<link href="//maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.0/css/bootstrap.min.css" rel="stylesheet" id="bootstrap-css">
<script src="//maxcdn.bootstrapcdn.com/bootstrap/3.3.0/js/bootstrap.min.js"></script>
<script src="//code.jquery.com/jquery-1.11.1.min.js"></script>
<!------ Include the above in your HEAD tag ---------->
<div class="container">
<div class="row">
<ul id = "customerlist">
<li id = "1"><a>customer1</a></li>
<li id = "2"><a>customer2</a></li>
<li id = "3"><a>customer3</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
// A $( document ).ready() block.
$( document ).ready(function() {
$("#customerlist li").each(function(){
var out = $(this).html();
alert(out);
var out = $(this).children("#1");
alert(out.html())
})
});