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Revers By MrnIhal Sanon Is it possible for a businessman to advertise his product as "the worst in town" and survive long enough in today's competitive world to tell about it? It is if the example set by James A. Cromer, President of Cromer's Peanuts, Inc., at 1235 Assembly Street is any indication of the advisability of such a move. Cromer's slogan, "Guaranteed the Worst in Town", in reference to his boiled and roasted peanuts, seems to be just enough to make people want to try them. Since 1935 when Cromer's father, Julian, opened a vegetable stand at the old Farmers' Market on Assembly Street, the store has grown steadily until it now employs some 40 persons, spans a four-state area in sales, and prints its own 40-page catalog containing between 25 to 50 items per page. According to Cromer, some 20,000 of the catalogs are sent out to store Relocatio Across ( The addition of two major new buildings has opened the possibility for several departmental moves throughout campus, Harold Brunton, vice president for student affairs, announced. 'For about nine months we have considered the possibilities for moves made possible by the vacating Business, Law and Computer Sceience from their old buildings. It's like a game of three-dimensional chess," Brunton said. Brunton said that although it was hoped that most of these moves would be made by fall, he now realized that "'this is completely impossible. As a.result, we will get to each move as quickly as we can." Since the Business LOOI Deep Fried Filet of Flounde Mama Mia Spaghetti with M4 Plus our r e Psyc customers at each printing. "There isn't anything qu-ite like us in the United States," says Cromer proudly, adding, "We may get competition in one area of our business but no one has been able to diversify the way we have." The diversification Cromer refers to is substantial. Cromer's doesn't sell just peanuts. Far from it. A visit to the Assembly 'Street store reveals a full line .of concession equipment, carnival supplies, novelty items, bingo game paraphenalia, vending machines, and decorative items plus other k nickknacks and odds and ends that might keep one browsing through the store for hours. In addition to peanuts, Cromer's is headquarters for what James Cromer refers to as "fun food": peanuts, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, bubblegum. And if you can't find what you're looking for at the Assembly Store, there's another Cromer's branch on the mall at Dutch Square. Current plans call for new o.-t!ets in shopping centers soon to be ns Made .ampus Administration school has moved into its new building, the old BA building will be occupied by Geography, International Studies and Political Science. Air and Naval Sciences will then move out of Barnwell and Hamilton and into space made available in Flinn Hall, formerly occupied by Political Science. Anthropology and Sociology will take over the new space in Hamilton. Petigru, which becomes vacant with the occupancy of the new law center, will house the Registrar and Cashier's offices, moving from the Administration building, and Housing and Residence Life offices, moving from the Pendleton Building. Although other moves are being made, the above constitute the larger ones. K STUDIi What SHE COLUl\ across fr< SA Nightly S All you c r with French Fries. Cole Slaw.) rat Sauce, Cole Slaw, Bread and sgular breakfast, lunch and dini hology opened across the state. The slogan, now famous in Columbia if not statewide or even regionally, seems to have evolved in an off-hand way. Near the stand where Julian Cromer sold vegetables and which he later enlarged to include home-grown peanuts, competition soon sprang up. According to James Cromer, his father's newly-found competition boasted not only roasted peanuts but peanuts roasted by machine. Cromer's nuts were roasted by hand. Inevitably and in the true tradition of American free enterprise, remarks were exchanged between salesmen as to whose peanuts were superior. The dialogue often included insinuation and innuendo aplenty, which eventually led Cromer, Sr., to post a sign on his stand with the now-famous slogan, "Guaranteed the Worst in Town." If the move was an attempt at reverse psychology, it apparently worked. Two weeks after posting the sign a Columbia newspaper took notice of the unusual sign in its news column. Not long afterwards, and throughout the years, Cromer says stories about. the store have appeared in publications circulated nationally. After he began selling peanuts successfully at his vegetable stand, Cromer's father Julian phased out the vegetable end of the business and concentrated solely on goobers. When the State Farmers' Market on Assembly Street closed during the early 1950's, Cromer's moved into an old grocery store at its present location. Later, it expanded into an old fish market on the same block. James Cromer said. he and his brother, Julian, Jr., started the concession side of the business in 1955 by dealing in popcorn poppers and peanut roasters, among other things. In the early 1960's Cromer's cornered the vending machine business. "One thing led to another," said Cromer. "When we started catering to the carnival business with salted NIS... snew at RATON IBIA INN ~t the. m the Coliseum pecial ~n eat Bread and Butter $1.65 Butter $1.59 Se.lls P( nuts, vendors asked us to handle bubble gum. At first we got 1,000 pounds of bubble gum and thought it would. suffice for the entire city. Now, we get it by the truckload." Peanuts-the item.that started it all-haven't necessarily taken a back seat to all the other areas the Cromers have expanded into. Cromer estimates that his store receives a truckload of goobers "about every six weeks or less." No one item or line outsells any other sold by the company. Cromer estimates the business is spread out fairly evenly. That's why, Cromer contends, even if a competitor should force Cromer's Peanuts out of one of its business areas-say popcorn- the lost revenue would still only represent about 10 percent of all the business the company does. With customers in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Florida, and peanuts being shipped to Cromer's from all of those states plus New Mexico, Cromer figures his store does a 10 percent retail trade and a 90 percent wholesale business. Much of the company's trade is done C(LASSIE FOR SALE 1969 Olds "98" luxury sedan, all power equipment, excelleni condition. $1299. 1966 Olds Vista Cruiser station wagon excellen condition. $393.. Phone 754-6131 for either automobile. HANPTON BOOKS (foundec N.Y. 1946). Old and rare history cinema-TV, aerospace, South Caro lina and general, prints, posters maps. Route 1, Box 75, Newberry S. C. 29208, Ph. 276-6870) (US Hwy. 175, 2 miles. North of SC 34). APARTMENTS Needed for fall-Roomate(s) to share 2 bedroom apartment. Cor tact James Kein, 13316 Maple Leal Lane, Woodbridge, Virginia 22191. Needed: Two bedrooms, unfur nished apartment near USC by Au gust 23. $12 finder's fee. 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A parting shot in the form of a sign as one leaves Cromer's suggests, "If you get a good peanut, bring it back, we'll replace it," has, according to Cromer, had a few takers, but mostly for "conversation purposes." TYPING: ALLTYPES. Immed iate professional services. Proofing included. Reasonable, convenient. 254-5921. ABORTION BIRTH CONTROL FREE INFO & REFERRAL Up to 24 weeks. General anesth sia. Vasectomy, tubal ligation al available. Free pregnancy test. Cal PCS, non-profit, 202-298-7995. EIVPLOYMENT TECHNICIANS wanted to re pair and maintain audio-visual machinery. Must have experience in electronics and qualify for work-study. Call 777-2227 or 782-4641. BEAT THE FALL RUSHI MATURE GIRL-Room in large ouse, minutes from USC. $50 per month. LPPERCLASSMAN-Room with kitchen privileges. M\/ain Street A ea. $60 per month. BIKE 'TOSCHOOL-2-room apart ment with quiet screened porch, patio. $100 per month. RENT-EX 798-1100 FEE $15. 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