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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
San Francisco Music Merchants Join
New Radio Association in That City
James J. Black, of Wiley B. Allen Co., Is Secretary of Newly Organized Body and Represents
the Retail Music Trade Therein—New Manager for Sherman-Clay Mission Branch
CAN FRANCISCO, CAL., September 6.—All
the mystery is taken out of piano salesman-
ship by the new "Rent-Sale Plan" of Kohler &
Chase. This, at least, is the opinion of Edward
St John, who writes the firm's advertising
and had a good deal to do with evolving the
firm's latest piano-selling plan. Mr. St. John,
it will be remembered, took the third national
prize at the National Convention held in New
York in June, for his Kohler & Chase adver-
tising. The "Rent-Sale Plan" which is being
given much publicity, both in advertising and
window displays, may be summed up by the
firm's statements issued as follows:
"Our new Rent-Sale Plan enables you to rent
any new piano in any of our stores for sixty
days before purchasing—rent allowed on pur-
chase—no drayage—no extras.
"Our standard time-testad pianos make such
guarantees possible. Knabe piano agency first
taken by us twenty-eight years ago—J. &. C.
Fischer piano agency, taken by us sixty-three
years ago—Kohler & Chase pianos, sold by us
for sixty-one years—Andrew Kohler pianos, sold
by us for fifty-six years."
What is described as a "Double Guarantee
of Quality and Service" is part of the piano-
selling plan. The Quality Guarantee guarantees
with every piano in consideration of prompt
payment that the instrument must be as rep-
This
Player Piano
Increased
Summer Sales
Style W
4 ft. 4 in. high
Here's the Proof
It opened twenty-two new accounts in August.
Orders for it kept our factory working full time
throughout the Summer.
Reorders for it have necessitated putting on an extra
force for September.
It is, therefore, fortunate that we operate one of
America's largest piano factories where steadily in-
creasing business can always be efficiently cared for
and dealers are assured that service which can only
be guaranteed by facilities, the character of which we
commend.
863 East 141st Street
at Walnut Avenue
New York
One of America's Largest
Piano Factories
SEPTEMBER 13,
1924
resented or the money will be returned as well
as free replacement for a defective instrument,
etc.
For the same consideration the service
guarantee includes: "1. Complete mechanical
service, including tuning for one year in this
city and suburban territory. 2. Payments ex-
tended if temporarily sick or out of employ-
ment. 3. Contract may be canceled in case of
death. 4. No annoying collection agents."
Among the pianos featured in this sales plan
are the Ampico in the Fischer grand and the
Ampico in the Franklin grand.
Retail Radio Association Is Formed
The Retail Radio Association is now an ac-
complished fact. James J. Black, treasurer of
the Wiley B. Allen Co., represents the music
trades on the Board of Governors, and Mr.
Black has accepted the secretaryship of the
association. Speaking of its aims, Mr. Black
stated that it has been formed to stabilize the
radio trade and to promote general good feel-
ing among the members.
Tie-up With Popular Advertising
Some of the members of the Retail Mer-
chants' Association of San Francisco are sub-
scribers to a weekly publication known as
Shopping News. Its contents consist of re-
prints of the advertising of the subscribing
firms, published in the local daily newspapers
during the week of the Saturday on which the
Shopping News appears. The publication is
delivered free at the home of anyone who de-
sires to become a subscriber and thousands of
copies are given away in this manner. The
Shopping News is a favorite with housewives,
who scan its pages for advertisements of any-
thing they think of purchasing, from a new hat
to a piano or phonograph.
Leading San Francisco firms, subscribers to
Shopping News, tie up their advertising in it
with window displays. For instance, this week
Sherman, Clay & Co. have a very attractive
window featuring the Brambach baby grand
piano, and a placard describing some of the
merits of this diminutive grand ends with: "As
Advertised in Shopping News." Half a block
away the White House has a clever window
featuring Victrolas, and Brunswick and Sonora
phonographs in period styles, as well as rec-
ords. The notice in this window reads: "Read
our advertisements in the San Francisco Shop-
ping News, a guide to better values." The City
of Paris also ties up its window displays to the
advertisements of Victor goods, Brunswick and
Sonora phonographs, as well as to its radio
department, which handles the Atwater Kent
and Radiolas.
New Manager for Mission Street Branch
Residents of San Francisco's Mission District
are usually so loyal to their portion of town
that they prefer to trade there. A very satis-
factory piano business is transacted by the
Sherman, Clay & Co.'s branch at Mission and
Seventeenth streets, according to William F.
Tatroe, piano sales manager for the firm's re-
tail stores in this city. The new manager of
the Mission branch is E. J. Conn, who is well
known in that district, having been manager
for the Kohler & Chase branch there for three
years.
Movements in the Trade
Following a recent operation Irving Heilbron,
overseer of the Sacramento store of Sherman,
Clay & Co., recuperated in southern California.
He is now back on the job. L. C. Huber, man-
ager of the Stockton branch of Sherman, Clay
& Co., is now in charge of the wholesale radio
sales department for that company. J. N.
Brocklehurst succeeds him in Stockton. Miss
Hazel Barlow, in charge of records for the H.
C. Hanson Music House, is leaving for a
month's visit to her childhood home in Billings,
Mont. Miss Lola Beach will be in charge
during her absence.
Delighted With Brunswick Radiolas
The Wiley B. Allen Co. and the other Bruns-
wick dealers here are delighted with their stocks
of Brunswick Radiolas which have now been
distributed to the dealers. Good sales from the
outset are reported.