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AUGUST 16,
1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Heat Forces Philadelphia Piano Men
Far Afield in Order to Close Sales
Despite Handicap, Fair Business Is Being Done—C. J. Heppe & Son Open Radio Department—
Ridge Music Shop Undergoing Alteration—Mrs. Elizabeth Schomacker Dies
P H I L A D E L P H I A , PA., August 12.—With the
mercury soaring to the pinnacle of heat and
humidity registered for this Summer's record,
there was very little to be expected in the way
of activity fur the piano industry or for any
other division of the music trades during the
week just passed. As might be anticipated, the
central city stores were chiefly concerned with
outside sales rather than with those coming into
their establishments directly and salesmen con-
centrated on the policy of seeking customers in
the homes for any business to be had.
A few scattered sales were made in the Sum-
mertime of string instruments, such as banjos
and ukuleles of the cheaper grades, but here, too,
there is a tendency to ease off from the heavier
buying of the early weeks of July when dealers
were keeping stocks pretty well cleaned up as
they came into the stores.
The wholesale trade is now preparing for the
Fall activities and shipments of both imported
and domestic grades of string and brass instru-
ments and accessories are daily coming into the
warehouses while salesmen have started on the
road. In reviewing the Summer trade the whole-
sale distributors have been expressing satisfac-
tion over the business which they enjoyed in
comparison to that which prevailed generally in
other industrial enterprises. They state that
the Summertime demand was fairly well main-
tained for the string instrument lines and stocks
were hardly installed in the warehouses before
they were again put in transit for the retail
distribution.
Carson's Music Shop, recently opened at 518
South street, is being devoted to the sales of
sheet music, phonographs, with the Victor and
Columbia in stock and a general line of musical
instruments of the string variety. The new-
store recently was taken over by the Carson
brothers, who also conduct the large store at
1041 South street and carry similar lines of
musical merchandise. The new store has been
very successfully managed under the supervision
of Charles Carson, of the firm, while the long
established business at 1041 South street is under
the direction of Max Carson, his brother, and
associated with him in the partnership. .
Extensive alterations for the purpose of mod-
ernizing and brightening up the store recently
purchased by the Ridge Music Shop from the
Girard Music Shop at 609 West Girard avenue
now arc under way. The new owners, John
Sorkin and Meyers Sorkin, who also own the
Ridge Music Shop, at 1806 Ridge avenue, are
planning to develop the Girard Shop along the
same lines of modern conduct as carried out
in the Ridge avenue establishment which they
organized five years ago and will stock with
a full line of musical instruments, sheet music
and accessories in addition to the development
of-the department for the sale of talking ma-
chines, including the Columbia and Vocalion
machines and records and the recently added
Hiunswick phonographs. The remodeling will
provide for attractive surroundings in the store
and windows and will be completed by the first
of September. The Girard Shop formerly was
owned by L. H. Silmit/.er.
C. J. Heppe & Son, 1117 Chestnut street, are
now trying out the possibilities of the radio
as an asset to their piano and talking machine
business in the central city store. There has
been secured a sample stock of all the well-
known makes of radio and these are to be placed
on the sales counters within a few days in order
to test out the radio sales and to learn the
salable designs and makes before they are
stocked. If the sample radio equipment proves
a seller there will be opened in the month of
September a fully stocked radio department
along with the other long established piano and
talking machine sections. The experimental
stock of radios will be placed on sale this week
and continued throughout the remainder of the
Summer.
Trade associates of the founder of the piano
manufacturing concern of the Schomacker Piano
Co., Twenty-third and Chestnut streets, whose
pianos arc sold exclusively by the Wanamaker
stores, learned with regret during the week of
the passing of Mrs. Elizabeth Schomacker,
widow of Henry C. Schomacker, who organized
the company and was at the time of his death
its head. Mrs. Schomacker died at her home,
2019 North Thirteenth street, from complica-
tions, said to be due to grief and worry over
the death of her husband, who passed away
four years ago. She had been in failing health
ever since his death. Mrs. Schomacker was in
her sixty-seventh year. Funeral services were
privately conducted at Eighteenth and Chestnut
streets last Wednesday.
Mrs. Theresc M. Quimby, head of the talking
machine department of the Estey Co., who .since
her return from a vacation trip to New York
State has been actively assisting in the big
drive conducted by the Estey Co. for the sale
of its pianos in Salem County, N. J., is spending
the week in Salem for the final campaign. This
week will wind up the sales campaign which
has been held by the Estey Co. in conjunction
with the local representative, the Cristin Co., of
which J. H. Cristin is head.
Manager Lamar Ellis, of the Philadelphia
branch of the 1'. A. Starck Piano Co., 1125
Chestnut street, who has been vacationing in
Cleveland and Detroit, is again at headquarters.
The talking machine department is now in oper-
ation under the management of Arthur Joplin.
Community Music School
Established in Buffalo
Local Music Trade Supporting Movement for
Erection of New Building for Promotion of
Musical Education of the Masses
BUFFALO, X. V., August 12.—The music trade
here is elated over the plan of Mrs. Alfred F.
Schoellkopf and the Chromatic Club of the city
to establish a community music school at 232
Myrtle street. The entire trade is offering the
project its support.
The school building, which is to be in the
heart of the east side of the city, will be con-
tributed by Mrs. Schoellkopf. It will be a two-
story structure and will cost about $65,000. A
permit for erection of the building has been
granted.
It is the desire of those behind the movement
to better prepare students for artistic profes-
sional life, and generally further promote musi-
cal education in a philanthropic manner.
Eight classrooms and a large living room
where concerts and meetings will be held are
planned. At least forty children a day can be
accommodated.
Officers of the school are: President, Mrs. A.
F. Schoellkopf; vice-president, Mrs. Frederick
Mitchell; recording secretary, Mrs. Edward
Eiselc, and treasurer, Lavinia Hawley.
9
LAUTER
62nd Year
In selling cheap p l a y e r
pianos, some dealers believe
that they are following the
lines of least resistance.
Actually, the reverse is true.
Less sales effort is required
to sell the Lauter-Humana
than any other player piano.
As a m a t t e r of fact, the
superiority of the Lauter-
Humana is so obvious that
in most instances it sells
itself!
Wouldn't the addition of
"the world's finest player
piano" put new life into
your entire business?
Write for details!
LAUTER CO.
591 Broad St., Newark, N. J.
A. Brunton Buys Building
JERSKY CITY, X. J., August 11.—Andrew Brun-
ton, the well-known piano merchant of this city
and head of the Brunton Piano Co., has pur-
chased the building at 146 Newark avenue that
city, now occupied by the Jacob Doll & Sons
Piano Co., for a price reported as $40,000. Doll
& Sons have a lease on the building which has
considerable time to run.
Manufacturers of Fine
Pianos, Players and
Reproducers