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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
DETROIT DEALERS PREPARING FOR GOOD FALL CAMPAIGN
PLANS FOR NEWJSTEINWAY HALL
Several Important Matters Awaiting Consideration of Music Trades Association—Increased
Prosperity Indicates a Successful Season—The Credit Problem—News of Interest
Details of New Structure to be Erected by
Steinway & Sons on Fifty-seventh Street
DETROIT, MICH., August 7.—With so many of
the dealers still on vacations—with the hot
weather still in force, despite several showers
—news continues scarce at this particular time.
Traveling representatives have been few—if
any—except an occasional stool and scarf sales-
man. The vacation and summer season, how-
ever, is fast drawing to a close, and within a
few weeks we can look for a revival in com-
mercial activities and renewed interest in the
piano business.
The Detroit Music Trades Association will
resume monthly meetings in September, and it
is really expected that the organization will
go after tangible results. There are certainly
enough matters of vital interest worth while
going after. There is the question of fraudu-
lent advertising, charging interest, approval, al-
lowances, one-price system and some system
whereby dealers can be notified of reposses-
sions. Some dealers have told The Review cor-
respondent that they would be willing to pay
extra dues if some method could be devised
whereby every dealer would be notified as soon
as a repossession was made. Something should
also be done towards a general campaign for
stimulating greater interest in music—and the
piano business.
The coming fall season should be an excel-
lent one for piano dealers owing to the pros-
perity of the city, the development of the out-
skirts of the city and the increasing population.
One motor company that turned out 500,000
cars last year is planning to make it a million
during the corning year; it will double the num-
ber of its employes and will also bring out a
new cheap-priced motor truck. Advertising and
a good sales organization are necessary essen-
tials for success in the piano business.
The president and general manager of one of
Detroit's leading stores where pianos and talk-
ing machines are sold, said to The Review rep-
resentative this week: "We have instructed the
managers of our piano and talking machine de-
partments to take more precaution than they
have been doing. There is no telling what may
happen to business conditions within the next
eighteen months. If a calamity should come—
and I would not be at all surprised if one did
come following this abnormal prosperity, you
can see where we would be at with a lot of
questionable piano accounts. We have asked
our managers to make the terms stiffer and
shorter, to keep after collections and to go
after preferential business. We want them to
be more careful as to the class of people they
sell to—we don't want to take the chances that
we have been doing. No one knows when the
war will end, but if it should come within two
years, there is no one who can tell just what
effect it will have on the United States. To my
thinking, it is bound to cause uneasiness in this
country—we will have to go through a certain
period of readjustment—and while this is go-
ing on things are sure to stiffen up. The last
year has certainly been one of unusual prosper-
ity—prices for all commodities are up and no
one seems to object paying the advanced prices
—yet this cannot always last—prices should go
back where they belong—but they probably
won't unless we go through a readjustment
period—and this means that retail business will
slow up temporarily. Every business firm that
extends long-time credit—and this is particu-
larly true in the piano business, where it takes
about three years to square up on a single ac-
c o u n t—should be careful as to what accounts
they accept. They should aim to exercise
greater care than ever before, because now is
Plans have been filed for the new home and
general offices of Steinway & Sons, which will
cover a frontage of sixty-three feet at 109 to
113 West Fifty-seventh street, New York, with
an extension of thirty-nine and four-tenths feet
through the block on Fifty-eighth street. Ben-
edict, Marvin & Davis, the architects, place the
cost at $300,000. The building will be ten
stories high and the six lower floors will be
devoted to warerooms, salesrooms and offices,
while the four upper floors on the Fifty-seventh
street side will be divided into studios.
really the time to go after preferential business
and let the undesirable and questionable busi-
ness alone. That class of business is always
available—it's the best policy to play safe now
and be ready when the tide does turn."
We repeat what this business executive said:
"Stiffen the Terms—Shorten the Terms—and
Take Preferential Business." It's a good policy
to remember and to put into effect right now.
We might add that this man is one of Detroit's
greatest optimists so that the above opinions
are not those of a pessimist.
I. L. Grinnell, president of Grinnell Bros.,
Detroit, with his family, has taken a cottage at
Mackinac Island for the remainder of the sum-
mer. C. A. Grinnell, vice-president and general
manager, has a cottage for August at Lake
Placid, in the Adirondacks.
Sara Moorhouse, manager of the music roll
department of the J. Henry Ling store, has
gone to Atlantic City and New York for a two
weeks' vacation.
A $25,000 Kimball organ has been installed
in the new Regent Theatre, Woodward and
Horton avenues, Detroit, which will open Sep-
tember 2.
Smith & Grinwiss, of Zeeland, Mich., have
sold their stock of sheet music and musical in-
struments to the Friedrich Music House, of
Grand Rapids, which will continue it as a
branch store.
The Kimball Co. in Grand Rapids, Mich., has
taken a temporary location at 72 Monroe ave-
nue, corner Ionia, while the old store in the
Ashton Building, recently damaged by fire, is
being renovated.
BURTON COLLVER AT LAKE PLACID
Giving Some Informal Recitals on Knabe-Am-
pico at That Popular Resort
Burton Collver, manager of the Knabe-Am-
pico division at the local retail warerooms of
William Knabe & Co., is spending a few weeks
as the guest of the Lake Placid Club, Lake
Placid, N. Y. While there Mr. Collver is giving
a number of informal recitals on the Knabe-
Ampico, and this instrument is attracting con-
siderable attention from the one thousand club
members who are now at the lake. The Knabe-
Ampico is being used both as solo and accom-
panying instrument, and is creating a most
favorable impression on all hands.
JANSSEN & JOOSTEN^GET BALL STORE
PEORIA, I I I . , August 7.—Janssen & Joosten have
purchased the piano business of E. O. Ball,
local agent for the Kimball line in this vicinity,
and have taken over the entire stock of pianos
formerly located in the Ball store at 139 North
avenue. A special sale will be held in
MUSICAL EXP0RTS_FR0M GERMANY Jefferson
order to dispose of the old stock and a new as-
Figures Just Published Show Value of Musical sortment of pianos will be installed in the store.
Instruments Exported in 1914 and 1915
Janssen & Joosten have been in this city for
WASHINGTON, D. C, August 7.—According to the the past twelve years and now have sixteen
consular reports prepared by the Bureau of branch stores located in the State.
Foreign and Domestic Commerce, the value of
musical instruments exported from the Kehl
PIANOS WANTED FOR RUSSIA
Consular District, in Germany, to the United
According to information just issued by the
States during 1914 was $23,188. The exports
Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, an
for 1915 of musical instruments amounted to
American consular officer in Canada reports
only $5,064. The declared values of the ex-
that a woman who contemplates a trip to Rus-
ports to the United States invoiced through the
sia desires to be placed in touch with manu-
Consulate General at Frankfort on the Main in
facturers of pianos and mechanical musical in-
1914 amounted to $15,448, no exports in this
struments who desire representation in Russia.
class being listed in 1915.
Full information may be obtained by address-
In 1914 pianos to the value of $7,855 were ex- ing the bureau at Washington, D. C , or at the
ported through the Brunswick Consulate to the Custom House, New York City, and referring
Philippines, the figures for 1915 showing but six to Foreign Trade Opportunity No. 22,044.
pianos valued at $955, these being exported to
Porto Rico.
NEW STORE FOR CANDIOTO CO.
CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
Los ANGELES, CAL., August 7.—The Vernon
Music Co., of this city, has during the past
week been celebrating the fifth anniversary of
the establishment of the business by Manager
E. Hollands. Starting with a small store and
small stock, the trade of the company has
grown steadily until now a surprising number of
pianos and talking machines are handled each
month. Mr. Hollands is a firm believer in ad-
vertising, which has accounted for much of his
LEXINGTON, KY., August 7.—The Candioto Piano
Co. recently moved from its headquarters at
239 West Vine street, to 155 South Limestone
street, where it is operating a very up-to-date
music store. Joseph Candioto, sales manager,
reports an excellent demand for the Chase-
Hackley line of pianos which is featured by the
concern. H. C. Evans and Frank Carollo are
also connected with the store.
CARSON PLANS J5ELLING CAMPAIGN
PETALUMA, CAL., August 7.—Edward J. Carson,
who recently purchased the Maze Piano Co.
H. PAUL MEHLINJ)N VACATION
from its former proprietor, H. S. Gutermuth, is
H. Paul Mehlin, of the firm of Paul G. Mehlin planning an extensive selling campaign, and has
& Sons, piano makers of West New York, N. J., recently purchased an automobile which he will
has left for his vacation, which he will spend at use in calling on suburban customers. The
Shelter Island Heights, L. I. He will stay store is being renovated and several improve-
ments are being made.
there for the month of August.
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos