THE RISE/FALL OF
THE CASHIER
HOW ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES OF THE COMMON GROCERY STORE TURNED INTO THE ROLE OF THE COMMON SHOPPER.
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE CASHIER IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE WAY WE SHOP TODAY. BEFORE STORES LIKE TONYS, WALMART, AND TARGET EXISTED PEOPLE SHOPPED AT SPECIALTY STORES. STORES THAT WOULD NORMALLY REQUIRE NO MORE THAN TWO EMPLOYEES TO SERVE THEIR CLIENTELE. THAT WAS UNTIL NEW TECHNOLOGY AND PROCESSES WERE ADDED. THE MODERN SUPERMARKET CHANGED THE WAY CONSUMERS SHOPPED FOR YEARS TO COME.
1. IN A STUDY DONE BY CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY , KENNETH W. ROSE FOUND THAT IN THE 5,358 STORES IN CLEVELAND,OHIO ONLY 8,410 PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYED IN 1929. WHICH EQUATES TO ABOUT 1.5 EMPLOYEES PER LOCATION.
CONSUMERS WOULD TYPICALLY GO FROM STORE TO STORE TO GATHER WHAT THEY NEEDED BEFORE HEADING HOME. FOR PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU WANTED TO MAKE A SANDWICH YOU WOULD GO TO THE BUTCHER FOR THE MEAT, THE BAKERY FOR YOUR BREAD, A GREENGROCER FOR VEGETABLES, AND THEN A GENERAL STORE FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
FAST FORWARD TO 2026 AND YOU CAN DRIVE 5 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD AND GET EVERYTHING AT YOUR LOCAL STORE.
2.ACCORDING TO TARGETS WEBSITE THEY CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 1,929 LOCATIONS WITH OVER 400,000 EMPLOYEES.
THAT IS A LITTLE OVER 200 EMPLOYEES PER LOCATION. WHICH IS MORE THAN 134 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES IN CLEVELAND, OHIO LESS THAN 100 YEARS AGO.
CLEVELAND, OHIO’S DATA IS A SMALL SET IN COMPARISON TO TARGETS NATIONWIDE DATA, BUT IT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DRAMATIC SHIFT FROM 1929 TO TODAY.
THE DEMAND
THE 1930’S WERE A PIVOTAL TIME IN THE UNITED STATES HISTORY FOR MANY REASONS. THE STOCK MARKET HAD CRASHED IN 1929, IT MARKED THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND PROHIBITION WAS ON THE VERGE OF ENDING IN 1933. DEMAND FOR CHANGE AND STABILITY WAS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH FOR THE US.
PEOPLE HAD LOST THEIR MONEY, SECURITY, AND HOPE. AT THE SAME TIME THERE WAS A LONG LIST OF INNOVATORS WHO WERE READY TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY PEOPLE LIVED.
THE ORIGINAL
TODAY PEOPLE CAN GO TO A STORE GRAB THEIR ITEMS AND CHECK THEMSELVES OUT WITH EASE. YOU SCAN YOUR ITEM, PRICE POPS UP, AND THEN YOU PAY. YOU CAN BE IN AND OUT OF A STORE FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS IS ALL THANKS TO THE CASH REGISTER AND HOW MUCH IT HAS CHANGED FROM ITS INCEPTION.
JAMES RITTY INVENTED THE CASH REGISTER IN 1879. RITTY DID NOT STICK WITH IF FOR LONG AND SOLD THE PATENT TO THE PATTERSON BROTHERS WHO FORMED THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY. BY THE 1950’S THE NCRC HAD REVOLUTIONIZED IT TO BE MOSTYL ELECTRONIC.
1950’s TONY SUPERMARKET
THE BEGINNINGS
MODERN CASH REGISTERS REMAINED SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL WITH THE ADDITION OF ELECTRICAL AIDS AND SCREENS.
THE DEMAND
THE 1930’S WERE A PIVOTAL TIME IN THE UNITED STATES HISTORY FOR MANY REASONS. THE STOCK MARKET HAD CRASHED IN 1929, IT MARKED THE START OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND PROHIBITION WAS ON THE VERGE OF ENDING IN 1933. DEMAND FOR CHANGE AND STABILITY WAS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH FOR THE US.
PEOPLE HAD LOST THEIR MONEY, SECURITY, AND HOPE. AT THE SAME TIME THERE WAS A LONG LIST OF INNOVATORS WHO WERE READY TO REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY PEOPLE LIVED.
1950’s TONY SUPERMARKET
THE MODERN