DELLEKAMP's

DELLEKAMP's CLOSING

Source: Crawfordsville Journal Review 31 May 1972 by Dick Robinson (one fab guy)

The announced closing of Dellekamp's Department store which has been a fixture of the downtown area might also be termed as the end of a special type of merchandising by special merchants. Many department stores, especially those similar to Dellekamps are faced with the same problem - how to be competitive and still maintain principles of good merchandising and good customer service with quality merchandise. Emerson Dellekamp built his business on t he principle that the customer always came first. He was a firm believer in seeing that all persons coming into his store were greeted with a smile and received prompt attention by a salesperson not just a clerk. He staffed his store with well-trained people who knew and understood their particular lines of merchandise. During busy hours, Dellekamp would walk the floors checking with customers to see if each had found what they wanted or had the attention of a salesperson. Merchants, like Dellekamp, today are faced wit the problem of using the salesperson in competition with firms using the discount approach where even clerks are hard to find and sales usually transacted at a checkout counter. Customers today apparently have accepted or have been forced to accept the impersonal approach to retailing. This may be what the customer has grown to expect or accept because there is a possible savings. There will be a void in downtown Crawfordsville with the store closing and the absence of Emerson Dellekamp from the local fraternity of merchants. With the store gone, there will no longer be a full-line store in the downtown area. Also, the loss of Emerson Dellekamp will create a void among merchants which in all likelihood may never be filled again. Dellekamp believed there was more to operating a store than having shelves full of goods and the doors open. According to his way of operating, a necessary ingredient was having trained salespeople ready to serve the public. Dellekamp got his training in the old school and the first lesson was learning to say, "May I help you?" Dellekamp has said he is closing the store for economic reasons and that is easy to accept. But, it will be hard to accept that there is now one less store where one might hear the phrase, "May I help you?"

Source: Greenfield Indiana Daily Reporter Thursday p 6

Mr. and Mrs. Emerson Dellekamp of Crawfordsville are the parents of a baby girl. Mr. Dellekamp was formerlyt the manager of the Goodman Department store in this city.

Source: Hancock Democrat, Greenfield, Indiana Thursday 14 March 1935 p 4

Spring styles from the Goodman Department Store of this city were shown before a large audience of Greenfield people at the high school auditorium Wednesday evening. The show was sponsored by Psi Iowa Xi sorority. Lattice work and roses were used on the stage to make an attractive setting for the show. The flowers for the show were provided by the Forest florist shop. Kervan Amos, manager of the local Goodman Department Store spoke briefly. He told of the local organization and of the different buyers who purchase the latest styles for Goodman store sin this city, Shelbyville, Rushville and Crawfordsville. Mr. Jester of Shelbyville, general manager of all the Goodman stores, and Emerson Dellekamp of Crawfordsville formerly manager of the local store were introduced. Music for the style show was provided by the orchestra directed by Frank Wills …

Source: Princeton Daily Clarioni 11 Feb 1965 Thursday p 1

Donald Roth, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Roth, Princeton, has been named general manager and supervisor of Dellekamp’s Dept. Store, Rockville. His parents operate a paint and wallpaper store here. A native of Crawfordsville, Roth graduated from Indiana University with a degree in business administration. He was an assistant department buyer for William H. Block, Indianapolis before serving in the Armed Forces. Roth is now a Lt. in the Army Reserve. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis Club and Elks and takes an active part in Chamber of Commerce work. Roth and his wife have four children.