Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 14,
1918
THE MUSIC TRADE
15
REVIEW
DETROIT DEALERS PROFITING BY WARTIME PROSPERITY
Large Wages Paid to War Workers Gives Them Funds to Invest in Musical Instruments of All
Kinds—State Fair Brings Business to Local Piano Dealers—New Wurlitzer Manager
DETROIT, MICH., September 9.—Every day sees
Grinnell Bros., Detroit Piano Co., in which the
visits to the Motor City by men who are taking Pal he Shop exhibited also, the Starr Piano Co.
leading parts in winning the world war. The and the Bush & Lane Co. All exhibits were
thing that astonishes them is the tremendous in the same building and occupied about the
basis on which business is conducted in Detroit same amount of space as in previous seasons.
—the number of enormous factories working 100
The big September event in music circles is
per cent, on war orders and the quantity of war the anniversary sale at the Hudson store, and
production. It is positively true that no city Manager Andrew, of the music store, is having
in the entire country is a greater producing fac- a big demand for the Gulbransen player-piano.
tor of war materials than Detroit. You can
October will see a revival of all that is mu-
hardly conceive what is being done by the Ford sical. The concerts will start, among the first
Motor Co., Dodge Bros., Lincoln Motor Co., artists to appear personally being Caruso, who
Packard Motor Car Co., American Car & will come for the first time in five years. The
Foundry and dozens of other concerns to help Detroit Music Trades Association and the De-
win the war. Detroit, of course, needs skilled troit Talking Machine Association will resume
mechanics by the thousands, and thousands of their regular business sessions in October, and
unskilled workmen as well. In the factories "the dealers will begin their fall drives for new
producing war work compensation is based on business. Grinnell Bros, no doubt will hold its
quality production, so that each workman earns annual summer resort sale of pianos early in
individually as much as he can produce. This October, if not sooner.
applies to women as well as the men. The
Clarence Lucore, who at one time was in busi-
writer has positively seen the pay envelope of ness for himself on the Pacific Coast, is the new
some of the girls in war factories earning as manager of the Rudolph Wurlitzer store in this
high as $100 and $120 for two weeks' work. city, having been here now for several months.
Thousands of men who formerly earned $130 The Wurlitzer store here is now doing a gen-
and $150 per month have entered the war fac- eral retail business on pianos, players and mu-
tories and are now earning up to $200 and $300 sical instruments, although its stock of small
per month. So we truthfully say that Detroit goods is not up to where it should be, owing to
is prosperous—very prosperous—there is plenty the shortage. Later on the company may go
of money available for the necessities of life, into the retail field on a larger scale, in which
for amusements and for things that will brighten event it will likely move from State street, which
up the home. Isn't it logical to expect that is out of the shopping district, to somewhere on
the piano and talking machine business will be Woodward avenue, where it will be in the heart
good under such circumstances?
of the mercantile section. Mr. Lucore reports
August, instead of being a dull month, as the sale of a number of organs for theatres,
everybody expected, actually turned out to be running as high as $10,000 and $15,000 each.
the very best of the summer, which was indeed
a great surprise to dealers. They can offer no
ARTHUR C. BYRNE NOW IN FRANCE
explanation as to why August should be so
good, nobody putting on any extra "steam or Writes His Appreciation of Receipt of Mem-
pep."
bership Card in Piano Travelers' Association
In the music roll department of the piano
and Tells of Conditions Abroad
stores we hear that the big hit right now is
Albert Behning, assistant secretary of the Na-
"Smiles." As a matter of fact, it is proving
one of the biggest hits in years, and we must tional Piano Travelers' Association, received
give credit to Jerome H. Remick & Co. for recently the following interesting letter from
popularizing it. Not only in the music roll Arthur C. Byrne, a member of the association,
is it extremely popular, but on the talking ma- and now with the American Expeditionary
chine records likewise. The Victor retail stores Forces in France. Mr. Byrne writes to Mr.
report a tremendous run on "Smiles," and last Behning under date of August 18: "1 have just
week Wallace Brown, who operates several received your kind letter of May 15 enclosing
branch stores, used about twenty inches in the membership card. I surely appreciate this,
daily papers to advertise the fact that he had a and arriving here it reminds us that we have not
large stock of "Smiles" records available at 65 been forgotten. I have had many interesting
and exciting experiences since landing some
cents.
The Michigan State Fair at Detroit ended last months ago. At present I am attending the Ar-
Sunday, and was in every way a big success. tillery Officers' Training School here, and will
We talked with a few of the dealers on Satur- finish about October 1. This is where Napo-
day who had exhibits there, and they felt very leon's generals and leaders were schooled. It
much encouraged with results, adding that their corresponds to our West Point, so you can see
total sales this year were ahead of any previous I am getting a splendid training.
"I often think of the many pleasant years
year. Probably the fact that there were only
four exhibitors this year as compared with spent in our industry and hope to resume my
eight and nine other years is responsible for place there when it is all over. Conditions here
the good business of the lesser number. The are very different than before the war. Candy,
complete list of exhibitors this year included cake, milk, etc., are almost unknown. The
morale of the French is good and with the con-
stant arrival of our troops it is only a ques-
tion of time before our work will be over."
Why Hardman
Pianos are found in
so many Churches
and Sunday Schools
Experience has shown that
p i a n o s less well-made than
Hardman are ill-adapted to the
changing temperatures of the
average church building, particu-
larly in winter.
So, when the Music Committee
has considered and chosen, more
than often you will find a hand-
some new Hardman Piano in the
Sunday School Room.
The rugged construction of
Hardman Pianos gives a perma-
nence to their perfections of tone
and action. It insures a depend-
able artistic performance against
the most trying conditions and
usage—in the church, school,
club, conservatory or home.
This phenomenal durability
and these pronounced artistic
qualities are found throughout
the Hardman line, which com-
prises six instruments: the
Hardman, the Harrington, the
Hensel, the Auiotone,
the
Playoione, and the Standard
Player Piano—in a range of
prices that are further assur-
ance of their popularity and
profit to you.
SECURES LARGER HEADQUARTERS
Awarded first prize in many world compe-
titions during the past sixty years, the
Schomacker Piano is now daily receiving
first prizes of preference won by its superb
tone, wonderful breadth of expression and
structural beauty.
SCHOMACKER PIANO CO.
23d and Chestnut St«.
Philadelphia, Pa.
W. K. Hardy, manager of the Fargo Music
Co., Fargo, N. D., announces that his concern
has acquired a lease on the store building ad-
joining the present headquarters of the concern
at 516 First avenue North. The enlarged quar-
ters were necessary because of the increasing
business of the concern.
JORDAN CAPITALIZATION INCREASED
The capitalization of the Arthur Jordan
Piano Co., Inc., Alexandria, Va., has been in-
creased from $150,000 to $250,000.
Hardman, Peck & Co.
Founded 1842
HARDMAN HOUSE
433 Fifth Ave., New York
Chicago Office and Warerooms, where there is a complete
stock, Republic Building, corner of Adam* and State Street*.