Abstract
Olson and Sons is a small department store in Des Moines, Iowa. The store is operated by Harvey Olson and his three sons. | Background | Mr. Harvey Olson started the store in its present location in 1961. Since its conception, the store has increased its shopping area by fifty percent and doubled its sales volume. Mr. Olson and his sons consider the store to be very successful. | The founder and leader of the organization, Mr. Harvey Olson, has intensive experience in the management of variety department stores. In 1951 he started his first store in Fort Dodge, Iowa, a community of approximately 30,000 people. After operating this store approximately five years, Mr. Olson was approached by management of a regional chain of department stores that wanted to purchase his operation. Upon selling this store, Mr. Olson moved to Denison, Iowa, a town in rural Iowa with approximately 8,000 people, and started his second store. This store had an immediate customer acceptance and by 1961 Mr. Olson had developed the store sufficiently to attract the attention of another regional chain who wanted to purchase the second store. Mr. Olson sold this store and moved to Des Moines, Iowa, the largest city in Iowa, where he began the present store.