NEWS AND NOTES
FROM HERE
THERE
AND
EVERYWHERE
PURPOSES OF WINDOW DISPLAYS
ANOTHER WYLIE WITH BALDWIN
"We believe that a window display must tell a definite
sales story in order to be effective," said Stuart G. Ashen-
berg, president of the Southern California Music Company
in San Diego. "It is no longer sufficient merely to place mer-
chandise in the window and expect any great amount of
success as far as sales are concerned. It may be true that
such windows attract the attention of passers-by, but that's
about all they accomplish.
Elwood Wylie, North Dakota State College, '39, is the lat-
est addition to the group of young men who are out to show
J. M. Wylie. Baldwin representative in the Dakotas, how
pianos should be sold. Mr. J. M. Wylie welcomed his son into
the piano business upon his graduation from college last
spring.
The urgent need of ambitious young salesmen in the
piano business and in the music trades generally has long
been apparent to leaders in the industry. J. M. Wylie, dean
of piano men in his part of the country and for years a pillar
of the Baldwin organization, has made a specialty of intro-
ducing young men into the piano business. Elwood Wylie is
only the latest of his father's business proteges.
About five years ago two young piano teachers of Racine,
Wisconsin, started to sell Baldwin pianos on the side. Having
considerable success, they moved to Milwaukee, and from the
beginning of 1938 on they have been devoting all their time
to the music business.
Now the two young piano teachers—Orson White and Irvan
Gerlat—are new Baldwin dealers in Omaha, where, following
the advice of J. M. Wylie, they established a better sales
record for the first six months of 1939 than any the Baldwin
home office has received from Omaha since the days of the
player piano.
"In our displays," he continued, "w r e attempt to obtain
harmony in the arrangement of our merchandise as well
as beauty. But most important of all we make it a point
to get across some sales feature or story in a simple, under-
standable manner. We also try to do this in a way which
will not only enable the passer-by to grasp the story quickly
but also to remember it."
Although all of the Southern California Music Com-
pany's windows are attractively arranged and decorated to
create the utmost attention and interest, salability is of
paramount importance in planning the displays. A con-
siderable amount of time and study is given each display
to make certain that it drives home a convincing sales story
about the particular instrument featured.
A carefully planned window display campaign recently
sponsored by Mr. Ashenberg illustrated his ideas very suc-
cessfully. Beautifully executed in an attractive color scheme,
this window featured two of the new Wurlitzer pianos. One
was blond maple, finished with white Kordevon and the
other was walnut, finished with light colored Kordevon.
The passer-by was immediately attracted by the brilliant
background in old gold. The background was cheerfully
lighted by indirect lighting methods and several large pic-
tures of colorful room settings featuring the new piano
were mounted on it. Three neatly lettered placards arranged
across the front of the display carried the following brief
selling points: "Design — Zaiser"; "Engineering" — Sperry";
"Color — Yerkes". A larger sign was placed on a slight ele-
vation which w ? as built between the two pianos. Upon this
sign was lettered the message "27 Exclusive Wurlitzer Fea-
tures."
THE PREFERRED HOTEL
AMONG
MUSICIANS
•
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on the famous boulevard, where
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Grant Park and Lake Michigan . . .
A truly fine hotel, foremost in
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ROOMS WITH BATH PROM $2.50
^WITHOUT BATH
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FROM$1.50
BENJAMIN WANTS A PARTNER
Frank Benjamin, successor and owner of the old "Benjamin
Temple of Music", Danville, 111., established 1876, wants a
permanent active partner with some capital to help finance
the growing business, which is increasing fast on account
of the school band boom. The reputation and success of
this old firm are well known. Write Mr. Benjamin in
Danville for particulars.
AUDITORU
NEW CONNECTION
MICHIGAN AT CONGRESS
CHICAGO
C. A. Bird, formerly in the piano business at Ottawa,
Kansas, has been appointed manager of the piano depart-
ment of the King Music Company, W T urlitzer dealers in
Wichita.
P A G E
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