something like potato chips and called "Yocky-Mien," which is fried sprouts. Just ordinary bean sprouts fried like potato chips and then put in cellophane bags. A man and wife together built up quite a candy business selling "cactus candies." It is said that they made a lot of money by catering solely to the mail order trade!

To repeat, novelty or specialty food items have been responsible for some enormous successes in this country, and there are always opportunities for the man or woman who has a little ingenuity in preparing food items that are unusually tasty or different.

CACTUS FRUIT FARM—89-90
A mere youngster, a girl of only seventeen, developed a real business selling the luscious fruit from cactus plants. In fact she made her start when only seven years old. At that time she planted a few cactus plants. They blossomed yearly and she discovered that the delicious fruit was very much in demand. Forthwith she put in more plants until she had cultivated a sizeable garden. For several years this was more or less a hobby with her, but as her garden grew and the demand for the fruit increased, she found herself doing a remarkable business.

Producing cactus fruit on a large scale offers a worth-while opportunity. There are possibilities for building a unique farm and market, perhaps similar to the technique used by the California fruit merchant previously considered in this book. Read the cactus wood furniture business article. Then there is the cactus plant. However, to successfully engage in cactus products, one would necessarily have to live in a western state where such plants thrive and are in their natural element—or one could go into a mail-order partnership with a western friend.

MAGAZINES FOR FOUR CENTS EACH—91
There are hundreds of good magazines that are published weekly and monthly but the average person can't afford to buy them all. One ambitious fellow realizing this started a magazine rental library and success rewarded his efforts. A deposit of 25¢ was required which entitled the customer to rent two magazines a day. The charge was 2¢ a day for each 25¢ magazine, current issues. Rates for older issues were less. On magazines retailing for 10¢ each, his rate was 1¢ a day. With a few thousand customers, it can be seen that the profits are not meager. Obviously, volume is the answer to success in an enterprise like this.

Conducting a Magazine Rental Library necessitates the stocking of most magazines published and requires further having several copies of each issue. The more popular a certain magazine is, the more copies necessary. Established in a good location, within a few months the operator of such a service should be well on the way to success.

INDIAN BONNETS FOR PALEFACES—92
When a Colorado musician received an Indian head-dress from a "red-skin" he became interested in Indian objects. To make a long story short, he started making Indian war bonnets and other Indian items which he sold to film companies. Rodeos and individuals were also among his customers. He found it a well-paying business.

Youngsters are always fascinated by Indians and the things they wear and make, and it is quite possible a good business could be started selling Indian bonnets to them. Not make-believe bonnets, but the kind the Indians wore. They could be merchandised throughout the entire nation to department stores. You can imagine how sales might boom for a retail store announcing that it had real Indian bonnets for sale, stating "just like Indians wear!" What red-blooded, American kid could resist that appeal?

TURNING LONELINESS INTO A PROFITABLE BUSINESS—93
A big city with millions of people in it can be the loneliest place on earth. "Loneliness" therefore was the theme for a big business started by a man who had an idea big city dwellers would gladly pay for an evening of made-to-order friendliness, hospitality and good old-fashioned suburban cordiality.

He turned his large apartment into a "social center" for big city lonesome folks. The people read of the unusual "center" in newspaper advertising, and some times heard about it from people who had had a good time there. No intoxicating liquors were served, yet a guest could have all the fun and friendship he wanted by dancing, playing games, partaking of simple refreshments, or simply engrossing himself in conversation with another lonesome person.

Guests usually paid $1 for an evening of fun and entertainment. Saturday night the ante was raised to $1.25. Everyone had a good time at these get-togethers judging from the "record" this unique venture boasted of: 5,000 persons entertained in little more than a year's time, 26 marriages, several suicides averted, many jobs found . . . even the host took unto himself a wife out of the "lonely" venture.

AMUSEMENT DIRECTORY—94
Not every newspaper devotes free space (written material) to the entertainment groups in their particular locality. Night clubs, theaters, dance halls or any other entertainment place pay for their advertisements, without benefit of valuable "comment" or columns such as those conducted by writers in New York, Chicago or San Francisco newspapers. Entertainment is a big item in these cities.

Other cities throughout the country devote their space to general news and ignore "write-ups" for theaters, nightclubs, etc. They look on the latter as too much "free publicity."

That gave a woman an idea. She issued each week a mimeographed directory, replete with everything that was going on in the entertainment world. She visited the establishments personally and gave her unbiased opinions on good night clubs, excellent eating places, good cinema and stage shows, or any other form of amusement that people would like to know a little more about before going to.

The amusement directory was distributed free in bus stations, local hotels, railroad depots, and places where visitors to the town would be most likely to go. A certain amount of the directories were distributed in surrounding suburban localities.

The idea was greeted with enthusiasm by night club owners, theater managers, etc. They gladly advertised in her directory, knowing they would get beneficial comment in the write-ups of this directory. She was welcomed everywhere she went. By securing some of the information by mail she was able to cover the field thoroughly. The managers of the clubs and theaters were prompt in sending in current data regularity.

Although it was only a part-time project, this woman netted herself $35 weekly for pleasant work, visiting the play spots at night and accomplishing the mimeographing, typing, etc. during the day.

THE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY "STORE"—95
Two women started a "store" that didn't sell any of the merchandise displayed. The store they conducted was a show-room for all the other stores in town. Each item shown had a tag attached to it stating where it could be purchased and what the price of it was.

Visitors to this unique store were provided with a pad and pencil to jot down the name of the store and the number of the item, which was also stamped on the tag. Comfortable seating was arranged in the store and even cocktails could be had for the "shoppers."

The money came from the various stores who had their items on display here. They paid a certain fee for the privilege of exhibiting the merchandise.

A "show-room" like the one just described would meet with popular favor around the yuletide season, or any holiday season for that matter. Merchants would gladly cooperate to make this display store a success for its operators.

Speaking of cocktails, or cocktail bars, the addition of a bar to a grocery store is a popular custom in Havana Cuba. Such bars are said to be patronized as much as the regular grocery counters!

THE FARMER-GROCER EXCHANGE—96
A crossroads country store adapted a suitable trading plan for the farmers in outlying sections. Coming to the grocery store is likely to be a burden on many farmers, so the grocery store came to the farmers.

The man and wife running the grocery store built a body on their truck, lined it with shelves, stocked the shelves with groceries, and went out in it to trade with the farmers. The truck would pull right up to the door of each farmer. The housewife then steps into the store on wheels to select the groceries she needs. She can pay for them in cash or in eggs, a "trade" the farmers eagerly accepted. This was an ideal way marketing their eggs without going to the city to do it. This couple called on an average of 200 farms, four times weekly, and eventually increased their regular business 400 per cent.

The cost of operating the store on wheels is insignificant, running about $1.25 a day for gas and oil. Any grocery store, or individual, catering to the farmer trade should invest around $65 to remodel an old truck and make a "store" out of it. Groceries are not the only thing that can be sold through the above mentioned method. One operator used a remodeled trailer, and stocked it with a large variety of goods, choosing the ones he knew from previous experience would sell quickly. If one of his customers wishes something he doesn't carry, he takes an order, and brings it on his next trip.

THE "READ AND EAT" CAFE—97
Reading and eating is a national habit. People do it in restaurants daily. So one clever restaurant proprietor devised a special newspaper reading rack above a wall counter.