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'Play by Color" Telecasts Produce
Piano Sales for Rich's in Atlanta
Many music merchants located in
areas where television can be operated
have inaugurated telecasts of various
descriptions but it has fallen to the lot
of Verne Manley. manager of the well
vision studio (located in Rich's store)
and that their interest in piano playing
was aroused. "It looked easy to do. but
I'm from Missouri—I'd like to try it
mvself." the medic said. He did, and
l-KKT—Sill WOI.KK. VKRXK MAXLKY AM) (ISTOMKK A.S THKV APPKARKI1 ON RICK'S I'LAV BY
< OI,OR TFXKCAST, KKJHT—AIR. MANI.KY AT PIANO Sl"KROl"Nl>KI> BY PIANO STAFF.
appointed piano department of Rich's
in Atlanta. Ga. to start a series which
is proving to be a most successful sales
producing promotion.
Last December the store presented
Wolfe's Play-by-Color to over 200.000
televiewers over station WSB-TV, the
first of a series which have been profit-
ably continued.
Sid Wolfe, who. together with his
wife Lenore, created Play-by-Color
books, was introduced to the vast home
audience by Mr. Manley. After a brief
explanation of how, with Play-by-Color
books, anyone can play tunes on the
piano, both hands—in a few minutes,
an interested shopper entered the
scene to ask how the book might help
determine whether her six and a half
year old son might "take to the piano."
After all, she had been "thinking about
getting a piano" for a year or so. but
hesitated for fear that her child might
not be seriously interested.
Offers Free Talent Test
At this point. Verne Manley invited
her to visit the piano department with
her son for an enjoyable five-minute
'"talent test" at a piano with the "talent-
finder" the Play-by-Color book. Verne's
invitation was not limited to the studio
audience but embraced all those seeing
and listening to the program.
An added feature was Mr. Manley's
announcement that every child (accom-
panied by parents) who took the test
would receive a complimentary copy
of the book.
A few minutes after the program
closed, a doctor and his wife walked
into the piano department, explaining
that they were spectators in the tele-
14
the rest was fairly easy a high-priced
spinet was sold and the doctor, Play-
by-Color books under his arm, was on
his way.
In a letter to Mr. Wolfe after this
first telecast. Mr. Manley states:
"I was very happy to receive your
letter of January 2nd, and also the
photographs. I thought they were very
good.
"We had approximately 50 people
come in following up our telecast. The
parents showed an extreme interest, in
fact I would say that we had more in-
terest shown from the parents than we
had from the children.
"We accumulated about eight good
prospects, and made three direct sales.
We had one unusual case of an adult
who came in with the usual tongue-in-
the-cheek attitude, and wanted to know
if we had anything applicable that an
adult could learn to play the piano on.
This was one of the sales that was made.
"The final analysis, as far as I see
it, is that it should be repeated, which
we intend to do in the very near future."
Rich's handle Steinway, Sohmer.
Story and Clark and the Hammond
spinet organ. Mr. Rich, heading this
well known store, was so impressed with
the results of this telecast that he au-
thorized a series of fifteen-minute pro-
grams which are still being continued.
Blond Wurlitzers for Schools
Herbert R. Goodwin, Vice President
of Russell & Goodwin, Inc., Waterloo,
Iowa, has announced the sale of two
Wurlitzer pianos. Model 901, to the
VI averly Public Schools. Waverly, la.
The finish selected for these pianos is
blond mahogany with matching benches.
Contest Winner Mentions
Piano; Corn Gels Order
Quick action on the part of H. L.
Corn, general sales manager of the
Alamo Piano Co., San Antonio, Texas.
resulted in the sale of a Baldwin Acro-
sonic piano to Mrs. Margaret P. Tip-
ton, Brownsville. Texas, who had just
won the $1,000 prize in what was known
as "Match the Twins Contest" conducted
by the San Antonio Evening News.
In the story which appeared on the
first page of the San Antonio Press, ac-
companying the picture of Mrs. Tipton.
showing how she had won the prize,
she was quoted as saying, "Part of the
money will go to buy a piano for my
youngest daughter, Joanna, who is a
Brownsville High School freshman and
music student."
It seems that Mr. Corn read this ar-
ticle in the Sunday paper and immedi-
ately traveled 250 miles and made the
sale. The news of this which appeared
in the paper was brought up at a sales
meeting of the staff of the Alamo Com-
pany by Alfred Flores, head of the
company, but the meeting was not at-
tended by Mr. Corn, who was on the
trail of the sale even before the sales
meeting was held.
Kohler & Chase Preparing
New Store in San Francisco
George Q. Chase, president of Kohler
& Chase, San Francisco. Cal., has an-
nounced that property has been pur-
chased at 1250 Market Street, leading
business thoroughfare of that city, upon
which there is now being erected a new
store with a frontage of 50 feet on Mar-
ket Street, extending back 200 feet
through to Grove Street, which will be
occupied by the firm approximately the
first of April.
The new store will be one of the larg-
est in the United States, devoted to the
piano business. It will resemble the three
stores now in operation in simplicity in
the use of color and decoration.
A feature of the new store will be a
department for rebuilding and selling
used pianos. This department, will be in
a large room located in the basement.
Airtight it will be used also as a fumiga-
tion room. Every used piano that will
be offered for sale will first be fumigated.
The new location is directly across
from the Hotel Whitcornb, adjacent to
the Civic Auditorium and right at the
famous Civic Center with its Municipal
Opera House.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW. MARCH. 1951