Classic Mode

Presto

Issue: 1925 2007

January 10, 1925.
PRESTO
ONE OF WORLD'S
RICHEST CITIES
Center of Vast Industries in Which Pianos and
General Musical Supplies Stand Forth
Conspicuously Among the Still
Greater Things.
THE CITY OF DETROIT
every dealer
knew what
successful
SEEBURG
dealers know
about conduct-
ing and oper-
ating auto-
matic piano
businesses,
every dealer
would be en-
gaged in the
business!
J. P. SEEBURG
PIANO CO.
CHICAGO
"Leaders in the
Automatic Line"
First Complete Review of the Music Trade in the
Michigan Metropolis, the Second Heaviest
Income Tax Payer.
BY HENRY McMULLAN.
Detroit is a city of energy and strength; of im-
mensity of strength; a city of dreams, and with the
practical ability to make the dreams come true. In
piano manufacture, in the manufacture of commercail
chemicals, in the making- of automobiles and all the
parts and accessories thereto, in making stoves and
articles of grass and glass, and in hundreds of other
lines of production this old-new, new-old city is only
doing practical things.
All that lias been done so far probably means less
to the human race than what is being studied out
for the future in its wonderful laboratories. Neither
Chicago nor New York can throw a scare into a
city that is working out its own salvation and doing
its own thinking, and evaluating every issue that
arises by its own methods of appraisal.
Spirit of Detroit.
All investigation, all experiment, here is pursued
in the light of reason. In other words, the investi-
gators are intellectually hospitable. Here men are
studying to take advantage of the forces of nature.
Here they depend on education; on what they can
ascertain by the use of their senses, by experiment
and reason. In this they are pioneers, just as were
the men who have given us the instruments of music,
and the great composers and performers who have
changed the common air to tones and harmonies that
intoxicate, exalt and purify the soul.
The spirit of Detroit is to help others to help them-
selves. To arouse the worker until his faculties gather
strength by opposition, and the habit of self-depen-
dence v/hich putting responsibility upon him en-
courages.
The Leading Industry.
Detroit's motor industry furnishes employment to
an army of more than two hundred thousand men,
whose yearly pay aggregates approximately two
hundred and fifty million dollars. Thirty-one auto-
mobile and motor truck plants and 105 automobile
accessory manufactories give Detroit unquestioned
precedence as "Automobile Capital of the World."
Detroit's population has more than doubled in the
past decade. It is now between a million and a
quarter and a million and a half, and now, even in
the dead of winter, thousands of new houses are
going up in Detroit and its suburbs.
In one experimental plant at Dearborn, a suburb
of Detroit, there is a single room 804 feet long. This
wonderful laboratory will delve into mysteries of
much wider scope than pertains to automobile ere-
tion; the purpose of its existence is a kind of chal-
lenge to that limitless universe of natural law and
science which man so far has been unable to explore.
A City of Wealth.
Detroit is the richest city of its size in the world
and the second richest in the country, if the record
of taxes paid into the U. S. treasury for the last fiscal
year and just released by Wm. A. Stancil, chief
deputy collector of internal revenue for this district,
may be accepted safely as a criterion of wealth.
New York City is first on the list of taxpayers, with
a total of $369,753,605.50. Detroit, although fourth
in population, follows with a total of $207,131,389.50.
Then comes Chicago, with a total payment of $198,-
287,627.12, and Philadelphia, with $164,704,047.90. Mr.
Stancil said:
"The figures indicate that a larger volume of busi-
ness is done in Detroit than in any other city in the
world, with the single exception of New York."
Detroit's latest slogan is "The Most Humane City
in the World." That claim is keyed in modesty, not
meaning that it has the largest and best hospitals or
that it does the most for tramps and ne'er-do-wells.
2.
General Offices: 1510 Dayton St.
Factory 1508-16 Dayton St.
PIANO NAME PUZZLE.
(See Page 50.)
Some vessels have but one,
While others have them double,
But ours has two, and one's a son—
You've guessed it without trouble.
It simply means that in no place in the world is the
industrious man treated with greater respect.
And as well try to suppress the indigenous fiction
of children as to cramp the people of Detroit in their
desire for music and the instruments of its production.
C. A. Grinnell on Conditions.
"The first part of the year seemed to be very
promising," said Clayton A. Grinnell, head of Grin-
nell Bros., to Presto's correspondent. "The summer
was a little disappointing—I don't know as the elec-
tion had much to do with it.
"Trade has been fair this fall; no boom
Trade
runs singularly to very high-priced merchandise. We
have had difficulty in getting Steinway Grands and
Duo-Art goods.
"We are not in the radio business like a good many
of the merchants. We do a little radio selling in our
Victor jobbing department, but have never handled
any of the devices in our retail department.
"We have two companies here—Grinnell Bros, in
the music business and the Grinnell Realty Company.
We have large holdings of property we have owned
for the last twenty-five years; a considerable part of
it has been used in our business for factories, stores,
etc., and we have handled also quite a number of land
contracts. We have just increased oar capital stock
in our realty company by $900,000, so that now the
capitalization of the realty company is about
$2,000,000.
A Complete Music House.
"Our line in the music business includes the Stein-
way and the Sohmer pianos. As you are aware, we
build the Grinnell pianos, our own make, in our fac-
tory at Holly, Mich. We also, handle the Yose, the
Steinert, the Ltidwig and the Premier.
"We deal in sheet music, in small instruments of
all kinds. Several months ago we changed our offices
from the first to the sixth floor, which gives roomier
and quieter facilities for office work.
"The new year seems to give promise; I do not
look for a boom or anything of that kind, but I'm in-
clined to think that it will be a fairly good year."
Mr. Grinnell spoke of slackness in factory work
that had caused some hardship in Detroit and partic-
ularly in Flint, Mich., but expressed the belief that
those conditions were beginning to ' lift He took
pride in referring to the breadth of charity in Michi-
gan and spoke of the effort of the old newsboys of
Detroit in trying to raise $70,000 on December 18 to
give to the poor of the city. These old newsboys,
some of them now millionaires, sold papers on that
day on hundreds of corners in Detroit and kept the
change from purchasers, even when they gave a
twenty-dollar bill. Many of the well-to-do averaged
as much as $5 apiece
Cable Piano Company.
The Cable Piano Company, 1264 Library avenue
at Grand River avenue, is doing very effective adver-
tising of the Mason & Hamlin with the Ampico. One
of the ads says: "Modern business is built on con-
lidence. Confidence in Cable's is built on a firm
foundation. The public has come to know that
'Cablequality' means quality merchandise plus fair
dealing, reliable service and a binding guarantee.
Under the leadership of Mason & Hamlin, Ampico,
Conover and Cable we have a grand piano, player-
piano or upright for every home and every purse—
over sixty different styles and makes. Our terms are
generous—the most liberal consistent with good busi-
ness principles."
The Cable Piano Company at Detroit is under the
management of G. L. Hall, local vice-president; and
the credit manager is K. R. Shepard. Mr. Hall was
formerly with the main Cable Company offices in
Chicago, working as Yice-President H. L. Draper's
assistant, and it was there that this writer first met
him some years ago.
Bailey Bros. Music House.
llailey Bros. Music House is a new concern in De-
troit, having started last June. This enterprising
firm, which is located at 206J4 East Grand River
avenue, consists of two brothers. John and William
Bailey, and they deal through jobbers mostly. Their
customers are largely from the ranks of the profes-
sional musicians, and in addition they conduct a
school of music at the premises mentioned.
Considering the adverse trade conditions that pre-
vailed during the presidential campaign, John Bailey
told Presto's representative that he considered the
firm had made a very fair start. The concern deals
in Leedy drums and Ludwig drums, from Chicago.
Their Conn instruments are secured from the De-
troit Conn house and their King instruments through
Grinnell Brothers. They buy their Olds trombones
direct from the manufacturer in Los Angeles, Calif.
In addition to C. G. Conn goods, they handle small
goods from Fisher, of New York; from Fred Gretz,
of Brooklyn, and from Bruno & Co., of New York.
They buy at wholesale from Willard Bryant, of De-
troit; from Grinnell Bros.; from Cole & Dunas, Chi-
cago, and from Targ & Dinner, Chicago.
At Starck Piano Co.
G. S. Lewis, retail manager of the P. A. Starck
Piano Company's Detroit store, was a very busy man
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
January 10, 1925.
PRESTO
when Presto's correspondent called; the store was
full of customers, yet Mr. Lewis found a moment to
treat the caller courteously, a thing every caller ap-
preciates. He said that conditions gave fair promise
to become better after the first of the year. It had
been a little rough for a short time, owing to the
factories laying off so many men temporarily. But,
in a cheerier tone, he added that that would be only
for two or three weeks. So he believed the coming
year would be a fair one.
Why a short lay-off in factory men should mean
so much cannot be understood in cities devoted less
to manufacturing than Detroit. If twenty per cent
of the automobile workers alone were laid off it would
mean 50,000 high-priced workers deprived of their
pay. But while Detroit's fame is hooked up among
the ignorant everywhere with autos alone, it is the
greatest manufacturing city in the world in many
another line, as far from autos as the East is from
the West.
At J. L. Hudson Co.'s.
The J. L. Hudson Company, Detroit, is one of the
largest department stores in the world, but its music
business is conducted in a separate building a block
away from the gigantic headquarters. The Hudson
music store is at 1250 Library avenue. General
Manager Andrew was busy with his advertising man
when the call for Presto was made, but Presto's man
talked with C. H. Kesler, who is in charge of the
piano department.
Mr. Kesler said that trade for the last month had
been mostly in the highest-priced goods. The com-
pany is handling the Brambach small grands, the
Chickering, the Ampico, the Marshall & Wendell, the
Schumann, the Estey, also Gulbransen playerpianos.
"Trade, which had been slow until the 12th of De-
cember," said Mr. Kesler, "has picked up very much
since then, so that now it is very good. We handle
radio phonographs, sheet music and small goods. All
our sheet music is high-grade; no popular stuff."
Starr Piano Company.
W. H. Huttie, manager of the Detroit branch of
the Starr Piano Company, at 1500 Broadway, is very
busy these days selling goods produced in the great
factories of the Starr house at Richmond, Ind.
Mr. Huttie calls himself "Bill," but those who
know the successful business man do not descend to
such familiarity. "Trade has been pretty fair," said
Mr. Huttie; "and of course we are handling nothing
but Starr goods."
Bush & Lane.
The Bush & Lane Detroit store is located on the
fifth floor of the building at 1514 Woodward avenue,
in the very heart of the best shopping district of De-
troit. The trade for the last two weeks has been in
grands and reproducing pianos mostly—the very
highest-priced goods of the Bush & Lane factories in
Holland, Mich.
Of course there is a steady trade in Cecilian player-
pianos from the same factory, and many sales of
phonographs with radio; the company's own make of
phonographs. Calls were made at the Bush & Lane
Detroit store a few days ago by Walter Lane and
by W. H. Beach, of the company.
Woodbridge avenue; Western Music Shop, 1944
Hastings street.
Willard Bryant, 1425 Broadway; Cadillac Music
Shop, 9947 East Forest avenue; Central Music Shop,
9239 Joseph Campau avenue; Columbia Graphophone
Co , 439 East Fort street; Consolidated Talking Ma-
chine Co., 2953 Gratiot avenue; T. V. Davies, 4107
Hamilton avenue; Wm. P. Davies, 4577 West Warren
avenue; Detroit Phonograph Company, 7601 Gratiot
avenue.
A Few More.
Phonograph Record Exchange, 1512 Broadway;
Portophone Sales, 1316 East Grand boulevard; Q R S
Music Company, 2831 Gratiot avenue; Max Reich,
3334 Michigan avenue; Reitdorf's Music House, 2956
Michigan avenue; Jos. Rogozynski, 4751 Chene street;
Sadowski Music House, 6469 Chene street; Sager
Music Shop, 1539 Broadway; San Carlo Music Store,
3590 Riopelle street.
Adler Music House, 2412 Michigan avenue; Avery's
Music House, 10603' West Jefferson avenue; Barnes
& Farrell, 11024 East Jefferson avenue; M. M.
Bejnars, 11900 Joseph Campau avenue; R. L! Bloom-
field, 8537 Twelfth street; Blount & Wilson, 3017
Gratiot avenue; Boulevard Music Shop, 6523 Grand
River avenue; Henry S. Doran Company, 1416 Wash-
ington boulevard; Drogosch Music Shop, 10433 Mack
avenue; East Detroit Music House, 1040 Gratiot
avenue.
Stephen Farco, 2318 East Davisou avenue; John
Garrison, 9531 Gratiot avenue; Grand Music Shop,
3541 Grand River avenue; Sydney J. Guest, 4737 Dix
avenue; W. W. Gunn Music House, 1961 Grand River
avenue; Hamtramck Music & Sewing Machine Co.,
9720 Joseph Campau avenue; Sarchet Music Co., 6008
West Fort street; Shecter Music Co., 8737 Twelfth
street; Lewis Sokolin, 3507 Hastings street; Song
Shop, 1146 Griswold street; Starr Phonograph Shop,
14053 Woodward avenue; Story & Clark Piano Com-
pany, 1246 Washington boulevard; Max Strasburg
Co, 1264 Library avenue; Symphony Music House,
6567 Chene street; E. A. Telkman, 2678 Gratiot ave-
nue; Harmony Music House, 3460 St. Antoine street.
And Then Some.
W. J. Melin, 1001 Joseph Campau avenue; Italian
Music & Book Company, 634 Joseph Campau avenue;
Melody Music Shop, 1529 Hastings street; Jewett
Phonograph Shop, 8355 Grand River avenue; Mills
Novelty Sales Co., 333 State street; Lampe & Tanner,
13131 East Jefferson avenue; Mitchell Phonograph
Corporation, 2957 Gratiot street; Leeds Phonograph
Co., 206 East Grand River avenue; Moody Music
SCHILLER SUPER=GRAND HAS
MADE GREAT PROGRESS
Last Year One of Best in History of the Industry at
Oregon, 111.
With the Schiller Piano Company the past year
was a period of steady and conservative advancement;
of constructive Schiller trade development and fac-
tory output. Many new agencies and valuable ac-
counts were secured. "In fact," says Mr. E. B.
Jones, president of the Schiller Piano Company, "a
casual review of our business at this moment shows
over a hundred new agencies, including some of the
largest and most important concerns of the country,
while Schiller production for 1924 surpassed, by a
goodly number, that of 1923."
These excellent conditions have again necessitated
the making of more floor space during the holiday
season, and the ten days of inventory and stocktak-
ing, changes and additions have been under way in
the factory, to secure the additional space particularly
in the production of Schiller Super-Grands.
These additional facilities will probably take care
of present and immediate future requirements, but
the near future demands are going to soon require
still more room. To meet those contingencies the
land adjoining the main factory building on the north
has been purchased by the Schiller Piano Company
in contemplation of building factory additions the
coming spring of 1925.
Store, 12825 Oakman avenue; S. E. Lind, Inc., 2765
West Fort street; Music Shoppe, 8537 Twelfth street;
Little Music Box, 408 West Grand River avenue; M.
Naimark Company, 4707 Michigan avenue.
Mack Avenue Music House, 8912 Mack avenue; Na-
tional Music Company, 4239 Woodward avenue;
Markowitz & Zuroff, 2813 Hastings street; Sperello
Phonograph Co., 242 West Lafayette avenue; C. L.
Marshall Company, Inc., 514 Griswold street; Phono-
graph Company of Detroit, 1540 Woodward avenue.
Predicts Good New Year.
As Ford goes, so goes manufacturing in Detroit,
and the whole nation for that matter. But in a
statement issued at the end of the year by the Ford
Motor Company announcement is made of a steady
increase in the demand for and production of its
products, and Mr. Ford anticipates a good year ahead.
ARTISTIC BALDWIN CALENDAR
Ling Piano House.
Paul H. Simons, manager of the Ling Piano House,
located on the 4th floor of 1266 Library avenue, is a
pleasant man to meet. Mr. Ling says the company
is now handling the Krakauer Grand and Upright.
They still carry a few Newby & Evans pianos, but
have discontinued the agencies of several others in
their recent line. Trade had been slack until a week
ago. Mr. Simons attributed the slackness to the cut-
ting down of payrolls at great factories during the
summer months and the obligations assumed by so
many of the workers in buying homes for themselves
and their families.
Detroit a Musical City.
Detroit has been for more than a century a center
of education and progress. Its fame for the produc-
tion of chemicals on a gigantic scale reaches around
the globe; and it stands first in the world in many
other things as far from autos as is chemistry. De-
troit would hardly miss the auto business, it has so
many other lines of production; so stop worrying in
other cities, please, about what "poor old Detroit
would do were every auto works to shut shop."
It never for a moment forgets the finer things of
life, despite its terrific concentration upon the prac-
tical tasks at hand. Following are just a few of the
Detroit music shops at which the trade paper writer
did not get time to call:
Western Talking Machine Co., 2735 Hastings
street; Wojnicki Music Store, 5901 Chene street;
Woodmansee Music Store, 4515 Grand River avenue;
John Zenchenko, 2341 Hastings street; Urban Music
& Art Store, 3030 Gratiot avenue; Peter Uryga, 28
West Warren avenue; the Waite Store, 5636 Dix
avenue; Walker Music Co., 7626 West Jefferson ave-
nue; Warsaw Music Store, 8578 Joseph Campau ave-
nue; Wayne Music & Machine Company, 110 East
Carmen, one of the most beautiful operas ever
written, furnishes the theme for the 1925 Calendar
for Baldwin dealers. A scene from this opera, as
presented by the Chicago Civic Opera Company, is
pictured in five colors. It is most attractive. This
calendar is a very suitable gift for dealers to present
to prospects and customers as a New Year's greeting.
Imprinted with the dealer's name and address, it
will be a permanent advertisement of his business.
It will carry a constant reminder that Baldwin is
the official piano for the artists of the Chicago Civic
Opera.
"The best way to use the Baldwin calendar is to
order a few hundred for your store and send out
post cards to your prospects, notifying them if they
will call at your sales rooms you will be very
glad, indeed, to present them with one of the Baldwin
complimentary calendars free of charge," is the ad-
vice of the Baldwin Piano Co. to the trade.
"There are only a few thousand more of these
calendars available. Make your reservations now
through your Baldwin representative for the number
of these calendars you will wish to use."
The accompanying cut shows a reduced black and
white reproduction of the calendar.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/

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