Music Trade Review

Issue: 1903 Vol. 36 N. 7

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
12
THE
7V^\JSIO
TRRDE.REMIEW
at Stamford, and the building of another big
structure in Harlem adjacent to this one?"
Mr. Garritson spoke enthusiastically about
The President of the Kroeger Piano Co,, asked questions by The Review, replies in his usually interesting
manner —How the Kroeger Piano has grown in Prestige and Popularity—The Kroeger of 1903 the Kroeger piano of 1903, containing the
Destined to Outdo its Predecessors.
new soft pedal and no-lost-motion action.
"Our present factory facilities in Harlem greatly increased. Many improvements have "This latest improvement," said he, "strength-
are becoming utterly inadequate for our been made in every department under the ens the dealer's position very much. It gives
growing business," said President Chris. Gar- able supervision of my colleague, Albert W. him not merely an additional talking point
ritson, of the Kroeger Co., to The Review Kroeger, of whose helpful support, execu- of great value which will be helpful in sales,
on Tuesday when chatting about trade con- tive and administrative, it would be impossi- but marks a distinct advance from a musical
standpoint which every dealer must appreci-
ble to speak too highly."
ditions.
ate. The principle is unique and correct.
"What are you going to do abut it—se-
"Is the Kroeger factory at Stamford, es-
cure another building?" queried The Review. tablished about a year ago, now in perfect The advantages of its application are too
"Well," was Mr. Garritson's rejoinder, running order, properly equipped; and has obvious to need recapitulation. We have
after a moment's thought, "it is not our pol- the firm's enterprise in this direction proved had uppermost in mjnd during experiments
leading up to this great triumph the agent's
icy, as a rule, to talk much about futures. to be fully justified ?"
advantage in dealing with his customers.
We prefer to talk after the event, rather than
"Everything
at
the
Stamford
end
is
in
Dealers who care to write us for particulars
before it. But I will say this much now, just
apple-pie
order.
The
machinery
and
other
with
a view to handling the Kroeger will
to illustrate the fact that the Kroeger Co.
appliances
are
the
best
and
most
modern
ob-
receive
prompt replies and all details neces-
intend to keep up with the procession. It is
sary
to
a full understanding of the immense
tainable.
Results
achieved
have
been
far
be-
quite likely that in, say, six or eight months
advantage
offered them in the Kroeger of
yond
our
fondest
anticipations—and
this
is
from date we shall erect another building,
only
the
beginning."
in close proximity to this, on the vacant plot
"Looking back over the record of the
to the left of the wing we now occupy here.
DITSON CO.'S NEW QUARTERS.
This program is subject to revision, of Kroeger Co. during your administration, Mr.
[Special to The Review.]
course, but if intentions go for anything, we Garritson, what is most conspicuously appar-
Boston, Mass., Feb. 10, 1903.
shall get there in due course."
ent?"
Agreements have been signed whereby the
"The most satisfactory phase evidenced in Oliver Ditson Co. take a twenty-years lease
"Mr. Garritson, what increased percentage
of Kroeger piano output for 1902 is recorded the record is the steady, healthful develop- of an eight-story firepoof building, to be
on your books as compared with 1901 ?"
ment of the Kroeger business, every year erected by Ellerton P. Whitney and others,
"Fully twenty-five per cent."
showing a marked advance in output, in rep- trustees, at 150 Tremont street, from plans
"Has the chain of Kroeger agencies resentation, in excellence of product and in by Winslow & Bigelow. The lot, which con-
throughout the State and Territories been trade prestige. Much has been done. Loy- tains 4,184 square feet, extends through to
strengthened materially during the past ally supported in my endeavors, both inside Mason street. Increase in the volume of
twelve months ?"
and outside of the Kroeger factories—in the buiness of the Ditson Co. has compelled them
"Yes; we have many more agencies than office, in the various mechanical departments, to make this move, in order to obtain nearly
in 1901. I am glad to be able to say, in this on the road, and among the Kroeger deal- twice the area now occupied by it. The firm
connection, that the Kroeger agents are a ers—I have been able thus far to hold the will be in the new building about the last of
live lot of people, keen after results—and they good ship 'Kroeger' to her helm. Storms this year.
get them."
there have been, lively and numerous, but
The present building occupied by the com-
"What has been accomplished by the Kroe- they have all passed over. We are now en- pany at 451 Washington street will have a
ger Co., Mr. Garritson, since the beginning joying the sunshine and riding peacefully new tenant directly after it is vacated.
of 1902 in the matter of the Kroeger baby on the crest of prosperity's wave."
HENDERSON STILL SOUTH.
grand ?"
"Just one more question, Mr. Garritson.
[Special to The Review.]
"It has made splendid headway. The It is partly answered already, but there is
Ann Arbor, Mich., Feb. 7, 1903.
Kroeger agents find a ready market for it. one point still to be covered. The future of
J. Compton Henderson, general manager
We promptly ship every grand just as soon the Kroeger as a thoroughly reliable popu-
as it is completed, and could easily dispose lar piano is, in your opinion, fully assured?" of the Ann Arbor Organ Co., accompanied
by his family, is still in Ft. Worth, Tex.,
of twice as many as we now find opportunity
"I will answer your question on this sub-
where he has extensive interests. The past
to make."
ject by asking another," was Mr. Garritson's
"What advances have the Kroeger Co. ready response. "If the future of the Kroe- year was most satisfactory from a business
made of late regarding new machinery and ger were not fully assured, am I the kind of a standpoint for the concern, the destiny of
which is guided by Mr. Henderson.
other improved appliances ?"
man, or are my colleagues the kind of men,
"We expended $7,000 in new machinery to sanction arid arrange for the purchase of
An expensive Haines Bros, upright has
during 1902, and more is being arranged for. new machinery, the development of appli- been donated by John J. Owens, of Pough-
Our force of men is larger than it was a ances in every department, the storing of keepsie, N, Y., to the Knights of Columbus
year ago. Our stock of lumber has been more lumber, the fitting up of a big factory Exposition to be held in that city.
THE ADVANCE OF THE KROEGER PIANO.
ARTISTIC PIANO PANELS
WOOD CARVINGS IN
A VARIETY OF
BEAUTIFUL DESIGNS
We
beautiful
a
make
the most
wood carvings, by
patented
process
which
enables us to reproduce the
most artistic design, entire-
ly in wood, at a price far
Any design reproduced.
No composition.
No embossing. No applique work.
carving.
WRITE FOR CATALOGUE.
Willner Wood Co.,
S2 WALL STREET,
below
NEW
YORK
the cheapest
hand-
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRKDE
DEALERS' VIEWS ON TRADE CONDITIONS.
A Fifth Instalment of the Opinions of Leading Members of the Trade Regarding Subjects Which are of
Vital Interest to the Industry—Some Interesting Views—The Outlook Most Encouraging—More Pianos
Will be Sold Than in 1902—Condition of Stock—What the Association Should Take Up.
E v e r y manufacturer and every dealer is interested in the trade possibilities of
the p r e s e n t year. T h e y also will be glad to know the opinions of l e a d i n g dealers
in widely separated localities r e g a r d i n g important trade topics. W e have t h e r e -
fore presented the questions which appear below to h u n d r e d s of the best known
piano m e n in America.
D u r i n g the past five weeks we have presented h u n d r e d s
of these communications and this week w e present some more replies which
are fairly representative of the whole.
In your opinion how many more pianos were sold in your locality in 1902 than 1901 ?
About what was the average sale* price for the past year?
What per cent, was sold at less than $300.00?
What kind of terms would you estimate were generally made?
Have not retail piano methods materially improved in your vicinage?
Will there be an increase in sales this year over 1902?
Has the music trade ever been in healthier condition in your locality than at present?
Do you figure that the department store will cut any figure at a distributing factor in your locality?
Are pianos of indefinite (stencil) origin sold in appreciable numbers in your city?
What in your opinion is the greatest single question that the Dealers National Association can take up for
trade betterment?
JULIUS A. J. FRIEDRICH, Grand Rapids, Mich.
The average price paid for pianos the
past year, including new and second-hand,
was $243.15, and seventy per cent, was sold
for less than $300 and a large majority was
sold on time.
I am pleased to know that the methods used
by the retail piano men have much improved
and business is conducted more upon busi-
ness lines and business dignity. It is my
honest impression and belief that there will
be no increase of business this year over
1902.
Past records will go to show that ap-
proaching campaigns years business de-
creases rather than increases.
It is my great pleasure to say that the mu-
sic trade is in a healthier condition to-day
than it ever has been since my connection
with the trade. Department stores in this
locality have cut but little figure and I do
not regard them as being dangerous in any
great degree, as purchasers of pianos who
buy in the department stores would not go
to a legitimate music house and purchase a
standard make of piano; hence I look upon
them with little importance.
My stock is in better condition to-day at
the present writing than it has been in years
past. I regret to say there has been a num-
ber of stenciled pianos sold in this city, but
they are, as a rule, not sold upon legitimate
lines.
YOHN BROS., Harrisburg, Pa.
In your opinion how many more pianos
were sold in your locality in 1902 than in
1901 ? Ten per cent.
About what was the average sales price
for the past year ? $275 or $300.
What per cent, was sold at less than $300?
Forty per cent.
What kind of terms would you estimate
were generally made? Forty per cent.
Have not retail piano methods materially
improved in your vicinage? No.
Will there be an increase in sales this year
over 1902? Don't think so.
Has the music trade ever been in health-
ier condition in your locality than at pres-
ent? No, it has not.
Do you figure that the department store
will cut any figure as a distributing factor in
your locality? Not interfered with us.
Are pianos of indefinite (stencil) origin
sold in appreciable numbers in your city?
No.
C. A. REED MUSIC HOUSE, Anderson, S. C.
Replying to your various propositions,
which are arrived at more especially from
my own experience, will say that there were
about twenty more pianos sold during the
year 1902 than the previous year, and the
average sale price was about $300. I should
judge that fifty per cent, of them were sold
for less than $300. As to terms, only about
five per cent, were sold for cash, about fifty
per cent, on instalments, with $20 to $25
cash and $8 to $10 per month. The remaining
forty-five per cent, was sold for notes pay-
able in, say twelve and twenty-four months.
I do not think that retail piano methods
have improved in this section. We hope to
see an increased business during the present
year, as conditions are rather more favorable
throughout this section. My stock was some-
what less the beginning of this year than for-
merly, owing to a larger holiday trade. Sten-
ciled pianos are not sold to any large extent
throughout this section. I think that the
Dealers' Association would not do better than
to give special attention to the one-price sys-
tem and "weeding out" of irresponsible deal-
ers.
I often think of the pleasant circumstances
under which we met in Baltimore last May,
and if you should have occasion to visit
South Carolina I would be pleased to have
you call and see me.
CARLIN & LENNOX, Indianapolis, Ind.
In your opinion how many more pianos
were sold in your locality in 1902 than in
1901 ? 200.
About what was the average sales price for
the past year? $250.
What per cent, was sold at less than $300 ?
Two-thirds.
What kind of terms would you estimate
were generally made? Average 12 months.
Have not retail piano methods materially
improved in your vicinage ? No.
Will there be an increase in sales this year
over 1902? No.
Has the music trade ever been in health-
ier condition in your locality than at present?
No.
Do you figure that the department store
will cut any figure as a distributing factor
in your locality? No.
Does the condition of your stock compare
favorably with that of January of the past
year ? Same.
Are pianos of indefinite (stencil) origin
sold in appreciable numbers in your city?
Yes.
What in your opinion is the greatest sin-
gle question that the Dealers' National Asso-
ciation can take up for trade betterment?
One of the best things the association can
do is to give the names to all dealers through
the music journals of salesmen who have been
discharged for embezzlement, forgery, or any
crooked business such as making collections
not reported—all such men should be report-
ed to the music journals. There are entirely
too many dead beats in the piano trade who
embezzle or do crooked business for -every
house they work for and these should be
eliminated from the trade, and if the asso-
ciation would make a business of reporting
all such cases openly through the journals
and would make it a rule that no member of
the association could hire such men we would
soon be rid of them.
We have sold this year 100 pianos more
than we did last year. This is due to having
a larger force on the road. Our small goods
trade has also increased $10,000, making a
total increase of $40,000 for the year; next
year will not likely show any improvement.
DAYNES MUSIC CO., Salt Lake City, Utah.
After having given the matter some
thought, will say that we can only express
opinion as to the extent of business that we
have had, and are pleased to give you an es-
timate of about what we have done.
In our opinion the sales for the year of
1902 would exceed that of 1901 by 80 per
cent., and the average price of each instru-
ment, we would judge, to be about $400, a
very small percentage of which were sold
for less than $300, probably not over 15 or
20 per cent. Our general terms for time
sales have been from $25 to $75 down and
$10 per month.
We consider that the" methods for retail
piano business, as far as our business is con-
cerned, is improved and we are very san-
guine as to the outlook for this year. We
do not know of a time when the music trade
has been in a better condition than now.
Every year since we started has been one of
continued improvement. The business for
the last eight years being an increase over
the previous one of from 50 to 100 per cent.
As to the department store feature, we can
not say as to what figure this would cut at
all. We have not given the matter consider-
ation and do not know that we could form
any opinion as to this.
The condition of our stock at the present
time is about what it was a year ago; if any
change, probably better.
We consider that the greatest difficulty at
present to be taken up by the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association would be to get
the dealers generally to be more united in
their methods of business. We have found
that in this trade there are some of the most
contemptible men engaged, and they will
stoop to anything to gain a sale. We con-
sider that when a sale is made, the papers
signed, and the first payment made, that the
competitor should not interfere with the pur-
chaser, or in any way discourage, but we are
sorry to report that we have a number of
dealers in this city who try to gain business
in this way. Another bad feature that we
find in the business is the fact of the dealer
indulging in personalities and trying to sell
his goods by running down that of his neigh-
bor. These methods, we think, can be dis-
pensed with, as we find that they do not pay.
The secret of the great success of our house
has been that we sell our goods on their
merits, and do not enter into any discussion
whatever as to the merits or demerits of the
goods of our competitors.
EILERS PIANO HOUSE, Portland, Ore.
In the State of Washington pretty close
to 5,000 pianos were sold last year, an in-
crease of from 40 to 50 per cent.; Idaho and
Oregon without question got away with a
little over 3,000 pianos and Nevada, Wyom-
ing and California about 11,000. These fig-
ures may be very wide of the mark, but the
writer has been up and down the coast a
good deal during the past year, and does not
believe he is very far from right.
As to what constituted the average sale

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