Music Trade Review

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CHICAGO AND THE MIDDLE WEST
Frank W. Kirk, Manager, 1302 Republic Building, South State St., Chieago
Chicago Better Business
Bureau Holds Meeting
gan avenue, will be held Saturday and Sunday,
March 17 and 18. The company is celebrating
its twenty-fifth anniversary and invitations
have been sent to many customers and friends
to attend the grand opening.
Henry Hewitt Back
From Southern Trip
Organization Reports on First Year's Work in Checking and
Sales Manager of the M. Schulz Co. Reports
Eliminating Misleading Advertising in That City —
General Business Conditions Improving in
That Section
Improvement Shown as Result of Work
T
H E first annual meeting of the Chicago Better Business Bureau, which was held at the
Union League Club on Tuesday, March 6, and attended by a number of members of the
local music trade, emphasized that valuable reforms had already been effected in fraud-
ulent advertising and business methods.
Advertising as a whole in Chicago was pronounced from 90 to 95 per cent accurate, accord-
ing to the report submitted by Flint Grinnell, manager of the Bureau, who praised the news-
papers for their co-operation and determina-
tion to keep their columns free from misstate-
ments. He related instances where advertisers
had refused to change misleading copy at the
request of the Bureau to find that they were
unable to buy space in any newspaper in the Other Veteran Instruments Brought to Light
city until their advertisements complied with
as Result of Search for Oldest Piano by
honest business standards.
Illinois Newspaper
There were no citations of the advertising of
The Kimball Co. was pleased to learn of the
any particular industry, but it is known that
while local piano advertising is not 100 per service that the Kimball piano has given with
cent perfect, there has been a great improve- forty-one years of use. The information was
ment in the advertising of Chicago's music brought about through the Register Mail, a
local newspaper in Galesburg, 111., which made
houses since the operation of the Bureau.
It will be recalled that some time ago a quest for the oldest piano in the country.
Joseph Benedict, well-known Kimball dealer
the Bureau, after thoroughly investigating the
advertising and merchandising of musical in- in that territory, related the story that he took
in trade a Kimball piano that had been sold
struments in Chicago, prepared "Standards of
Practice for Musical Instrument Advertising" forty-one years ago. This piano was then sold
to assist the trade in removing certain abuses 1o Lawrence Elliot, of the same city, and after
which are considered destructive to customer forty-one years of use is still in good condition
confidence. These standards were set forth in and performing daily.
Mr. Benedict calls attention to a number of
a special booklet and sent to all members of
the local trade, and many concerns have used other Kimballs in his vicinity that have seen
them as a guide in the preparation of their ad- service ranging from twenty-two to thirty-three
vertising copy. The weekly reports of t"he years, and relates the following instances: "Sold
bureau also show that it has been active in a Kimball upright April 27, 1895. Has been in
checking up on all misleading advertising that constant use and still in very good condition";
"two Kimball uprights sold in 1898 to a small
has appeared.
By way of comment it might be added that college and are in use now"; "twenty-five
the dollar mark seems to be losing its popular- years ago two Kimball uprights were sold to
ity not only in music advertising but in other a small college and are still in use"; "twenty-
industries as well, and while there is still a two years ago a concert grand and eight Kim-
great deal of copy based on the price appeal, ball uprights were sold to a small college, all
many testify that it is losing its "kick." It is in every-day use, and still giving good satis-
found that more and more the public is ques- faction."
tioning slashed prices and the long popular
seasonal sale.
In fact several local piano houses which used
price as the sole sales appeal to get business
have been rapidly losing their hold, and in one
The Style 50 Schulz upright piano has become
or two cases have discontinued business.
There is a growing tendency among members very popular for use in lodges and other places
of the local trade to sell music not only in copy where it is necessary to have an instrument
but in promotional work that is being carried with tonal volume and durable qualities. The
on in connection with the Second Annual new home of the Three Links Old Fellows'
Greater Chicago's Children's Piano Playing Temple, at 4740 North Western avenue, recently
purchased three of these styles, all finished in
Tournament.
Among the trade members present at the an- walnut. Last Fall the company also installed
nual meeting of the Chicago Better Business five of the same style instrument in the Visthiod
Bureau were R. E. Durham, president of Lyon Temple, a large Swedish lodge on the north
& Healy, who is secretary and a director of the side of Chicago.
Bureau; Roy Cook, general manager of the
Cable Piano Co.; E. C. Hill, general manager
of the P. A. Starck Piano Co., and David Fried-
man, manager of the W. W. Kimball Co. retail
store on Roosevelt road.
The formal opening of the beautiful new
Consult the Universal Want Directory of showrooms of Hyman H. Raieff, in suite 500
A and B, Fine Arts Building, 401 South Michi-
The Review.
Forty-One-Year-Old Kimball
Piano Is Still in Use
Many Lodges Buying
Style 50 Schulz Uprights
Raieff Holds Formal
Opening of New Store
13
Henry Hewitt, sales manager of the M.
Schulz Co., returned last week from an extensive
Southern trip, having made a complete tour of
the Southern circle. He spent some time with
Forress B. Fisher, head of the Atlanta 6ffice,
as weil as the Schulz representative in Texas,
J. A. Alexander of Dallas.
Mr. Hewitt reports conditions in the South
very favorable for a good business this year and
found the Atlanta branch showing a good gain
with many new accounts. In fact, the feeling
throughout the South is optimistic, he says,
with indications of a nourishing business in
many centers.
Edward H. Uhl Confident
of the Future of Trade
Refers to Plans for Pageant of Music in Los
Angeles as Proper Step in Reviving Public
Interest
Edward H. Uhl, of Los Angeles, was a guest
of the Chicago Piano Club on Monday, March
5th. Mr. Uhl, past president of the National
Association of Music Merchants, is perhaps one
of the most optimistic music merchants in the
country, and gave a message of cheer to the
members of the local trade as far as future busi-
ness is concerned. He declared, however, that
this optimism is stimulated by music itself, and
what can be accomplished in promoting this art.
S. A. Morrow Back at Desk
Stanley A. Morrow, assistant to Advertising
Manager E. L. Hadley, is back at work in the
advertising department of the Cable Company,
after an absence of several months as the result
of a painful surgical disability incurred in an
automobile collision. Mr. Morrow's left jaw
was fractured and he had several other injuries,
but he is now all right.
Gordon Laughead in South
Gordon Laughead, sales manager of the Wur-
litzer Grand Piano Co., is on an extensive
Southern trip, visiting the many Wurlitzer deal-
ers in that territory. At Pensacola, Florida,
Mr. Laughead will join W. B. Word, Southern
representative, on an automobile trip through
Florida and Georgia.
Brunswick Dividend
The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co. announces
that the directors authorize a dividend of 1%
per cent payable April 1, 1928, on the outstand-
ing preferred stock of the company, as of
record March 20, 1928.
Cyril Farny a Guest
Cyril Farny, vice-president and general man-
(Continued on page 14)