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Show wfV I PIXies? LyWohl WASCJT sPuiritetiMPMes! Chubby Checker Helped Him Sell Shoes! By DEAN C. MILLER UPI Business Editor - Win Cash! The Deseret News invites Young Americans to send in their own pixies, and well pay $5 for each one published. DESERET NEW YORK (UPI) Some Wall Street success stories are conceived in happenstance and nurtured by executive inspiration. Melville Shoe Corporation, whose stock has increased in value 582 per cent since 1964, is such a story. Its president, Francis C. Rooney Jr., walked irto a New York night club In September of 1961 and came out with unshakable belief in the youth market. Not a novel thought today, but a risky posture eight years ago. Rooney, then 39 and president of the companys Thom McAn division, was turned on by entertainer Chubby Checker who twisted as he sang. Noticing how Checkers style moved the audience, especially youngsters in it, Rooney determined to corral him as a promotional peg. Two months later, just before Checker and tne tw ist became a national teenage rage. Rooney signed him for $3,000. Chubby Checker posters dotted Rooney's stores. Checker made personal appearances. Practically every shoe in the Thom McAn line, except safety and nursing shoes, was renamed "The Twister. The rest is merchandising history. Teenagers, who buy six pair of shoes to every one for the average swarmed adult, suburban shops Checker Chubby carrying shoes. Three years later Roo- ney was president of Melville. Since 1964, Melville has increased sales by 50 per cent, upped net earnings by 128 per e cent and earnings by 145 per cent. Melville stock, priced around $17 in 1964, now sells around $58 per-shar- , OPEN DAILY sers and Marlene Dietrich hats. Rooney predicts tins 'Tip A Teenager Upside Down And A $100 Bill Will Fall Out' after a January, sphlt in 1968. Rooney, a tall, father of eight e ruddy-face- children, operates on the theory that if you "turn a teenager upside down a $100 bill will fall out." His three-poitheory on the fall out" involves: talking to young in their own terms, people reaping giving them their own shopping environment and designing products with special teen appeal. Rooney even has hired a hippie consultant to educate his sales force. Melville researches every teen fad, from rock and Indian music to surfing, to get marketing leads. Then it goes after the teens through the top $UNDAY10-- 10-1- 0 disc jockeys with music and commercials they understand. "Actually, we dont try to sell shoes as such, explained Rooney. "We sell an emotional effect, an excitement." In stores geared for girls, there are blinking lights, special coloi-snow music and pads on the floors instead of chairs. Melville goes even further in its chess king stores aimed at young men. Buying there is a "happening. not a shopping visit. They feature bold colors, rock bands, girl clerks and managers barely out of their teens themselves. Among items currently hot at these stores are incense, slave bracelets, bed bottom trou , ,.,,xv chain a fue m Aside from cashing m on prosperity, Rooney sees the youth maiKet as a hedge against recession. Never having lied in any but prosperous times, young people today dont pay much to economic factors, explained tiie Melville president. "If they want todays attention xx, - si. 0 The Shoes-Ch- ic Shoes have been making a lot of fashion news these past few years. Now theyre at it again. And this time they are looking like the shoes that were worn in the Forties. Sturdy heels . . . platform soles . . . rounded open toes. All these things will mark the shoes you buy this fall as really with it. JPH You can have fun with hosiery this fall. All kinds and all colors are available to match your many fashion moods and costumes. Wear navy pantyhose if you havent LUMBER W hovt acquired Used Dimemtoa really large stock of end Boards. Good metr-ia- l. SAVE 12 KETCHUM'S before. Wear silver lame-likfor evening. Why nylons should legs dress in a dull e 4th So. at 7th W- .BUY AND SAVE HERE 355-465- 6 manner? f Fridoy, 3 About Hosiery Prices ef Active at all 3 Salt Lake Stores :"-- ;.,x.v become and have the something, money, they buy it, regardless of price or what the stock market is doing. And chances aie the youngsters will continue to have the money. In short, Rooney believes the younger geneiation in slow times will cut back on big ticket Items such as furni-tui- e and cars but abvays will dig lip enough cash to buy small ticket apparel items that happen to titillate its emotional side. years. 40 7 4 S will n July 25, HEWS, 1969 ! "v TIMELY SAVINGS MEN'S SWIM TRUNKS ON BIG SELECTION of MISSES' BRAS Our Reg, 1,37 Our Reg. 2.87 2 Days Only For FINAL CLEARANCE figure 2 Days Only flattery! 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