Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
TWIN CITY DEALERS ANTICIPATE RECORD-BREAKING TRADE
R. O. Foster Tells of Pleasing Outlook—Dyer Store Keeping Busy—Bonyea Reports Shortage of
Grands—Cable Piano Co. Exhibits at Minnesota State Fair—News of the Week
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL, MINN., September musical merchandise, and they helped the deal-
10.—Advance results indicate that the season of ers to a goodly weeks' harvest. The Cable
1917-18 will shatter all previous records for the Piano Co. had a splendid piano booth at the
music trade in the Northwest, in the opinion fair, but it must be confessed that the talking
machines were more in evidence at the exposi-
of Robert O. Foster, of Foster & Waldo.
"I don't care to pose as a prophet and make tion than were pianos. The larger houses do
predictions that may not come to realization," not patronize the fair as in former years, main-
said Mr. Foster in discussing the outlook, "but ly because the management has not provided an
it is a long time since the fall trade opened as industrial arts building that is adequate to the
auspiciously as has the present season. It demands of high class wares.
The New England Furniture Co. had some
will be a surprise if the piano men and music
dealers generally do not have their best year. beautiful Everett pianos in the various rooms of
We know that the crop situation on which we its model house.
are so dependent is excellent and the results of
the first week in September indicate that our
TRADE NEWS FROM INDIANAPOLIS
people are not afraid to spend money. We are
doing excellent business now and see no reason Local Dealers Optimistic Over Fall Prospects—
why the conditions not only will prevail, but
Carlin Store Recovering From Fire—Pearson
improve up to the holidays."
Co. Held Successful Summer Sale
W. J. Dyer, back from a month, in Alaska,
returned to find his staff up to the ears in work.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., September 10.—As practical-
The various departments of W. J. Dyer & Bro. ly every music dealer has predicted a big fall
were crowded daily last week, mainly by visi- business in spite of the war, everyone is glad
tors from outside points attracted to the Twin to see the summer close, so that a start may be
Cities by the State Fair, and among them were made on what is expected to prove the biggest
many country dealers and piano buyers. Peo- season in years. While the dealers are opti-
ple are buying pianos freely according to the mistic in their view of the future, they realize
reports from -this store. The sales of the past that at such a time their calculations may prove
week included two large piano organs, one for wrong.
the mortuary chapel of the St. Paul Mausoleum
But the dealers are pointing to the record of
Co. and one to an amusement house.
the piano business in Canada, and in England
Trade is splendid with the R. W. Bonyea during the war, and they are refusing to ex-
Piano Co., according to its reports. Sales are pect anything but a similar record until they
being closed right along, and there is a larger have learned otherwise.
sprinkling of grand pianos and high class in-
The Carlin Music Co. is expecting to have its
struments than ordinarily. It has been neces- sales and demonstrating rooms, which were
sary to order grands by wire as the stock has ruined by fire recently, ready for occupancy
been exhausted. Initial payments are reported within a few days. A metal ceiling is being put
as much larger than usual indicating the buy- in with a new electric light system. Two addi-
ing public has more ready money.
tional demonstrating rooms have been added.
A very satisfactory situation is revealed by Frank Carlin reports that the piano business
Raudenbush & Sons, whose factory and ware- during August was normal.
rooms were visited by large numbers of State
E. L. Lennox, of the E. L. Lennox Piano Co.,
Fair visitors.
is taking a vacation automobiling through the
The Starck Piano Co. stores in Minneapolis West. Mr. Lennox expressed the belief before
and St. Paul are using newspaper space in great he left that the piano dealers would get their
plenty and are drawing trade, particularly in share of the big business this winter.
Minneapolis. G. M. Cross and M. Couchois,
The Pearson Piano Co. stimulated their sum-
salesmen well acquainted in the St. Paul terri- mer business with a midsummer sale. E. W.
tory, have been added to the staff of the St. Stockdale, manager, reports that the sale cleared
Paul store.
out most of the used pianos. The Anderson
Factories in this territory are in operation with branch of the company, which recently moved to
full forces on full time. These will be kept busy a better and larger location, had its opening to-
for some months.
day. Orchestra music, flowers and souvenirs
Schools of music, of which there are a great featured the opening.
many in the Twin Cities, including a number of
George Lennox, of Rapp & Lennox, is firm
convent schools, are opening with larger at- in the belief that the piano business will boom
tendance than at any previous time. This fact during the war as it has in other countries. The
should bring added business to the music houses. business in August was quiet, Mr. Lennox re-
At any rate there will be a great business in ports, but this has been true of other businesses,
rentals and the supply of shopworn and used in- and it is attributed to the army draft, vacations
struments likely will be exhausted in this di- and the close of the summer season. With the
rection within a few weeks.
schools opening soon, it is expected that the
Minnesota's State Fair opened September 3 business will pick up steadily.
for a week with the biggest attendance ever, the
E. G. Hereth, manager of the Baldwin Piano
total of paid admissions for the week approach- Co., reports that business has been keeping up
ing close to 400,000. A certain percentage of well.
these were buyers of musical instruments or
Paul Furnas, manager of the Aeolian store,
is in New York on business. Business at the
store is keeping up nicely, it was reported.
A. E. Pfeifter, manager of the Starr Piano Co.
store, says that the piano and player and talking
machine business compares favorably with pre-
vious records.
The music dealers handling talking machines
are interested in a movement started by C. P.
Herdman, manager of the talking machine de-
partment in the Baldwin store, to form an asso-
ciation of talking machine dealers. Most of the
Awarded first prize in many world compe-
dealers have expressed themselves favorably
titions during the past sixty years, the
Schomacker Piano is now daily receiving
when asked whether they would give their co-
first prizes of preference won by its superb
operation to such an association. A meeting of
tone, wonderful breadth of expression and
the dealers will probably be held soon to deter-
structural beauty.
mine whether there, is enough interest in the
SCHOMACKER PIANO CO.
project to warrant the actual formation of the
23d and Chestnut Sts.,
Philadelphia, Pa.
association.
13
Business Growth
is Sales Growth
Henry Ford built up an
enormous business because he
gave extra value for the money
and preferred a great many
moderate profits to a few
whoppers.
Tiffany's is a great concern.
Unlike Henry Ford, their
profits are fewer, but they're
very big—enormous.
The popularity of Ford's
article and a price within
reach of nearly everyone—in-
stead of only a few—made his
busirfess the bigger and richer.
Now your case. Sell high-
priced pianos and player-
pianos. They offer good profits
occasionally. But depend on
the Playotone to build up your
sales—to make your business
grow.
PIAYOTONE
For the Playotone is "popularly"
priced. It has all the features of high-
priced pianos. It is beautiful. Its tone
is indescribably lovely. It is made in
great numbers because so many people
will have no other instrument. This
big production to meet a big demand
makes the price so astonishingly low
for such quality.
There's a wonderful business-build-
ing opportunity for dealers in the Playo-
tone. Ask us about it now. It's never
too soon to lay plans for building the
business.
Hardman,Peck&Ca
Established 164.2
4JJ FIFTH AVENUE - NEW YORK
HARDMAN HOUSE
r
Chicago Office and Warerooms, where there's a
complete stock of Playotones, Republic Building,
Corner Adams and State Streets.