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Music Trade Review

Issue: 1924 Vol. 79 N. 18

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 1, 1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
9
Retail Dealers' Commission Problems
Calvin T. Purdy, Retail Manager of Hardman, Peck & Co., New York, Sums Up the Vexed Question of the
Retail Dealer's Relations With the Music Teacher in Sale of Pianos—Checking the Work of
the "Commission Hound" Without Losing Good Will and Ultimately Sales
N A period, such as the present, when the
retail piano industry is endeavoring to
register its progressiveness at every turn
with movements for cleaner advertising, cleaner
selling and a more efficient management of ac-
counts, it seems entirely fitting to consider an-
other important item, which cuts into the mer-
chant's profit: viz., the payment of unneces-
sary commissions. The evil of paying rebates
to piano teachers and professional musicians for
"introducing" to the piano dealer prospects who
would have doubtless found their way to his
store eventually probably began with the open-
ing of the first piano store, wherever it was.
The annual loss to the dealer under this custom
has been considerable.
To many of the large houses such a practice
is no longer an evil. They have seen fit to
organize themselves to meet the proposition
consistently and have stood their ground. Such
houses have recognized the fact that there is
such a thing as a just recompense for the per-
son who works for their establishment exclu-
sively, but they have closed their doors on the
nomadic lead-getter who shops everywhere with
the customer only to anchor where the sale,
which means his own commission, is the most
satisfactory.
It is obvious that the music teacher or musi-
cian who visits piano stores indiscriminately
with a prospect is performing no economic value
to the house by his presence or introduction.
He is a mere spectator of the transaction, and
can by no twist of logic make it clear that he
is entitled to any of the money which the quality
of the piano and the arguments of the floor
salesman have secured.
An extreme case was cited recently by Calvin
T. Purdy, manager of the Fifth avenue ware-
rooms of Hardman, Peck & Co., New York,
in which a piano teacher claimed her commis-
sion a week or two after the sale had been
made, without any previous communication.
The teacher had simply advised her pupil to
call at the Hardman establishment. The floor
salesman waiting on the customer had no diffi-
culty finding the exact piano to suit her and
the deal was made.
Mr. Purdy, meeting the music teacher in the
store some time after the piano had been deliv-
ered, explained that the young woman had made
no reference to being directed to the Hardman
store. He further stated that he had no record
of any agreement with the music teacher to indi-
cate that she was entitled to a commission. For
this reason, on behalf of a strict policy of the
Hardman house, he refused to allow any com-
mission on the sale.
The music teacher then began to get in a few
"licks" and advised the customer to return the
piano, as it was not, in her opinion, in a satis-
factory condition. A special repairman was sent
to the customer's home, which happened to be
an hour's ride from the store, and he consumed
half a day in determining that the piano was
in the same perfect condition it had been when
leaving the store and did not even need tuning.
The music teacher, who had doubtless counted
on a new hat with the commission she was so
sure of getting, was not of this opinion, and
within another month the customer was request-
ing a piano of different case design. The matter
was finally adjusted and no commission was
paid to the teacher, but not without much in-
convenience and expense.
"Hardman, Peck & Co. are by no means an-
tagonistic to music teachers who consistently
work for the Hardman piano and for it alone,"
said Mr. Purdy. "For years we have had satis-
I
factory relationships with many music teachers
in Greater New York who are influential in
bringing prospects into our store. These indi-
viduals generally have Hardman grands in their
studios and their admiration for our instruments
has a distinct influence on the pupil intending
to buy. When such influence paves the way to
a sale, it is only fair that the teacher be re-
warded."
This attitude represents the practice of most
of the large piano houses in the larger cities.
Frequently it is extended to grant a commission
to any employe of the establishment, whether
bookkeeper, stenographer or elevator operator,
when their personal friends are brought into the
store to buy and are sold. Department stores
with piano departments,'such as the John Wana-
maker Store in New York, have a working ar-
rangement with the entire personnel of the
establishment for such a service.
This practice is a commendable one, as is any
practice which widens the contact of a business
house. The house of John Wanamaker with its
3,000 employes has a connecting link, through
their families with practically every neighborhood
of the five boroughs of Greater New York and its
suburbs. If each employe were to bring in
one real piano prospect per year, one can imagine
the great benefit to be gained by the piano de-
partment. This is, of course, more than can
be expected, but there is no doubt that much
good business is obtained by this arrangement.
The house of Hardman, Peck & Co. goes still
further in the matter of allowing commissions
to employes for new business brought into the
store, extending the practice to include its re-
pair business. No direct commissions are paid
to the individual securing the repair work, but
a small percentage of the cost of the job is set
Court Refuses to Restrain
Prosecution of Suits
aside on all new service jobs amounting to more
than $30. Every three months the commission-
money thus accumulated is divided equally
among the twenty or twenty-five members of
the repair staff. The plan operates like a bonus
system, and serves well as an incentive to secur-
ing new business.
When to Pay
The question of when to pay and when not
to pay commissions for new business in con-
ducting a music store ought to solve itself most
of the time. The problem involved is to main-
tain the dignity of the house and to make
money, and paying fair rewards for service is
entirely within the bounds of these ideas. The
modern music merchant ought to be enterpris-
ing enough, however, to make the major part
of his sales unassisted from the outside. It is
a loss of both dignity and money to be com-
pelled to chop off a percentage of his list price
on every transaction.
Perhaps the most dignified thing about the
insurance business is the unflinching refusal of
solicitors and agents to grant rebates to their
friends for securing new business for them. A
statute has even been provided in the insurance
laws making granting such rebates a misde-
meanor. One would hate to see a similar law
passed with reference to the piano business, but
nevertheless it would be gratifying to see piano
merchants make a few strict rules of their own.
The easiest way to establish the fixed-price idea
in the piano business is to try to eliminate most
of the exceptions.
LAUTER
HUMANA
Player Piano
Federal Judge Winslow Denies Injunction
Asked by Westinghouse Electric Mfg. Co.
Against the De Forest Radio Co.
Judge Winslow in the United States District
Court last week denied an injunction sought by
the Westinghouse Electric Mfg. Co. to restrain
the De Forest Radio Co. from prosecuting filed
suits to cancel patents on the alleged infring-
ing Armstrong circuit controlled and manufac-
tured by the plaintiff corporation.
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals
recently held that the De Forest regenerative
transmitter was the original invention of this
device, reversing the Commissioner of Patents in
his contention that the Armstrong patent held
priority. As a result, actions were later filed
by the De Forest Co. against the Westinghouse
interests for cancellation of their Armstrong
patents and will be shortly tried in the Federal
Court, Eastern Pennsylvania District. A num-
ber of other suits are also pending.
If you are going after the
best business in town, you
need the Lauter-Humana.
A dozen distinctive fea-
tures make it different
from any other player
piano.
Buys Out Merz Music Store
MARYSVILLE, O., October 27.—The entire music
stock of the Merz Music Store has been pur-
chased by the Holycross Music Store and has
been transferred to the warerooms of the latter
concern. Harry Merz, who owned the Merz
Music Store, purchased the Penhorwood store
some time ago and operated it under the
changed name in addition to his music store in
Columbus.
LAUTER GO.
Newark, N. J.
62nd Year
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
10
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
New Stores and Changes Among Retail
Music Merchants During the Past Month
A Compilation of the New Stores Established and Changes in Ownership and Management for
the Information of the Manufacturer and the Traveler
Alabama
Birmingham, Ala.—The Cable-Shelby-Burton Piano
Co. has purchased the entire stock of the C. C. Hol-
combe Music Co.
Arizona
Globe, Ariz.—A branch of the Leonard Piano &
Music Co., of Miami, Ariz., nas been opened.
Arkansas
Fayetteville, Ark.—The Guisinger Music House has
moved into its new building on the southeast corner
of the square.
California
South Berkeley, Cal.—The Ashby Piano Co. has
opened a store at 3317-19 Adeline street, carrying the
Baldwin line, with Mrs. B. K. Chisholm as manager.
Modesto, Cal.—Alterations have been completed in
the store of the Pacific Music Co., on Tenth street,
to increase the floor space.
Long Beach, Cal.—Earl C. Dible has been ap-
pointed manager of Barker Bros, local branch music
store.
Hollywood, Cal.—The Hollywood Music Co., at 6019
Hollywood boulevard, has remodeled its warerooms.
8an Diego, Cal.—The new department store of
Holzwasser, Inc., this city, has opened a piano de-
partment, carrying the Lester line, with Roy T.
Davis in charge.
Los Angeles, Cal.—The Barks Music Co. has been
formed here to represent the Wiley B. Allen Co.
and opened warerooms at Wilton avenue and Forty-
eighth street.
Palo Alto, Cal.—Glann's Music Shop, handling
phonographs and records, has removed to 379 Uni-
versity avenue.
Connecticut
Waterbury, Conn.—The new warerooms of Brodrib
& Blair, at 97-99 Bank street, have been formally
opened, carrying the Sterling and Lester pianos.
Danbury, Conn.—The local warerooms of Heim's
Music Store have been moved from 270 Main street
to 221 Main street.
Stafford Springs, Conn.—Improvements have been
completed in the local branch of the United Music
Co. chain.
Stafford Springs, Conn.—A new music store, carry-
ing Cable & Sons pianos, has been opened on West-
ford avenue by Theodore Placek and Daniel Haigh.
Illinois
Rockford, 111.—The retail store of the Schumann
Piano Co., here, has suffered a flre loss, estimated
at $12,000 to $15,000.
Herrin, 111.—The Morgan Music Co., of Murphys-
boro, 111., has opened a branch store here.
Iowa
Lanonl, la.—New quarters have been selected by
the Fleet Music Co. in a store east of the present
location.
Kansas
Sallna, Kan.—Improvements in the warerooms of
the Terry Music Store, on East Iron street, have
been completed, adding to the display space.
Pratt, Kan.—A new music store, carrying Kimball
pianos and talking machines, has been opened by
Miltner & Cunningham at 314 Main street.
Wichita, Kan.—D. W. Miles and A. A. Myers have
opened a new music store at 132 North Market street,
handling Baldwin, Hobart M. Cable and Brinkerhoff
pianos.
Maryland
Baltimore, Md.—Another store of the chain of the
Mueller Music Shops has been opened at 500-508
South Third street.
Massachusetts
Franklin, Mass.—F. W. Weaver has opened a new
music store here, handling the Brunswick phono-
graph and York and Mercer pianos.
Holyoke, Mass.—The new and larger store of the
Brunswick Shop of Holyoke, Inc., has been formally
opened at 283 ^2 Maple street,
Pittsfleld, Mass.—The Pierce Music Co. has opened
a new store at 254 Worthington street, with F. W.
Edwards as manager.
Boston, Mass.—The Hallet & Davis warerooms,
operated under the name of the John L. Cotter Piano
Co., at 061 Boylston street, have been formally
opened.
Michigan
Holland City, Mich.—J. H. DePree has been ap-
pofhted receiver for the Everet J. Pruim House oper-
ating a chain of stores.
Lansing, Mich.—The Jury-Rowe store, on West
Michigan avenue, has opened a piano department
and will handle the Baldwin line.
Detroit, Mich.—The Sadowski Music Store has
moved to new quarters on Chene street, affording
larger display space.
Detroit, Mich.—The John Church Chain O'Piano
Stores has opened a retail store at 154 Bagley ave-
nue.
Missouri
" Kansas City, Mo.—The Brunswick Studio has been
opened as a branch of the Brunswick Shop at
Country Club Plaza by George C. Anderson.
St. L.ouis, Mo.—The store of the Krite-Boyens Piano
Co. has been remodeled to have greater facilities
for talking machines, and has added the Brunswick
line.
Kansas City, Mo.—The Wunderlich Piano Co. has
opened a broadcasting station in its store.
Bethany, Mo.—The Shroyer Music Co. has moved
to its new home in the Deal Building, which has
been purchased by H. C. Shroyer.
Jefferson City, Mo.—The Henry F. Miller Stores
Co. has been granted a charter to operate retail
piano stores in Kansas City.
Joplin, Mo.—The music business of J. W. Mc-
Millan, formerly at 212 West Fourth street, has
been moved to 311 Main street.
St. I,ouis, Mo.—The Aeolian Co. of Missouri has
purchased the business of the Mengel Music Co.
St. Louis, Mo.—The second floor of the Kieselhorst
Piano Co. store has been remodeled.
Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minn.—The Howard-Farwell Co. has
opened a new store at 806 La Calle avenue, carrying
Chickering, Gulbransen and Brambach pianos.
Minneapolis, Minn.—John Lang, formerly with the
Dayton Co., has been made manager of the Victrola
and Brunswick departments of the Metropolitan
Store.
New Jersey
Montclair, N. J.—The retail phonograph store of
Joseph Lawlor has been moved to new quarters in
the Wellmont Theatre Building, 404 Bloomfleld ave-
nue.
Newark, N. J.—Thomas P. Chakeris, identified
with the Broad & Market Music Co. for ten years,
lias opened the Ideal Phonograph Shop at 867 Broad
street.
Trenton, N. J.—A new piano store lias been opened
at 1100 Chestnut avenue by Miss Melanie Badstueb-
ner, formerly manager of the local Griffith Piano
Co. store.
Trenton, N. J.—A branch store of the F. A. North
Co., of Philadelphia, has been opened at 223 Kast
State street.
New Mexico
Albuquerque, N. M.—H. A. Maisen has organized
the New Mexico Piano Co., at 116 North Second
street, handling Steinway and Gulbransen pianos.
New York
Niagara Falls, N. Y.—The Falls Music Co., of this
city, has been incorporated with $10,000 capital and
will handle pianos and radio.
New York City.—The Victor store, known as the
Lenox Talking Machine Co., at 312 West 145th street,
has been purchased by William Waldman.
Brooklyn, N. Y.—The retail piano warerooms of
the Allied Piano Manufacturers, Inc., at 1128 Broad-
way and at 645 Fulton street, have been remodeled.
New York City.—The new warerooms of Chicker-
ing & Sons, 27 West Fifty-seventh street, have been
formally opened.
Brooklyn, N. Y.—Papers of incorporation have been
filed by Mulfords, Music, which will engage in the
sale of musical instruments, with $5,000 capital.
Albany, N. Y.—The branch stores operated by the
Baker Music House, Inc., at Utica, Hoosic Falls and
Glens Falls have been discontinued.
New York City.—The retail phonograph store of
Daniel Castellanos at 4 South street has been com-
pletely destroyed by flre.
Rochester, N. Y.—The Levis Music Store has pur-
chased the business of the Balcom Music Co., retain-
ing Alfred H. Warren as manager.
Lockport, N. Y.—Alfred J. Newman has opened a
new piano store at 43 Locust street, carrying pianos,
phonographs and Q R S rolls.
Ohio
Byesville, O.—A new music store has been opened
here by the A. C. House Co., of Cambridge, handling
a full line of music goods.
Akron, O.—A larger store has been taken by the
Superior Music Co. at 91 South Howard street.
Canton, O.—A branch piano store, known as the
Globe Piano Co., with headquarters in Cleveland,
has been opened at 410 Market avenue South.
Cleveland, O.—The Lad Music Co. has been in-
corporated to deal in music goods with $10,000 cap-
ital.
Akron, O.—Miss Jane Lewis has been made man-
ager of the talking machine department of the George
S. Dales Co., South Main street.
Cleveland, O.—The Fayette Piano Co. has been
granted a charter with $10,000 capital, Julius Bloom-
berg and E. E. Wolf being the incorporators.
Akron, O.—The George S. Dales Co. has opened
its enlarged and remodeled music store, handling
Steinway pianos, Brunswick and Victory talking ma-
chines.
Cleveland, O.—The "business of the Eclipse Musical
Co. has been purchased by the Cleveland Talking
Machine Co.
NOVEMBER 1,
1924
Norwalk, O.—The Norwalk Piano Co., established
here since 1902, has been discontinued.
Cleveland, O.—Muehlhauser Bros. Piano Co. has
opened a West Side branch close to the Intersection
of Lorain avenue and West Twenty-flfth street.
Columbus, O.—Ralph G. Martin, local attorney, has
been appointed receiver for the Robert L. Seeds
Music Co., bankrupt.
Lorain, <).—The A. B. Sauer Music Co. has been
organized to take over the phonograph business of
the George A. Clark Co., and has a capital of
$35,000.
Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pa.—The Wagner-Bund Music Co. has
been incorporated to deal in general music goods,
headed by S. G. Wagner and Emil Bund.
Pittsburgh, Pa.—H. A. Becker has been granted
a charter to operate a music store here under the
laws of Delaware.
New Bethlehem, Pa.—A new piano store has been
opened in the George A. Woods Block featuring the
Hardman piano.
Washington, Pa.—The Scott Brunswick Phono-
graph Co. has been opened in the Reuben Building,
45 West Chestnut street by H. B. Scott. Jr.
Pittsburgh, Pa.—R. M. Perry, formerly with the
Story & Clark Piano Co., has been appointed man-
ager of the W. F. Frederick Piano Co.
Erie Pa.—A new musical merchandise store has
been opened at 403 East Eleventh street, by Wil-
liam J. Krill, Jr.
Oklahoma
Bartlesville, Okla.—The Barnett Music Co., former-
ly located on Dewey avenue, has moved to new
quarters at 120 East Third street.
Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Trnn.—The formal opening of the
piano department of the C. H. Byrn & Son's store
has been opened, carrying the Waltham line.
Texas
San Antonio, Tex.—A. F. Beyer has moved his
phonograph business from Commerce street to 318
Houston street, where he has leased a store and
basement.
El Paso, Tex.—The phonograph and radio shop
of the American Furniture Co., 112-122 South Stan-
ton street, has been formally opened.
Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah.—Alterations have been com-
pleted in the Baldwin Piano Rooms in the Hooper
Building, on East First South street.
Salt T,ake City, I'tah.—Lucile's Song Shop has been
moved from Second South street to a location on
South Main street.
Salt "Lake City, Utah.—The musical merchandise
department of the Glen Bros.-Roberts Piano Co.'
has been enlarged.
Ogdcn, I'tah.—The M. E. Pantone Music Co. has
been incorporated here with $25,000 capital, to handle
a general line of music goods.
Virginia
L.ynchburg, Va.—O. E. Kellogg, formerly of Al-
bany, N. Y., has been made manager of the local
branch of Chas. M. Stioff, Inc.
Washington
Seattle, Wash.—Improvements have been completed
in the local retail store of the Bush & Lane Piano
Co. and include additional demonstration booths.
West Virginia
Wheeling, W. Va.—The balcony of the Burkham
& Stamm Piano Co.'s local store has been filled
in to afford larger display quarters.
Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wis.—The music department of Gimbel
Bros, store here has been remodeled, giving the
entire sixth floor to pianos, phonographs and radios.
Milwaukee, Wls.—E. S. Fischer & Co. has been
granted a charter to handle radio goods.
Kcnosha, Wis.—Joseph Cardinal, handling Kim-
ball pianos and phonographs has leased the building
adjoining his store, at 211 Main street, as an annex.
Four More McPhail Grands
for the College of Emporia
Prominent Musical Educational Institution of
Kansas Now Has Twenty-one McPhail Pianos
in Use, Some of Them Fourteen Years Old
EMPORIA, KAN., October 25.—The Pioneer Music
Co., of this city, of which R. E. Wartman is
the proprietor, has recently installed four new
McPhail grands in the College of Emporia, a
noted college for music teachers. This college
first began using McPhail pianos fourteen years
ago, and several of the original shipments are
still in constant use. At the present time, with
four grands in place, there are now twenty-one
McPhail pianos in the institution. E. A. Hirsch-
ler, an organist of national reputation, is dean
of the college.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.

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