How Did 18 Shoe Stores All Compete In 1920 Atlantic City, NJ?

Thank you to Kenneth McIntyre, Administrator from the Facebook Page, "| Grew Up Or Lived in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

McIntyre posted an advertisement from 1920. I was Fascinated by at least two things:

How many shoe stores there were in Atlantic City in 1920.

How well they appeared to work together, even though they were competitors.

There were at least 18 shoe merchants on Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City. By today's standard, it's hard to fathom how 18 businesses could compete in the same business in such proximity to one another.

Just look at this incredible ad from 1920.

Kenneth McIntyre photo from 1920.

How could they do this 103 years ago … but, you couldn’t imagine anything like this taking place today … could you?

Sure, there are great chamber of commerce organizations and they work at a very positive, collegial level, today.

I just can’t imagine 18 like-minded businesses all agreeing to agree … to all close at the same time, 6 days a week.

I also love the language of this advertisement.

“We, the undersigned Atlantic Avenue Shoe Merchants, beg to Announce the Cliding of Our Stores at 7 o’Clock Each Evening Except Saturday, Until Further Notice.”

This joint agreement demonstrates that they agreed to do the same thing at exactly the same time.

Could you imagine 18 businesses all agreeing to this today? I don’t think so.