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Jun. 30 | 2012 Bode-Pearson Prize
Nominations for the 2012 Bode-Pearson Prize for Outstanding Contributions to American Studies due
Jun. 30 | 2012 Mary C. Turpie Prize
Nominations for the 2012 Mary C. Turpie Prize for Outstanding Contributions to American Studies Teaching, Advising, and Program Development due
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Resources: Abstracts of American Studies Dissertations
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Reber, Paul C. "Retail Trade and the Consumer in Fairfax County, Virginia, 1759-1766," American Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, July 2003.
This dissertation explores the relationship between consumer and retail stores in colonial Virginia, using account books from one of the stores operated by the Scottish merchant John Glassford in Colchester, Virginia. The records contain detailed information on transactions, including payments and purchases, made by over a hundred Fairfax County residents during the period 1759-1766. The Glassford store in Colchester was a typical Chesapeake retail establishment, following business practices adopted and perfected by Scottish and English merchants during the eighteenth century. These stores were an important innovation and made a wide variety of imported goods available to poor and middling Virginia farmers and planters. As a principle purchaser of tobacco, these stores also made it possible for these same farmers and planters to participate more directly in the market. A detailed exploration of the transactions indicates that market forces, particularly changes in commodity prices and exchange rates, played an important role in shaping consumer behavior in relation to overall purchases and purchases of specific items. The substantial amounts of credit provided to the store’s regular customers does not appear to have had an impact on consumer spending, suggesting that this credit was used for other purposes including diversification or investments in land or slaves. These stores also provided an important entrepot into the emerging world of goods for the many planters and farmers. As opposed to goods like tea ware, forks, knives, and other items, it was clothing and textiles that were the most popular and frequently purchased items. The price and purchasing patterns of a wide variety of textiles, buttons and trims demonstrates consumers interest in practicality and durability rather than strict adherence to elite notions of fashion.
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