Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
NOVEMBER 29, 1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Milwaukee Music Merchants See Better
Business in the City's Building Boom
Indications Are that Record Will Be Set During 1925—Local Merchants Preparing Intensive
Campaigns for the Holiday Trade—Radio Exhibited at Automobile Show
\/l
ILWAUKEE, WIS., November 26.—Busi-
ness has been showing an improvement
since the beginning of the month, and, although
there have been a few slack periods, conditions
as a whole are more satisfactory. A snow-
storm and some cold weather have helped things
along according to local music dealers. Accord-
ing to present indications the Christmas busi-
ness during the coming month will be very
good. Pianos, including player-pianos, repro-
ducing instruments and grands, have been a
little more active, and both phonographs and
radio have been picking up. Dealers who ex-
hibited in the radio show have been doing a
nice business as a result, in addition to sales
made during the show itself. Sheet music de-
partments are beginning to notice a demand for
Christmas music, but this is expected to start
in strong about the beginning of December.
That better conditions are generally expected
for the coming year is indicated by the fact that
a building boom for 1925 is predicted. Plans
are already well under way for the erection of
buildings involving between $6,000,000 and
$7,000,000, although the names of those inter-
ested have not yet been announced. Construc-
tion expenditures for this year have already
passed the high mark of $41,500,000 set in 1923,
and are expected to reach $45,000,000 before the
close of the year. Milwaukee industrial lead-
ers are also predicting better conditions in 1925,
stating that they expect a steady improvement
rather than a spontaneous post-election boom.
"Business has shown an improvement since
the elections, but the better part of last week
was rather quiet in a piano way. Radio is look-
ing better and console phonographs are picking
up nicely," stated E. A. Jones, president and
manager of the Thiery Piano & Phonograph
Co., which features the Schiller piano. "Pros-
pects for Christmas trade in pianos are very
bright and I look for a very good month next
month."
A similar report of improved conditions was
made at the Kaun Music Co. and the Baldwin
piano department at that store.
"We are beginning to feel the effects of the
elections," said Paul E. Mueller, manager of the
Kaun Music Co., which features its sheet music
department. "Things are picking up and we are
expecting a good holiday trade."
Kaun's are calling attention to the approach
of Christmas through their window displays by
showing several numbers of sheet music which
are connected with the holiday. These numbers
are also on display in the store.
"Much to our surprise our business has been
running toward grand pianos and we find it hard
to keep them in stock, especially the finer
grades," declared Ralph L. Petit, manager of
the Baldwin piano department at Kaun's. "Sev-
eral prominent teachers of the city are among
recent purchasers. I have added several people
to out- sales force and the outlook for holiday
business seems most encouraging."
Mr. Petit announced that a Baldwin grand
piano from the Kaun Music Co. has been
selected for the Grand avenue school of this
city.
E. E. Erschen, one of the Baldwin travelers
for the past few years,.was a recent visitor at
the Baldwin department of the Kaun Music Co.
The C. J. Mamblitzer Music House, which
handles all kinds of sheet music, is just begin-
ning to notice the demand for holiday numbers,
but does not expect any volume in this business
until December. Business has been picking up
during the month of November, and a further
improvement is expected for next month.
The Hamblitzer Music House is now featur-
ing its complete orchestra music department and
has been circularizing Wisconsin and two ad-
jacent States in order to acquaint people con-
nected with orchestras of the service which this
store is now in a position to give. These letters
and circulars have been sent to school, jazz and
regular orchestras.
Business has been good at Edmund Gram,
Inc., home of the Steinway, according to Ed-
ward Herzog, sales manager, but it is doubt-
ful if figures for the month will show any im-
provement over last year, if they equal it. Mr.
Herzog believes that cold and snowy weather
would result in a marked improvement, judging
by the immediate response to the first snow-
storm of the year. Steinways have been active,
and Mr. Herzog states that this house has done
a tremendous Steinway business during the
year. Reproducing instruments are also mov-
ing, but less expensive lines have been quiet.
Radio has been showing an improvement, and
Gram's have been doing a good business in
Brunswick-Radiolas. Mr. Herzog states that
they are selling as fast as they are received in
the store. These instruments were featured by
Gram's during the radio show at the Audito-
rium, and many sales have come in as a result
of this exhibit.
"Business has been improving since the be-
ginning of November, and although it could be
better for this time of year, we are not com-
plaining," stated A. V. Orth, president of the
Orth Music Co., which has been featuring
Brunswick phonographs and records. "People
do not seem to realize that Christmas is so near,
but next month should be very good as a result
of holiday trade. Cold weather and snow would
bring an improvement in local conditions."
Orth's have been doing a large part of their
business in Brunswick phonographs and records
which have been featured more than other de-
partments of the store. Mr. Orth reports that
Brunswick-Radiolas are especially active in this
store.
A sale of used instruments, featuring partic-
ularly phonographs, was held during the middle
of the month at the south side store of the J. B.
Bradford Piano Co., and was very successful,
according to Hugh M. Holmes, manager of the
company, who stated that the used phonographs
were being cleared out nicely.
By the close of the Second Wisconsin Radio
Exposition, held under the auspices of the Wis-
consin Radio Trade Association, the attendance
figure was in the neighborhood of 25,000. These
crowds of people visited the various exhibits
which covered the entire radio field and enjoyed
the other features of the exposition. One dis-
play which attracted much attention was the
$500 prize contest entries of home-made sets
which were judged according to the various cir-
cuits. Entries in this contest came from all over
the State, as well as from the city of Milwau-
kee.
The programs broadcast from the specially
constructed studio at the Auditorium were an-
other popular feature of the exposition and
many people attended the show for the purpose
of hearing the various popular Chicago, Mil-
waukee and other artists who have become well
known to the radio public through their work
at nationally known studios.
Radio will again be exhibited during the
week of the seventeenth annual automobile
show, which is held under the auspices of the
Milwaukee Automotive Dealers' Association.
According to preliminary announcements by the
committee in charge, a radio department has
been included in the exposition in addition to
the customary departments. The committee
stated that this section had been taken as a re-
sult of requests which have been received from
manufacturers and distributors of radio, many
of whom are automobile dealers.
Victrola No. 370
Mahogany, $275; electric, $315
Victor supremacy
is the supremacy
of performance
The g r e a t accomplish-
ments of the Victor are the
milestones along the road
that leads to success in the
musical instrument trade.
Victrola No. 405
Walnut, $250; electric, $290
Victrola No. S 405 (Special)
Walnut, $265; electric, $305
Specially designed to accommodate any
radio receiving set
Other styles $25 to $1500
'HIS MASTERS VOICE
There is but one Victrola and
that is made by the Victor Company
—look for these Victor trademarks.
Victrola
•^»»
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TRADE MARK
REG
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U S> PAT
Victor Talking
Machine Co.
Camden, New Jersey
Vu tor Talking Machine Co.
of Canada, Ltd., Montreal