Presto

September 15, 1929
PRESTO-TIMES
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Morr.'stown, Tenn., branch of the Clark-Jones-Shee-
ley Company, keeps O. R. Bell, manager of the
service department there on the go most of the time.
The Clark-Jones-Sheeley Company, Knoxville, Many a metropolitan service manager would be
Tenn., with branches at Morristown, Tenn., Chat- amazed at the mileage piled up on the speedometer of
tanooga, Tenn., and Bristol, Va., is a believer in the Mr. Bell's service car.
idea that pianos have to be put in the store window
Lynn Sheeley, vice-president and general manager
before they can be put into the home. Every store of the Clark-Jones-Sheeley Company, happened to
in the chain has pianos in evidence, not only in the be in the Morristown store, taking stock of the situ-
show windows but in its demonstration booths and
ation there when the Presto-Times correspondent
display rooms. These stores really look like piano dropped in. Like everyone connected with the Clark-
stores; they do not give the prospective customer the Jones-Sheeley Company, Mr. Sheeley was optimistic
impression that pianos are only a side line. "Our about the prospects for the music trade in Tennessee.
prospects," said Ralph Jones, manager of the Morris- When a company's business keeps getting better all
town branch, "purchase our Steinways, or any other the time, there's no use fearing depression.
of the fourteen makes we handle, in full confidence
that we are putting every ounce of our energy into
the piano side of our business. They know we are
in the piano business to stay and that we shall con-
tinue to be interested in seeing that the instrument
Music merchants of Indianapolis report some im-
is serviced long after the sale is completed "
provement in the piano business. During the past
The buying power of the great Sterchi Bros.' chain week the city had many visitors attending the State
of stores, the largest group of furniture stores in
Fair, and some good sales have been closed. The
the South, enables it to offer unusual values in pianos, Wilking Music Company and the Kimball Piano Com-
radios and musical instruments. The stores of this pany were the only houses with displays at the fair.
company at Knoxville. Tenn., Chattanooga, Tenn., The Jesse French & Sons line of pianos and radios
and Asheville, N. C, are particularly attractive.
were on display in the Farm Bureau Building, and the
Gus' Phonograph and Radio Shop, also on Rnox- Wurlitzer instruments were displayed in the Boys'
ville's Gay street music row, is doing a lively trade, Club Building. The Kimball display, including pianos
particularly in Atwater Kents. Alone of. all the music and radios was in the Manufacturers' Building.
shops which the Presto-Times correspondent found
It has been announced by the Wilking Music Com-
time to visit before the half-hour parking rule forced pany that the Wurlitzer and Apollo grand pianos will
him to move his car out of the only available park- be used exclusively in the Hoosier Athletic Club
ing space in sight, this shop was stimulating trade studio, W K P F broadcasting station.
by keeping a radio going continuously.
E. W. Stockdale, manager of the Wilking Music
The Cable representatives in Knoxville, the Lamb Company, has resigned his position. Mr. Stockdale
Company, Inc., had a generous display on its sales will make known his plans in the near future.
floors of Cables, Conovers and Wellingtons. In addi-
Frank Carlin, of the Carlin Music Company, reports
tion, this house handles a number of lines of radios, a marked improvement in the piano business, with
among which several styles of Victors stand out business looking better and prospects for the next two
conspicuously.
months very good.
Ralph B. Hodgin, who has been associated with the
A visit to the East Tennessee Music Company,
719-721 Gay street, Knoxville, Tenn., found the pro- Carlin Music Company for more than fifteen years, has
prietor, W. Fred Lawson, firm in the belief that his resigned his post to become traveling representative
company's present good piano trade would continue. for Gretsch & Brenner, Inc., of New York city, man-
Gulbransen pianos are featured in this house's show- ufacturers' agents and importers of musical instru-
rooms, but a number of other good makes are also ments. Mr. Hodgin will cover the central west ter-
shown. In the radio line the East Tennessee Music ritory.
Company finds the Atwater Kent radio a sure seller
The Pearson Piano Company report business with
because its moderate pricing causes it to find favor the Steinway piano very good. The sales of the Stein-
with a prosperous but thrifty community to which way pianos have been above normal during the sum-
price is an important consideration.
mer months. John C. Pearson has returned from his
The J. V. Ledgerwood store at 417 Wall avenue. vacation and is back at his desk.
Knoxville, Tenn., has a splendid showing of Kimball
Visitors in Indianapolis recently were Mark Mayer,
pianos and other goods which justifies its slogan: representing the Brinkerhoff Piano Company, and
"Where Knoxville goes for music."
Frank M. Hood, of the Schiller Piano Company.
KNOXVILLE
INDIANAPOLIS
SOUTHEAST
An attractive window display has been prepared
for the grand opening of the Louisville store of the
C. G. Conn Co., Ltd. The location of this shop, on
Third street, in the heart of Louisville's central shop-
ping district, assures a large sales volume for this
new Conn branch.
The Bristol, Va., branch of the Clark-Jones-Sheeley
Company, whose store and stock was entirely de-
stroyed by fire recently, is transacting business tem-
porarily in its former location directly across the
street in Bristol, Tenn. This firm plans to rebuild
on the site of the destroyed store as soon as the
necessary arrangements can be made.
The music house of H. A. Dunham, Asheville, N.
C., is displaying over the doorway of its centrally
located store a banner announcing a sale of a carload
lot of Majesties. Besides pushing the sale of that fast
moving line of radio, the Dunham company is doing
a lively business in pianos and small goods.
In the Lee Museum, housed in Lee Chapel on the
campus of Washington and Lee University, Lexing-
ton, Va , Presto-Times' correspondent found a re-
minder that the prominence of Charles M. Stieff, Inc.,
and the artistry for which this house is noted, are
not of recent origin. Among the personal belong-
ings of Gen. Robert E. Lee exhibited in that shrine
on the Confederate leader's former estate, "s a solid
mahogany square piano especially carved for the
general by the house of Stieff which had been, even
then, producing fine pianos for over two decade.^
Visitors crowd about this instrument, impressed by
its solidity and massiveness, and delighted by the
beauty of the grain of the wood and of the floral
design inla : d on the name-board with mother-of-
pearl. This marking on the name-board indicates
the high position Charles M. Stieff, Inc., enjoyed
even in those days: "Made by Charles M. Stieff, Inc.,
for Robert E. Lee."
The servicing of musical instruments sold to cus-
tomers in the extensive hill country served by the
COLORADO
Musical instrument merchants of this section report
that fall business is getting started nicely and indi-
cations are that business will be good during the re-
maining months of the year. Business in all lines is
good in this part of the country at the present time
The farmers are finishing harvesting record crops,
which, when placed on the market, will put money
into circulation and all lines of industry will benefit.
Musical instrument dealers here also state that since
Colorado was visited by thousands of tourists this
summer that fact aided in increasing business for the
tourists left behind them considerable money.
R. T. Land recently purchased an interest in the
Canon Music Company of Canon City, Colo. He
secured the interest formerly held by C. L. Longaker
and is now a partner in the firm with L. D. Godsey,
who holds the other interest. Until recently Mr.
Land was manager of the West Side Snodgrass food
store in Canon City. The Canon Music Company is
one of Canon City's young and hustling business
firms, dealing in radios, pianos, phonographs and
other musical instruments, as well as carrying a large
line of phonograph records and sheet music.
The Denver Chamber of Commerce is making a
thorough study of the new tariff through a committee
of five appointed by President Sands. On the com-
mittee is Charles E. Wells, head of the Charles E.
Wells Music Company. Mr. Wells was also recently
selected a director of the Chamber of Commerce.
G A. Laman, formerly of Laman & Johnson Music
Company, Denver, is now operating the Laman Fur-
niture Company at 137 South Broadway.
The Rocky Mountain Radio Corporation, Denver,
distributors for Majestic and Zenith radio products
in this territory, now occupies new wholesale quar-
ters at 1153' Bannock street, where more room is
available for handling the increasing volume of busi-
ness throughout the Rocky Mountain region.
The Columbia Stores Company, this city, have
been appointed Kolster and Brandes distributor for
Montana and Northern Wyoming and have opened
another distribution branch at Butte, Mont., to han-
dle this additional business. The Columbia Stores
Company now operates branches at Salt Lake City,
Utah; Spokane, Wash.; Butte, with headquarters at
Denver. C. H. Dalzell. president, reports business
good with the outlook bright.
When two special police officers observed a youth
in the show window of the Darrow Music Company,
800 Fifteenth street, this city, at 2:30 o'clock one
morning recently, apparently taking his choice of the
masical instruments on display, they made an inves-
tigation which resulted in the arrest of three alleged
burglars. The trio had musical instruments valued at
$1,037 ready to take from the store.
The interest in the Radio Sales & Supply Co.
formerly held by T. F. Savage, Jr., has been pur-
chased by the remaining members of the firm, John
A. Nelson, president and treasurer; W. R. Woods,
secretary, and C. W. Hulbert, vice-president and
manager. The Radio Sales & Supply Co., located in
this city, will continue to distribute the Atwater Kent
radio in this territory.
John Philip Sousa and his world-famous band gave
a concert at the Denver auditorium last week. The
morning of the concert date the band, together with
a local boys' band, paraded through downtown streets
of Denver. The Charles E. Wells Music company
made mention of the fact in a large advertisement in
the local newspapers and also called attention to the
fact that both bands are completely equipped with
C. G. Conn band instruments, of which the Wells
people are exclusive representatives here.
WISCONSIN NEWS
Charles Salak, of the Salak Bros. Piano Company
was the speaker over WRJN during the Downtown
Hour in Racine, Wis , August 23.
The Ripon Music Company, Ripon, Wis., under
the management of F. H. Roeske. has opened for
business in that city. Mr. Roeske announces that he
has secured the agency for Brunswick Panatropes and
records and Brunswick radios. In addition he will
also sell the Kellogg receiving sets.
G. R. Worchesek, manager of the Pettibone-Pea-
body Company, radio department. Neenah, Wis., has
taken over the managership of the Irving Zuelke
Music Company store here. Mr. Worchesek was
with the Pettibone-Peabody Company for about ten
years. He succeeds Ray Peters as manager of the
Zuelke Neenah store.
While driving his car into a filling station at Chi-
cago, William T. Lazar, vice-president of the O'Con-
nor-Lazar Company, Milwaukee, died of heart trou-
ble. Mr. Lazar, who was 42, had gone to Chicago
with his wife to meet his daughter Ann, who was
returning from a vacation on the Pacific coast. Mr.
Lazar had been a resident of Milwaukee for seven
years and in 1928 organized with A. B. O'Connor the
company of which he was president.
The Wisconsin contestants in the Atwater Kent
national radio audition will be selected in Milwaukee
Oct. 27.
The Music Lovers' Shoppe, 31 East avenue,
Rochester, N. Y., has a distinctive display of grand
pianos at the Rochester Exposition. This well-
known Rochester musical house has one of the largest
displays to be found at any similar exposition any-
where. One of the features of their display and of
which they are justly proud is their exposition of a
$6,000 Exposition living room with concerts every
thirty minutes. Both Art and Period models in
Mason & Hamlin, Knabe, Chickering, J. & C. Fischer,
Marshall & Wendell, Franklin and Gulbransen are
being shown at their booth.
PEARSON PIANO CO. GROWING.
The Pearson Piano Company, one of Indiana's
largest dealers in music instruments and supplies, will
open its sixth branch, in Irvington, Ind., this week.
A. H. Steenrod manages the new store. He and
Mrs. Steenrod plan to move to Irvington and make
their home in this communitv.
BUSY DAYTON VIOLIN SHOP.
Musicians not only of Dayton, Ohio, but many
living in other towns throughout Ohio, bring their
stringed instruments to the H. E. Woods Violin Shop
for repairs or for rebuilding. This establishment
for the past 18 years or more has been doing this
type of work as well as handling a complete line of
string instruments and cases as well as supplies and
parts.
CONN STORE MOVES AT PEORIA.
The Conn Peoria Company, now located at 129
North Jefferson street, Peoria. 111., has leased a two-
story building on the corner of Main and Perry
streets. Repairs are now being made to convert this
building into an attractive retail store and studio.
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