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NOVEMBER, 1930
The Music Trade Review
Baldwin Piano Co. Opens
New Store in Dallas, Tex.
The Music Shoppe at 337 Barrone street suf-
fered $200 damage to stock by water and the
building owned by Philip Werlein, Ltd. suffered
$300 damage.
Robison Now General Man-
ager of Phillips & Crew Co.
The Baldwin Piano Co. recently held the
opening- of its new retail store at 1303 Elm
street, Dallas, Tex. The company occupies
two floors, which have been furnished and deco-
rated in an elaborate manner, with special
Conrad Kreiter Dies
at Home in Milwaukee
Manly B. Robison, for the past fiftteen years
connected with the Phillips & Crew Piano Co.,
Atlanta, Ga., and since 1917 secretary of the
company, was recently made general manager
of the business. The Phillips & 'Crew Co. is
one of the oldest music houses in Georgia,
having been established in 1865. The company
handles the Steinway, Steck, Stroud, Brambach
and other lines of pianos, as well as Victor and
Clarion radios and other products.
MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Conrad Kreiter, founder
and president of the Kreiter Manufacturing
Co., and the Kreiter Piano Co., died suddenly
at his home in Milwaukee, on October 24. He
had been active in his business affairs until
he was taken ill with heart trouble a few days
before his death.
Mr. Kreiter was born in Germany, and came
to the United States with his wife, Mrs. Marie
Kreiter, in 1884. Settling first at Racine, Mr.
Kreiter started a sewing machine business
there, and later moved to Milwaukee, where
he established his first piano factory.
Mr. Kreiter is survived by his wife, five
daughters and two sons. There also are twelve
grandchildren and one great grandchild.
New Baldwin Store in Dallas, Tex.
salons being provided for the display of pianos.
H. S. Nubemyer is manager of the store, with
W. B. Carver in charge of the radio sales. The
store will serve as wholesale distributing quar-
ters in the Southwest for Baldwin products.
Heppe Piano Co. Declares
Extra Dividend in Stock
PHILADELPHIA,
PA.—The annual meetings of
C. J. Heppe & Son, Inc., and the Heppe Piano
Co., were held on October 15, at their New
Jersey office, 6th and Cooper streets, Camden.
At the C. J. Heppe & Son, Inc., meeting, the
following officers were elected: Florence J.
Heppe, president and treasurer; Mrs. M. F.
McDowell Heppe, vice-president; David L.
Robbins, secretary; Marcellus Heppe, assistant
secretary, and Albert E. Wilcox, assistant
treasurer. The directors declared the regular
annual dividend of $6 a share on the common
and preferred stock.
At the Heppe Piano Co. meeting, these offi-
cers were elected: Florence J. Heppe, president
and treasurer; Marcellus Heppe, vice-president;
David L. Robbins, secretary, and Albert E.
Wilcox, assistant treasurer. The directors de-
clared the regular annual dividend of $6, plus
an extra dividend of $12 a share.
Frank M. Atwood, Memphis
Dealer, Dies Suddenly
Frank M. Atwood, for many years a music
dealer in Memphis, Tenn., was found dead in
the rear of his store at 69 Monroe avenue on
October 7. He was sixty-four years old and
came to Memphis in 1901. He first became
connected with the Ray Music Store, which
he bought two years later. He sold this busi-
ness in 1917 and after a couple of years with
another company, again went into business for
himself at the Monroe avenue address. He is
survived by a daughter and a son.
New Orleans Blaze
Damages Music Houses
NEW ORLEANS, LA.—A recent fire in the build-
ing occupied by the Harry B. Loeb Piano Co.
at 341 Barrone street, this city, caused a loss
of $25,000 to the building and $15,000 to stock.
Capehart Line Wins
Success at Radio Show
One of the most effective and interesting ex-
hibits in the Radio Show at the Coliseum, Chi-
cago, the last week of October, was that of
the Capehart Corp., Ft. Wayne, Ind. A num-
ber of new connections were made for the
Capehart line, and talking to a representative
of The Review, President Homer E. Capehart,
who spent Thursday and Friday of that week
in Chicago said: "It seems to me that there
is really more public interest in automatics than
in radio. Though perhaps I may be charged
with a logical bias in favor of my own instru-
ments, certainly I am estimating the public in-
tf rest by the responses which distributors and
regional men are getting. In fact, it is a fact
that we have had so far in October the best
month we have had since last March."
Gordon G. Campbell Visits
Dealers in New England
Gordon G. Campbell, vice-president of the
Kohler-Brambach Piano Co., New York, re-
cently arrived home from a motor trip through
New England during which he called on a large
number of music merchants and was successful
in bringing back some most satisfactory orders.
To a representative of The Review Mr. Camp-
bell said: "I found throughout the territory
that I visited that the dealers were all putting
a great deal of effort into piano selling and
that in the majority of instances were obtaining
good results. In practically every city I vis-
ited I was told that there was a much greater
interest manifested in pianos this fall than
there has been for some time past, and the
dealers all seem to be very much encouraged. I
was successful in securing some good orders
and consider the outlook considerably im-
proved."
Levis Buys Building
William H. Levis, manager of the Levis
Music Store, Rochester, N. Y., announces that
his company has purchased a five-story build-
ing at 29-37 South avenue, that city, and will
occupy the premises at a later date.
Stimulating Salesmen to Boost Sales
{Continued front page 5)
other three studios are decorated with colorful
drapes, tapestries, lamps and occasional furni-
ture in harmony.
Even the chandeliers
are different and in harmony with each studio.
Pianos of one make are grouped in each of the
three special studios—Steinways in one and
other makes for the other two studios.
Petition walls separate the display rooms from
the light of the street windows, the radiators,
suction fans and other equipment for making a
comfortable studio are enclosed behind this
wall, making the studio have more of the music
room atmosphere.
Morton explains, "Our studio arrangement has
many merits—not only are we better able to
display our merchandise in fitting atmosphere;
but salesman may close the French doors and
concentrate upon a particular piano or group
with a prospect without interruption from other
salesmen or shoppers. Many times the salesman
already knows it is logical to sell only a used
piano or a cheap one to a particular prospect.
By keeping this prospect in the right display
section, concentration upon a particular piano
will close the sale—but if the prospect is al-
lowed to shop around in the pianos retailing up
to $4,000, she often becomes confused, displeased
and does not buy any type of piano."
Another feature of this studio arrangement
is that of converting the battery of studios into
an auditorum for special music recitals, etc.
Close cooperation is had with all music teachers.
These teachers are given free use of this audi-
torium for recitals, a collapsible stage, folding
chairs, etc., being had for the free use of teach-
ers for any special occasion. Although the
teachers arrange their own programs, they have
these programs distributed with the name of this
piano company printed on them—the free use
of the studios means a saving of $30 to $40 a
night for the teachers or club sponsoring the
recital. Thirty-five such public recitals were
held during the spring of 1929, while many
group meetings were held.
Teachers of Shreveport are encouraged to use
the studios of this firm for practice—an Aeolian
with audiographic music being furnished as well
as a projector for motion pictures of different
themes that fit into the study course.
These teachers are being encouraged by Mor-
ton to teach groups—the teachers being shown
that group teaching for beginners is cheaper and
more children can and do take piano lessons.
The teachers have increased their earnings—
this piano dealer believes that group teaching
will be the introductory step to piano music
being taught in the public schools, which he
explains as being the salvation of the piano in-
dustry.
Although the O. K. Houck Piano Co. has
been established for forty-sixty years in other
Southern cities, the Shreveport store was estab-
lished in October, 1926. Sales for this firm have
not been sensational—they have been steady
and show an annual increase with a fair
margin of profit protected. Sales for 1929 were
greater than for the prior year; and by doing
intelligent merchandising, this dealer and his
salesmen see even greater possibilities for the
piano industry.