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NOVEMBER 13,
1920
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ST. LOUIS MUSIC MERCHANTS' ASSOCIATION MEETS
Col. F. B. T. Hollcnberg Addresses Rejuvenated Organization on the Value of Co-operation—
New By-Laws Adopted and Many New Members Secured—Business in All Lines Good
ST. LOUIS, MO., November 8.—Radical price de-
clines of the past month have affected St. Louis
less than other sections of the country, accord-
ing to the business reviewer of "Greater St.
Louis," the official organ of the Chamber of
Commerce. Thus far the readjustments, he
says, have worked no havoc in commercial ac-
tivities locally. The storm signal of the decline
was flown sufficiently in advance to permit of
preparation and while one hears much of con-
servatism there is little pessimism voiced and
losses and failures are no more than the average
and normal for this time of year.
Buying is on a large scale. The public, after
a period of reticence, has needs and is respond-
ing in lively fashion.
In general lines the volume of trade the past
month has been well up to that of the cor-
responding period a year ago. In some lines a
recessionary tendency was in evidence but else-
where there were substantial gains and no indi-
cations of letting down from the pace of activity
and prosperity which has obtained in recent
months.
There is a greater abundance of goods of all
sorts, due to improvement in transportation and
to the fact that manufacturers are catching up
with the demand. In many instances produc-
tion has outstripped immediate requirements.
Merchants are taking their time and exercising
caution in placing orders.
Wholesalers and retailers are showing a dis-
position to liquidate stocks. No one wishes to
be loaded with high-priced goods and all are
anxious to be in a position to take advantage
of further cuts. This would ordinarily make for
dull times, but now there has been no such
result for the reason that buying for immediate
needs is so great that the aggregate bulk of the
frequent turnover is as great, or greater, than
would the ordinary purchasing for the long pull.
The reorganized Music Merchants' Associa-
tion held its first general meeting and banquet
Thursday night at the American Annex Hotel.
The attendance was about forty. P. A. Lehman,
the new president, presided and introduced Col.
F. B. T. Hollenberg, president of the Hollen-
berg Music Co., Little Rock, Ark., as the
speaker of the evening. He spoke on the ad-
vantages of co-operation. He emphasized that
the important thing is to advance the cause of
music. Trade, he said, would then take care of
itself. He advised that use be made of ex-presi-
dents in an advisory capacity and that a nomi-
nating committee give attention to grooming
material for future officers. In the matter of
dues, he said, the endeavor should not be to
pay as little as possible, but as much as possible,
because every dollar paid into association work
would return four-fold. He urged them to come
together not with the idea of getting something
but giving something. He urged the members
to be friends, call on each other and help each
other. The supply men and manufacturers
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should work with the dealers, and all should
exert themselves to sell music, assured that the
sale of musical instruments would follow. He
said that co-operation, not competition, was the
life of trade. J. F. Ditsell, secretary of the
association, spoke along the same lines. The
revised by-laws, which provided for member-
ship dues of $25, $50 and $100, according to
business location, were submitted and adopted
and twenty-one firms joined. Others represent-
ed by resident managers are expected to come
in. A vote of thanks was extended to Col. Hol-
lenberg and he was elected an honorary member
and given the title of "Father" of the reorgan-
ized association.
The piano and talking machine departments
of the Stix, Baer & Fuller Dry Goods Co. par-
ticipated to-day in the formal opening of the
enlarged building of the firm, occupying the
entire block from Washington to Lucas ave-
nues and from Seventh to Eighth streets.
Manager Russell Elam, of the Scruggs, Van-
dervoort & Barney piano department, was in
Chicago the latter part of the week on business.
Congratulations are being received by George
W. Houk, of the Scruggs, Vandervoort & Bar-
ney piano department, on the birth of a son.
J. T. Steinert, of M. Steinert & Sons, Boston,
Mass., was in St. Louis last week.
" The First Touch Tells"
Christman
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Reproducing GRANDS
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IMPROVING BUSINESS IN BUFFALO
Retailers See Signs of Increasing Demand Now
That Election Is Over—Chickering With the
Ampico Featured at Ad Club Meeting
BUFFALO, N. Y., November 8.—With the election
question settled piano dealers in this city seem
to be more confident of the future. Some of
them report that even in the short time that has
elapsed since Election Day there has been a
discernible picking up in their sales. All of the
dealers look for a big increase in business dur-
ing the next few weeks, as times improve. For
some time previous to the election there was a
decided slump in the piano business in this
city. But now the dealers are taking a more
optimistic view.
There seems to be a difference of opinion
here among piano dealers as to the affiliation
of a recent organization known as the music
trades group of the Buffalo Chamber of Com-
merce. Some of the dealers seem to think that
if an organization of music dealers is to be
formed here it should be affiliated with the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce, a national
organization. Among these is Albert F. Koenig,
of the Koenig Piano Co.
"There seems to be a disposition on the part
of a number of piano men to hold aloof from
the organization," said Mr. Koenig. "I believe
that if any problem affecting our trade arose
we could get much quicker action in solving it
through the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce. I have talked with a number of other
piano men and they share my views in the mat-
ter."
A number of piano men from out of town were
callers in Buffalo during the last few days. John
L. Cotter, secretary and treasurer of the Hallet
& Davis Piano Co., and A. D. Ogden, New York
State representative of the company, called at
the store of the Koenig Piano Co. last week.
Another recent visitor was Ben Janssen, of the
Janssen Piano Co., of New York.
Taking the place of the usual speaker at the
meeting of the Greater Buffalo Advertising Club
last week, at the Lafayette Hotel, a concert
demonstration of the Chickering with the Am-
pico was held. Mrs. Hollingshead operated the
piano. Arrangements for the concert were made
by Goold Bros.
To make more room for new stock which is
arriving the Poppenberg Piano Co. is holding a
sale of used pianos. G. H. Poppenberg reports
that many pianos are being disposed of.
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The First Touch Tells"
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597 E. 137th Street, New York
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