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"Dick's History of the
Closeout Business.... T'was a beautiful
Virginia Summer's Day...Sky blue with billowy white clouds, the
ocean blue and calm, a light wind blowing from the east. The year
1623. Off in the distance one could just make out the approaching
square rigger sailing freighter that had sailed from Manchester to
the colonies. On the dock lay a full vessels booty of neatly
stacked, wrapped & cured tobacco leaves, their deep brown essence a
pastel contrast to the seas and skies. John Miller, his slaves and
crew anxiously awaited the Marby lll that the task of loading could
commence. Closer, closer the large White Sails now almost completely
blocking out the sea and sky behind the sturdy craft and then it
docked throwing heavy lines to secure it. In a moment, the gang
plank dropped and down came Tom Davies, the cabin boy anxiously
running toward John Miller. "Out with it my boy, what have you?"
spoke Miller. Tom sensing the urgency of the moment, quickly reached
into his tight pocket and withdrew a penned note on parchment. John
quickly opened what he assumed would be a large British pound
payment and then rolled his eyes at the contents which read, "Cancel
Order". At that moment, Miller heard a Yiddish accent voice behind
him murmur, I'll give you ten cents on the dollar". It was at that
moment that the Closeout / Liquidation Business as we know it today,
was born. Truly, the first Jewish Settlement in the New World. |
