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JANUARY 8, 1921
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
SAN FRANCISCO PIANO MEN BUSY TAKING INVENTORIES
Holiday Trade Exceeded Anticipations and Local Dealers Are Now Replenishing Their Stocks
in Readiness for Demand Which Is Expected to Increase as the Year Progresses
9
pany. After some speaking a turkey dinner was.
served, as is the annual custom of the firm.
New Victor Traveler Arrives
The arrival in San Francisco of Otto May,
traveling representative of the Victor Talking
Machine Co., is heralded by his many friends on
the Pacific Coast, where he will remain for the
next four months, with headquarters at Sher-
man, Clay & Co.
After an absence of seven years Charles H.
I'aulson has re-entered the service of Sherman,
Clay & Co. at their San Francisco headquarters
as superintendent of the firm's headquarters
building. For the.last few years Mr. Paulson
has been employed in Pittsburgh. He has many
fi lends on the Pacific Coast.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., December 31.—Holiday ment. The women employes' restaurant is listed
business in San Francisco has been good enough as being on the eleventh floor, and so on.
Employes Entertained
to cause the trade to be thankful, say the dealers,
Seventy-eight women employes of Sherman,
and in many cases the Christmas buying, which
barely commenced before the very last days Clay & Co., at the San Francisco headquarters,
prior to Christinas day, vastly exceeded antici- enjoyed a Christmas luncheon given by the firm
pations. A steady stream of musical goods was December 23. Decorations were profuse and
shipped from cities of the Northwest in Ore- gifts in appreciation of services were distributed
gon and Washington to the California stores of from a large evergreen tree in the women's
Kohlcr & Chase as the establishments in the lunch room on the eleventh floor of the large
Southern State handled more business than had building occupied solely by the large music com-
been thought possible, while the stores in the
Northwest are reported to have done a very
slack holiday business, due to the general busi-
Sales Totals for 1920 Expected to Exceed Those for 1919—Grinnell Bros, to Hold Annual Con-,
ness slump in that section of the country.
vention of Branch Managers—Furniture Exposition Attracts Many Visitors
Inventories of stock are now being taken in
most of the music houses, and others are pre-
DETROIT, MICH., January 4.—Just as we have been because business was coming in easy. And so
paring to do so next week. The dull season
is on again and the question is looming how to predicting right along, December was some- when the annual convention rolls around C. A.
stimulate purchasing during the early months of what under December of 1919 for the music Grinnell will no doubt impress upon his man-
1921. Many fear that with many price reduc- trade in Detroit—but the loss in business was agers more forcefully than ever the necessity
tions advertised by department stores in their not over 10 or 12 per cent. However, consider- and great importance of constantly studying out
musical lines in the effort to stimulate Christ- ing the year as a whole, we believe that all new ways of increasing business.
dealers will find business better than 1919—and,
I'ercy Guest, manager of the small goods de-
mas buying, further reductions of a substantial after all, it's the year and not the individual
partment
of Grinnell Bros., remarked recently,
nature will have to be made soon in order to month that counts. Business the first six
and he hit the tack squarely on the head: "There
bring the public into the stores during the wet months was very substantial, but it started to is a lot of business if you go after it; but it is
Winter months. The question of whether piano slow up in August and has been somewhat back- not easy pulling like it was for the first
prices will be reduced during the next few ward ever since. December of 1919 was the best eighteen months following the armistice."
months is being widely discussed by the trade, local dealers ever had, and even though this
Harry Zickel, manager of the piano depart-
and its answer is thought to be of the greatest year was not as good dealers look upon 1920 ment for the Cable Piano Co. store, informed
importance in view of the attitude of the public December business as rather remarkable in The Review that 1920 was the best year the
at the present time.
view of the depression and what merchants in store ever had. "All departments did a big
other lines of business are reporting.
Byron Mauzy's Good Report
business, far greater than we expected. When
Byron Mauzy reports a very good Christmas
Jay Grinnell, sales manager for Grinnell we look back and listen to what merchants in
business and declares that the volume of sales Bros., with twenty-eight branch stores, said to ether lines are reporting about business, we are
almost approaches that of the same period in The Review: "We had a splendid year, de- certainly thankful that we had such a splendid
1919, which was the best year ever known to spite the fact that December of this year did year. Even December, which looked bad at the
the trade here. Stocks at that establishment not quite hit the mark of December, 1919, which siart, made a strong finish. We will be well
have been greatly depleted owing to the "last was a phenomenal month in a phenomenal pleased if we can do as well in 1921. We
year. But we are not complaining in the least; understand that all of the Cable stores in the
minute" rush on the house, says Mr. Mauzy.
An extraordinary sale of talking machine rec- taken for the year, we are well pleased. All of State did a good year's business."
The January exposition of the furniture in-
ords, which are especially featured, is also re- our stores more than held up their own and
ported by Mr. Mauzy. The policy of making some of them showed exceptional increases. We dustry opened in Grand Rapids on Monday and
special offerings and featuring the records was arc optimistic and look for business to keep up from the reservations made at all of the hotels
determined by the firm when it became known steadily. Fortunately, we are not a sensational there will be a bumper crowd there. We under-
earlier in the season that the public was buying concern. We don't make a lot of noise one stand that prices this year will be about 15 per
more records than ever before and less of other month and then shut up like a clam the next; cent under those of 1920. Among those in at-
we spend a consistent amount of money every tendance will be quite a number of piano, player-
goods, say members of the firm.
The talking machine business of Kohler & week for advertising; our selling force is al- piano and talking machine manufacturers. In
Chase has been exceptionally good, according ways about the same twelve months out of the fact, while up there last week the writer had al-
to D. A. Hennessy, assistant to the president of year; and we go along always doing a nice ready met some of the advance guard. Thou-
steady business at all of our stores. We have
the concern. Burnham and Amphona machines the confidence of the people in all of the terri- sands of retail furniture dealers from all parts
or the world are expected to attend.
have been featured.
tories wherever a Grinnell store is established."
The Jones Music House, 52 North Division
Records Are in Demand
The annual convention of Grinnell Bros.' street, Grand Rapids, is conducting a closing
There is also reported a very large call for branch managers will take place some time this out sale, announcing its retirement from busi-
the recent Okeh record releases. Emerson rec- month, according to present plans. The con- ness.
ords are reported as selling very well during vention will last about five days, there being
On January 12 Willard Bryant, well-known
the weeks preceding Christmas, by B. E. Adkins, entertainment mixed in with the twice-daily dealer in musical instruments at 218 Woodward
manager of the Remick Song Shop on Market business sessions. This year should be a very avenue, will betroth his daughter, Miss Martha
street.
important metting, as there never was a time Louise, to Elmer Harold Flinn, also of this city.
A Convenient Directory
when it required as much hard work to get new The wedding is listed among the notable social
A small pocket directory has been designed by business as to-day. Of course, in that respect, functions of the year.
T
Shirley W alker, operating manager of Sherman, we might say for C. A. Grinnell, vice-president
C. O. Lebaron, music dealer in Fairview sec-
Clay & Co., for the use of employes at the San of Grinnell Bros., that he has always maintained tion, this city, reports that December was re-
Francisco headquarters so that they may easily that the most successful concern was one that markably • good, being only about 10 per cent
ascertain for either the benefit of customers or hustled for new business instead of waiting for under the same month of last year. He con-
themselves just where every kind of musical it to come in—regardless of its advertising cam- siders this a remarkable showing, however, in
instrument is to be found and where every de- paign or prosperous conditions. Even during the lace of so many people being out of em-
partment in the large establishment is located. the war when the average retailer sat in his ployment at the motor factories, which are
For instance, the little directory which was office and made the customers come to see him, abundant in his section. "What helped me out
issued to employes prior to Christmas shows Grinnell Bros, plugged hard for more business was a number of player-piano sales the last
that under the head of absences the latter should by advertising and its large force of outside week," said Mr. Lebaron to The Review. "I
be reported by employes when they return to salesmen. The war did not change Grinnell haven't figured up the year's business, but I am
work on the second floor and the proper depart- Bros.' methods or policy; it did not "lay down" sure it will show a healthy gain over 1919."
DETROIT DEALERS CLOSED A VERY SATISFACTORY YEAR
For over 25 years Specialists
in high grade Piano Cases
Paterson Piano
Case Co.
PATERSON, N. J.