What It Was Like to Work in a Retail Establishment in the 19th Century
gathered from a 19th century retail establishment’s Instruction to Employees
"The store must be open from 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. the year round."
"Store must be swept; counters, base shelves and showcases dusted; lamps trimmed, filled, and chimneys cleaned; pens made; doors and windows opened; a pail of water, also a bucket of coal brought in before breakfast and attend to customers who call."
"Store must be opened on the Sabbath unless necessary, and then only for a few minutes."
"The employee who is in the habit of smoking Spanish cigars, being shaved at the barber’s, going to dances and other places of amusement will surely give his employer reasons to be suspicious of his integrity and honesty."
"Each employee must not pay less than $5 per year to the church and must attend Sunday School regularly."
"Men employees are given one evening a week for courting, and two if they go to prayer meeting."
"After 14 hours of work in the store, the leisure hours should be spent mostly in reading."
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