Presto

Issue: 1925 2048

PRESTO
THE SMALL TOWN
DEALER'S TASK
To Keep the Prospects Among His Neighbors
From Making Music Goods Purchases in
Nearby Big Cities Is His Difficult
and Continuous Job.
IT CAN BE DONE
But Dealer Must Realize the Various Factors That
Give Him an Advantage Over His Large
City Competitors.
By ELMER E. EVANS.
In this day of easy travel, when the automobile,
the railroad and the interurban electric roads provide
quick and ready means for the customer of the music
dealer in the country town to look at the goods in
the stores in larger places, the problem of keeping
the home trade is a perplexing one. Where a great
city is within easy distance the competitive factor is
a more acute one for the dealer in the town con-
sidered a suburb. The competitive problem means
not only constant thought on the part of the dealer,
but never-ceasing activity as well.
It is a plain matter of self-preservation for the
small town dealer to keep impressing on his prospec-
tive customers among his neighbors that his store is
as modern as the big places an easy ride away. And
this is what the successful country store keeper does.
His publicity is of the kind that appeals to the loyalty
of his neighbors to their home town. By inducing
them in one way and another to visit his store he
overcomes the effect that impressive stores in the big
city may have upon them.
His Special Advertising.
His day-in-and-day-out advertising job is to prove to
them that the pianos he sells are identically as good
as the same pianos handled by the big city music
merchant. Also that the prices are equally alluring
or even more so. When it comes to the purchase
of a piano, for instance, his sensible neighbor is easily
convinced that he can buy as cheaply at home as in
the big city. That is really the vital thought to be
QUALITY
in Name and in Fact
TONE. MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION,
WORKMANSHIP, DESIQN—all in ac-
cord with the broadest experience— are
the elements which give character to
Bush & Lane Products.
BUSH&LANE PIANOS
BUSH ft LANE CEC1UAN PLAYER PIANOS
take higfi place, therefore, in any com-
parison of high grade pianos because of
the individuality of character which dis-
tinguishes them in all essentials of merit
ana value.
• D M t LANE PIANO 00.
HtinfM. M U L
SPENCER
The Intrinsic Qualities of This
Piano Command Attention
A High Grade Instrument at a
Moderate Price
Fir** Class Factory and Equipment
Ample Production and Service
SPENCER PIANO COMPANY, Inc.
FACTORY: Thirty-First St. and First ATC
OFFICES: 338 East 31st Strc-t, New York N. Y.
created and perpetuated in the minds of his pros-
pective customers among the home folk. Unfor-
tunately not every small town dealer attempts the
creation of that thought in the people at home. Only
occasionally does the local man continuously try to
make the desirable impression.
Transportation Phase.
New transportation conditions have affected the
business of the local store as it has that of the great
mail order houses. It is proved that the latter have
been the worst sufferers from the quicker and more
convenient methods of travel available to the aver-
age person in the small town. Observant and pro-
gressive music merchants in many so-called small
towns have found redemption from slow business in
their greater accessibility, due to the handy flivver
and the more pretentious car. It was a matter of
advertising locally in a new and more effective way.
They had to combat this fact: That the average
dweller in a small town finds a day in the city more
or less of an adventure. It is a glad change from
the everyday routine. For the women especially the
bigger city stores with their greater variety have an
appeal that cannot be disregarded. So the policy of
the home town dealer is to deliberately plan to meet
the natural appeal of the stores in the larger places.
The Dealer's Job.
How is the ambitious local music dealer to keep
the interest renewed in his store and his stock? The
men who are making good in the small places find
that big stocks are not a necessity in that happy con-
summation. But they must be of the kind to interest
the local music goods buyers, must be kept fresh and
must be well shown. And of course the demonstra-
tion is a potent aid to arousing interest in this and
that instrument and thereby leading up to sales.
A most important thing towards achieving success
in the local store is the element of good will. That
is induced by the feeling of confidence. The wise
music merchant in the small place is a mixer in musi-
cal affairs. He makes it his business to know the
people who love music; to belong to organizations of
a social kind where music is a part of the occasional
functions, and to take an active part in the promotion
of musical events. All the better if the local music
merchant is a musician, because he can better dem-
onstrate the instruments. He can doctor a sick fiddle
or banjo or knows where it can be skillfully brought
back to its original tunefulness.
Customers Are Friends.
It is possible for the local dealer to create the air
of old customer familiarity in the store that the
bigger city store cannot give the customer from the
small town. It is surprising how important is that
factor of the business. The people know the dealer
and all who work in the store and the personal
equation is an influential factor.
And their friend the dealer doesn't conceal the fact
that he can cut prices lower than the big city store
without cutting his own just proportion of profit. He
reminds his small town customer that the bigger
store in the bigger town must have proportionately
larger expenses. There are obvious advantages the
store in the small town can have and they are easily
made understood by the local prospect. It can have
a piano line for instance that fulfills every require-
ment as to degrees of quality and price. It is up to
the dealer to overcome the allurements of the bigger
places. It is a hard job, but it is being done. Among
the biggest distributors of pianos, fine ones among
them, are dealers in places you could hardly dignity
with the classification of village.
October 24, 1925.
The Lyon & Healy
Reproducing Piano
A moderate priced reproducing piano,
beautiful in design and rich in tone.
Write for our new explanatory Chart,
the most complete and simple treat-
ment of the reproducing action.
Wabash at Jackson - - - Chicago
Builders or Incomparable
[PIANOS, PLAYEI&NREPR0DUCING WANGS
THE BALDWIN
CO-OPERATIVE
PLAN
will increase your sales and
solve your financing problems.
Write to the nearest office
for prices.
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
INC ORPORATED
CHICAGO
DALLAS
ST. LOCIS
DENVEB
NEW YORK
8AN FRANCISCO
The Best Yet
Graceful lines, rugged construc-
tion, moderately priced. It's the
very best commercial piano from
every standpoint.
A TOPEKA PIANO PLANT.
According to the Topeka, Kans., Capital, arrange-
ments have been completed by the A. Weber & Sons
Co., of Lawrence, Kan., for establishing a piano man-
ufacturing plant in that city. W. M. Wilson, general
manager, has obtained the indorsement of the indus-
trial committee of the Chamber of Commerce. The
company was granted a charter last July. Officers
are: A. Weber, Lawrence, president; W. M. Wilson,
Kansas City, Mo., vice president and general man-
ager; H. C. Polamus, Lawrence, secretary; Henry Al-
baugh, Lawrence, treasurer; W. J. Rice, Lawrence,
treasurer; Paul Clayton, and J. C. Houk, directors.
SUPERINTENDENTS MEET.
The Superintendents' Club of the New York Manu-
facturers' Association, E. Voelckel, president, held
the first fall meeting of the club at the Building
Trades Employers' Association rooms, 34 West
Thirty-third street. New York, Wednesday evening,
October 21, following a dinner.
MANUFACTURERS MEET.
A meeting of the Musical Merchandise Manufac-
turers' Association (Eastern District) was held Oc-
tober 20 at the Hotel Brevoort, New York. Interest-
ing talks by experts on topics of vital interest to the
industry were given. The object of the officials of
the association is to make the meetings occasions for
the interchange of experience and information.
Style 32—4 ft. 4 in.
WESER
Pianos and Players
Sell Readily—Stay Sold
Send to-day for catalogue, prices and
details of our liberal financing plan
Weser Bros., Inc.
520 to 528 W . 43rd St., New York
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/
October 24, 1925.
PRESTO
ALL SET FOR
INDIANA MEETING
EEBURG
Newly
Designed
T YLE "L"
Piano and Mandolin
Dimensions
Height, 5U"; Width, 361'; Depth, 231
Its fine tone pleases,
Its beauty attracts,
Its size saves space,
Its PROFITS PROVE
MANUFACTURED ONLY BY
J. P. Seeburg
Piano Co.
"Leaders in the
Automatic Field"
1510 Dayton St.
Chicago
Address Department "E"
National and State Association Heads Will
Take Part in Organization of New Hoosier
State Body at Lincoln Hotel, Indian-
apolis, October 28 and 29.
SEE BIG ATTENDANCE
Responses to Invitations Sent Out by Acting Secre-
tary Assure Enthusiastic Gathering of
Music Merchants.
A national aspect will be given to the organization
meeting of Indiana music merchants, to be held in
Indianapolis October 28 and 29, through the attend-
ance of national officers prominent in association
work. Representatives of sister state associations in
Ohio and Illinois, whose conventions were held last
month, have been invited to attend.
President W. J. Baker of the Indianapolis Music
Dealers' Association, in his announcement setting
the new dates for the organization meeting, requested
the national headquarters in New York to assist in
arranging the program. President Henry E. Weisert
of the National Association of Music Merchants
promised to attend and also invited Col. F. B. T.
Hollenberg of Little Rock, Ark., of the National
Association and one of its earliest presidents, and
Clayton A. Grinnell of Detroit, also a former presi-
dent, to be present.
President E. R. Jacobson of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce, himself an Indiana man, has
agreed to assist the organization work, and there
will be other representatives of the Chamber, the
national association and the state associations in
attendance.
Early Registrations Urged.
The meeting of Indiana music merchants will be
held in the Lincoln Hotel at Indianapolis, whose
manager, R. L. Myer, has subscribed his full co-oper-
ation and will make a special effort to take care of as
many individuals or firms as may register for the
convention.
Those who expect to attend are asked to send in
early reservations to Mr. Myer at the Lincoln Hotel,
Indianapolis. Announcements are being sent to every
music merchant in Indiana, from the headquarters
of the National Association of Music Merchants in
New York, and a good attendance is expected.
The committee in charge has appointed sub-com-
mittees to work out by-laws, program, publicity and
entertainment. Final announcement of the business
program, speakers and entertainment features will be
made next week.
The Indiana meeting is regarded as a good ex-
ample of growing state association work, in line with
the new program of organization effort outlined by
the National Association of Music Merchants at its
annual convention last June. Coming as it does im-
mediately following the annual state conventions of
Ohio and Illinois associations, and preliminary meet-
ings of the Milwaukee trade, toward the end of
developing a Wisconsin association, the Indiana asso-
ciation activity is gratifying to national organization
men who are interested in strengthening the entire
field of retail music trade distribution.
Further evidence of growing interest in state asso-
ciation work is found in the Michigan organization
meeting in Grand Rapids on November 2 and 3, the
week following the Indiana meeting.
Ft. Wayne Trade Active.
The Indiana meeting was stimulated largely by
the interest of the Ft. Wayne Music Dealers' Asso-
ciation, whose recent experience in eliminating a bad
competitive condition proved to the members the
value of trade organizations, national and local.
C. R. Moores of the Packard Music House, repre-
sented the Ft. Wayne Association at a meeting of the
Indianapolis Music Dealers' Association on October
7, to perfect plans for a state association. Mr.
Moores reported as follows:
"W T e decided to change the date in order to have
the full co-operation of the National Association and
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, to the end
that this organization meeting may go over in a big
way which will mean a lot to the future of the asso-
ciation. I found the local association here in Indian-
apolis very enthusiastic and willing to do all in their
power to co-operate in this movement. It is the de-
sire of the committee in charge that as many national
officers and prominent men in the music industry as
possible be in attendance at this meeting, prepared
to give their valued experiences.
The interest of the Ft. Wayne trade in forming an
Indiana State Association was shown also in the
request of the president of the local association,
George W. Jacobs, Jr., for extra copies of the July
Monthly Bulletin of the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce, in order to bring to the attention of
leaders of the Indiana trade the following editorial:
Organization Stands Guard.
"Tn the Ft. Wayne situation, where an old offender
against better business standards attempted to raise
the black flag of Picture Puzzle advertising, after it
had been discredited for years and deserted by its
former followers, we have an excellent example of
the power of organization to suppress tricky competi-
tion which the individual dealer alone is powerless to
combat.
"The Ft. Wayne Music Dealers' Association, strong
in its conviction that there was something wrong in
the competition its members had to face, called upon
the Chamber as the national headquarters of the
trade for guidance. Immediately the record of the
offender was forthcoming, the postoffice authorities
were notified, the newspapers informed, the manufac-
turer was called upon to protest the use of his name
(without authority, as it developed), and the National
Vigilance Committee of the Associated Advertising
Clubs of the World called into action to advise with
the Ft. Wayne Better Business Bureau. Upon infor-
mation furnished by the Chamber, the Ft. Wayne
Bureau had the exact facts necessary to publish a
'WARNING' to the public, in the same newspapers
where the puzzle advertising had appeared. The
local bureau already was in contact with members of
the Ft. Wayne trade, and the latter were advised by
the Chamber to give the bureau every bit of co-
operation and support possible. The puzzle scheme
was stopped. When trade opinion is clear that a
given business method is wrong, the organized
agencies for better business usually make short work
of it."
BUSY MEETING OF THE
CHICAGO PIANO CLUB
J. J. O'Shea Appeals for Salvation Army, and
Several Guests Add to Interest of a
Full-House Attendance.
Another full house attendance at the noonday
luncheon of the Chicago Piano Club, last Monday,
gretted the new president of the club, Henry Hewitt,
on his second week as the club's "overseer." Among
other things dispatched by President Hewitt was the
introduction of J. J. O'Shea, of Lyon & Healy, who
asked for aid from the music trades and industries in
the Salvation Army drive.
Mr. Shea explained briefly the work of the Salva-
tion Army and said he hoped the music trades of
Chicago would join the other trades and industries in
helping to make up the $300,000 which the Army is
endeavoring to raise within the next few weeks. Mr.
O'Shea will probably give a talk on this matter be-
fore the Chicago Piano and Organ Association at its
next monthly meeting.
Among the several visitors at the Monday meeting
this week was I. N. Rice, known as the Chicago-
Pacific Coast man, and who, although one of the old-
time members of the club has not been able to attend
the meeting often because of his travels in the west.
This was also his farewell visit to the club, prior to
moving to San Francisco, which city is to be his
future home and headquarters.
R. H. McCabe, southern traveler for the J. P. See-
hurg Piano Co., was the club guest of Marshall See-
burg and Will Collins. Mr. McCabe brought a good
word for the business outlook in his territory. Elmon
Armstrong, former Chicago, Texas and Kansas City
piano man, was there also.
WHEELING TUNERS ORGANIZE.
The piano tuners of Wheeling, W. Va., and vicinity
have given the best expression of favor for organiza-
tion by creating the Wheeling Division of the Na-
tional Association of Piano Tuners, with Howard In-
gram as its first president. Other officers elected at
the meeting recently, at 160 South Park avenue were:
II. H. Polling, vice-president; and H. .Wilson, secre-
tary and treasurer. Active in the formation of the
new division were: Henry Newman, T. T. Sligar,
Charles Lucas and E. J. Seitter.
PIANOS IN FURNITURE SHOW.
At the second annual Home Beautiful Exposition
held in Cleveland recently, pianos were given an ef-
fective representation. The show, held under the
auspices of the Cleveland Retail Furniture Dealers'
Association and the Cleveland News, filled the Audi-
torium. The Geo. M. Ott Co. showed the Hardman
piano, the May Co., a Chickering grand, as part of its
display of fine furniture and the Knabe Warerooms,
in two booths, showed Mason & Hamlin, the Ampico
in the Knabe and the Gulbransen.
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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