THANKS FOR JOINING ME ON FRIDAYS FOR BOOK BEGINNING FUN!
Please join me every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author's name.
EARLY BIRDS & SLOWPOKES: This weekly post goes up Thursday evening for those who like to get their posts up and linked early on. But feel free to add a link all week.
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YOUR BOOK BEGINNING
MY BOOK BEGINNING
An elderly man with a hat pulled low on his head and using a cane to steady his weakened right leg found himself confronted on Southwest First Avenue near Harrison Street in Portland by a young man with long hair and a bedroll strapped to his back.-- My-Te-Fine Merchant: Fred Meyer's Retail Revolution by Fred Leeson. The elderly man is Fred Meyer, founder of the Pacific Northwest chain of "superstores" that still bears his name. Meyer pioneered the idea of selling groceries, drugs, clothing, home goods, toys, sporting goods, electronics, fine jewelry, and more under one roof.
Fred Leeson was a long time newspaper journalist. His biography of Fred Meyer is a readable and entertaining slice of regional history, providing the story behind this household name.
My-Te-Fine Merchant is available on line, or order from your favorite local bookseller. A Kindle edition is also available.
Sounds fascinating! I love hearing the back stories of well-known people!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for hosting every week and for introducing us to new books and authors.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great biography. We have all heard the name from the retail chains but few, including myself, probably know the man who started it all. Thanks for sharing and hosting!
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading,
Rebecca @ The Key to the Gate
Now I'm intrigued!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fascinating read, especially since I go to my local "Freddy's" all the time!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting Book Beginnings every week.
This sounds like an interesting biography, though I've never lived where his stores are located.
ReplyDelete:)
I love to hear how folks got stores started.
ReplyDeleteIs this the same store "Meijer" that has stores in Michigan?
That is a very nice grocery store. I enjoyed shopping there when my son lived in Michigan.
Happy Friday!!
Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My Book Beginnings
I guess Meyer's the person to thank then for me not having to walk to a thousand different shops every week! I really need to start reading more biographies because they're really interesting! You learn so much! Thanks for sharing :) Hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteMy Friday post
Juli @ Universe in Words
Oh this sounds interesting. This isn't a subject I know a lot about but it's also a name that's a household one. I'll have to look for this one.
ReplyDeleteSeeing how I live two hours away from Oregon, this is a very familiar sight in my town. Have a beautiful weekend!
ReplyDeleteSparrow's BB & Friday 56
OK, I'm not likely to read this one, but I LOVE this guy already! Mighty fine, indeed.
ReplyDeleteHappy reading this week!
I'm not usually one for biographies, but this one got me really intrigued! Great pick :)
ReplyDeleteWe were just in Switzerland trying to explain Fred Meyer stores to our hosts. They couldn't get their brain around how big the stores must be to carry as much merchandise as they do.
ReplyDeleteOh, didn't know who had the idea to sell flowers in the same store where you pick up medicine for a cold. It is convenient. I guess he, Fred Lee. was tired of inconvenience.
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