State

September 22, 1934 THE STATE Page Nineteen He Started As An Hrrand Boy AND loilay lie is president of a eliain of 36 stores which have extended tlieir operations into half a dozen states. Two new ones were opened up in North Carolina this month. SOM К thirty years ago — «>r there¬ abouts — an errand bov by the name of Charles worked in Cop- Ion’s store nt New Bern, He was a son of the proprietor, but that fuel didn’t win for him any special favors or con¬ sideration. Asa matter of record. Mr. Coplon, Sr., privately told the salesmen and other employees of the store to keep Charles’ nose to the grindstone from early morning until closing time. The policy seems to have met with success. Mr. Coplon, Sr., aged and Iweaiim less active in the business management "f the store. Charles and his brothers gradually took over the management. Their store was known all over Ea»tern North Carolina and was a favorite shopping place for the people of that section. Hut Charles had other ideas. He wanted to open up a number of stores in several states, thereby increas¬ ing the scope of his buying power and enabling him to sell merchandise at a much lower figure, lie talked his broth¬ ers — Harry and Abe — into endorsing the venture, and the first of the Charles stores was o|>cncd in New Bern. It proved a big success, right from the very start. That was ten years ago. Since then, the Coplon brothers, together with By¬ num Smith, have built up an organiza¬ tion which promises to become nation¬ wide. They’re already operating in half a dozen or more states — North Caro¬ lina, Virginia, Kentucky. Tenne**ee, Pennsylvania and New York. This month they are 0)iening two new stores in North Carolina — one in Durham and the other at Burlington. That make* a total of nineteen in this state. All through the depression period, the Charles stores continued to grow and prosper. In every instance, the stores have been localized and take an active part in community enterprises and proj¬ ects of various kinds. Mr. Charles ('oplou is a freipient visitor in North Carolina. Despite the fact that the main i.llices of the Charles stores are located in New York, he is still a North Carolinian, and he always will !-\ He enjoys nothing lietter than mingling with his friends down here. lie is still a young man and — ns you can tell by looking at his pie- lure— a rather good looking chap. He un<|uestionnbly is one «if the host mer¬ chandisers that ever operated in this ‘late. That his poli¬ cies have proved successful i“ attest¬ ed to by the steady growth which his chain of stores has made. There arc now 36 individual stores in the state-* mentioned a boro. It’s <|iiite an in¬ teresting si oi v — this tale of the Now Bern errand hoy who has made such a success in tho business world. Tie has won for himself •he high regard and esteem of everyone with whom lie has coiuc in contact. And his friends of many years standing ad¬ mire liiiu for the splondid record he ha- made. He had two courses open to him — to continue with a single store in New Bern or some other town in North Caro¬ lina — secure in the knowledge that lie could always make a go4*d living— or else gamble on a chance of making a big success through extending his opera¬ tions. In pursuing this latter course, lie stood a chalice of losing everything. However, lie didn’t hesitate to take the gamble— if it could Is- called a gamble — and he lias won out. Personally — knowing Charlie Coplon as we do — Wo don’t think it was much of a gamble. 1 1 was a sure thing. lie knew what lie wauled to do, It wasn't any hasty jumping at eon elusions on his pari. Before embark ing upon the new business venture. CHARLES COPLON, President Stores, Inc. of The Charles he planned every step in advance. And then, when he was ready to pro¬ ceed, he threw all of his enthusiasm and energy into the proposition. And those who know him are aware of the fact that he possesses both «if those qualities in abundance. Mr. Coplon lias |*orfected a splendid organization. Having kept his busi¬ ness growing and prospering during the period of depression, there is no question or doubt but that further progress will he made since economic conditions have improved. The two stop's which wen* о pone. I in North Carolina this iinuith is indicative of this fact. It is planned !«• continue the program of expansion. There’s one thing that Charlie won’t do he won’t stand still. If he can’t keep moving forward, In1 ’ll quit what lie’s doing and tackle something else.