Interview with Coy H. Brannon, May 5, 1988

Partial Transcript: How were you when--how old are you right now?

Segment Synopsis: Brannon talks about his job as a buyer for the company store, mentioning the demand to meet the community's needs. He talks about what his job duties entailed. He talks about various business trips where he would buy his merchandise.

Keywords: Business trips; Control; Manager; Men's department store; Prices; Quality; Quality products; Sales; Subsidiary; Transportation; Travel compensation; U. S. Steel; Union Supply Company

Subjects: Buyer-supplier relations; Clothes; Employment; Merchandise; Subsidiary companies; United States Steel Corporation

Partial Transcript: Yeah. We--I looked at all that.

Segment Synopsis: Brannon talks about his ability to make good choices in buying clothing for the company store. He talks about the different types of clothing that they sold and the pricing of their merchandise. He talks about his store compared to other company stores, mentioning that people came from other areas to buy clothes at his store.

Keywords: Buying power; Company store; Customers' needs; Limited profits; Lower-taste merchandise; Loyal customers; Men's department; Men's dress clothing; Miners' clothing; Quality; Reasonable prices; Store clerks; Two tier selling; U.S. Steel; Union Supply Company

Subjects: Competition; Lynch (Ky.); Pricing; Supervisors; United States Steel Corporation

Partial Transcript: Well, the biggest thing we had in that deal is the, uh--what was the name of that company out of Baltimore?

Segment Synopsis: Brannon talks about the employees that he supervised, including their duties and demographics. He talks about his day-to-day duties.

Keywords: Preparing the merchandise; Stock room; Store clerks

Subjects: Employees; Lynch (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: I keep hearing stuff about the script. Can you please describe that for me, what the script was?

Segment Synopsis: Brannon talks about company script and the different types of payment that was used, including charge and credit accounts. He also talks about an attempt to unionize the company store and giving credit to miners when they were on strike.

Keywords: "Coupons"; Company store; Job duties; Methods; Payment; Script (company money); Store credit; US Steel; Unionization

Subjects: Charge accounts; Labor unions--Kentucky; Lynch (Ky.); United States Steel Corporation; Wages--Coal miners

Partial Transcript: I think ours run around $50,000 a year in sales.

Segment Synopsis: Brannon talks about the store and Christmas activities for the children, and the divisions within the store. He also talks about the differences between the big company store and the two little company stores.

Keywords: Big store and little store in coal camp; Coal company store; Divisions; Loading docks; Meat shipments

Subjects: Christmas; Company stores; Leisure Activities; Lynch (Ky.); Sales accounts; Santa Claus

Partial Transcript: Well my dad, my dad went to Lynch in 19 and 17.

Segment Synopsis: Brannon describes Lynch, mentioning the different businesses, including the company store, and other attractions in town, like the baseball field.

Keywords: Camp baseball team; Coal company store; Community; Community services; Community water pump; Lack of transportation; Old store; Quality; Sports activities; US Steel

Subjects: Competition; Customers (Consumers); Lynch (Ky.); Transportation