Music Trade Review
Issue: 1907 Vol. 45 N. 15 - Page 45
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
A GREAT ST. LOUIS INSTITUTION.
New Home of St. Louis Talking Machine Co.
a
Marvel
of
Completeness—Remarkable
Growth of That Business—Devoted Exclu-
sively to the Distribution of the Victor Line
—Occupy Entire Floor of Large Building.
Manager C. W. Long, of the St. Louis Talking
Machine Co., reports a very healthy increase
in both their wholesale and retail departments.
He returned recently from a week's business trip
through a part of his territory, and was highly
elated with the outlook for fall and winter busi-
ness. He states that the country is in a very
prosperous condition and the dealers all alive
to the possibilities of a large trade coming to
^nem.
The St. Louis Talking Machine Co. are now fully
settled in their magnificent wholesale location,
occupying the entire sixth floor of the Mills Build-
ing, 6,000 square feet of floor space which they
THE COLUMBIA PRIZE WINNERS.
are devoting exclusively to the distribution of the
Victor line. The pictures herewith will give
The policy of the Columbia Phonograph Co. to
some idea of the thoroughness with which they give cash prizes to their salesmen, collectors and
have equipped themselves to handle business.
managers on the first of each month for the best
record made in that period has been most stimu-
lative in a business way. There is always a
friendly rivalry between the employes, who look
forward to the showing for each month with con-
siderable interest. The winners for September,
based on the largest volume of business, also for
an increase over August, were, G. M. Stearns,
of the Grand street store, in Brooklyn, who cap-
tured both first and second prizes; S. Halpen,
salesman a t the New York office, won first prize
on sales and F. W. Walker, collector, for the best
record for the month.
SOME LOS ANGELES TRADE NOTES.
(Special to The Review.)
NEW HOME OF THE ST. LOUIS TALKING MACHINE CO.
Los Angeles, Cal., Oct. 6, 1907.
The talking machine business in this city, ac-
cording to all reports and appearances, is in a
flourishing condition. Dealers say that the sum-
mer business was very satisfactory, and with
bright prospects for a busy fall and winter. New
stores are opening up at short intervals, and the
older ones are constantly expanding.
The latest concern to enter the field is the
Talking Machine Co., recently incorporated un-
der the laws of California for $25,000. The mov-
ing spirits are Harry E. Deane, formerly with
the R. S. Williams Co., Toronto, Can., for sev-
eral years since Edison phonograph representa-
tive on the Pacific Coast and with much valua-
ble experience in that field; Sibley S. Pease,
formerly with the retail talking machine depart-
ment of the Bartlett Music Co., and Lewis B.
Graves, who was also connected with the Bartlett
house. The new company have handsome quar-
ters at 535 South Broadway, with several sep-
arate testing rooms, a large concert hall and an
up-to-date record storing system. During the
initial week a surprising amount of business was
done, the principal sale being of a $200 Victor
outfit to a prominent physician. Concerts are
given on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
WHEN TRYING THE RECORDS.
MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WHOLESALE RECEPTION KOOM SHOWING ACCOUNTING DEPT.
45
REVIEW
The following list of "don'ts" was compiled by
a successful talking machine man for the benefit
of his staff, says the Canadian Music Trades
Journal, and is passed on to our readers with a
recommendation to read and remember:
Don't slam a door.
Don't walk with your heels striking the floor
hard.
Don't walk between the machine and the per-
sons listening to it, unless unavoidable.
Don't start another machine until the first
stops.
Don't talk or laugh; if you do you may as well
stop the record. Your customer came to hear the
record, not you.
Don't get mad when they tell you they know
more about the goods than you; they do—not, but
don't get mad.
Don't let your customer wait; play some rec-
ords for him.
Don't stop a machine until you raise the needle
from the record.
Don't allow a machine to run down while play-
ing.
Don't allow customers to enter the record de-
partment.
Don't play a two-verse song record through
when we're busy; stop it after the first verse. Cer-
tain records cannot be treated like this, but many
can. Use your own judgment.
Don't think you haven't time; make it.
Don't put your hands on a horn or on a ma-
hogany cabinet.
Don't let your customer if you can prevent him.
Don't hesitate to ask what you don't know.
Don't forget the don'ts.
The battle for fall trade is now on.
CLEANED ^ U T BY FIRE.
The Victor Distributing & Export Co. Suffer a
Loss of $50,000 Through the Fire Which De-
stroyed Their Premises at 77 Chambers
Street on Tuesday
Morning—Temporary
Quarters Secured at 256 Broadway—No In-
terference With Business.
Tuesday a disastrous fire destroyed the prem-
ises of the Victor Distributing and Export Co., 77
Chambers street, New York. The loss in ma-
chines and records is placed at $50,000, fully cov-
ered by insurance. Manager Williams and Sales
Manager Beckman let no grass grow under their
feet, and immediately secured temporary offices
in the immediate neighborhood and 'phoned
Camden, N. J., for a fresh stock of Victor records
and machines, which were aboard the cars be-
fore nightfall. Wednesday morning papers con-
tained the appended official notice:
"To Our Dealers—Fire has not put us out of
business. Send in your orders to our 'temporary
offices,' Home Life Insurance Building, 256-257
Broadway, Rooms 600-601. Victor Distributing
and Export Co., formerly 77 Chambers street."
The fire made rapid progress, owing to the
high winds, and 40 girls employed by the com-
pany had to do some hustling to escape. The
blaze was most dangerous in many ways and re-
quired the hardest work on the part of the fire
department to subdue it. Manager Williams is
naturally pleased that no lives were endangered.
MUSIC FOR THE SODA FOUNTAINS.
According to a humorist in the New York
World ice cream and soda water would taste
much sweeter if appropriate music was played
while it was being disposed of, and makes the
following suggestions as to records in harmony
with various flavors as for instance with choco-
late—"Way Down Upon the Suwanee River;"
strawberry, a Caruso number; pistachio, "The
Wearing of the Green;" lemon, "No Wedding
Bells for Me."
A fortune is predicted for the man who in-
stals a "talker" and a suitable line of records
in his "palace of frozen dainties" and then studies
the tastes of his customers.
The Victor Talking Machine Co. have signed
Vesta Victoria, the popular English vaudeville
singer, to sing exclusively for • their company.
Miss Victoria is a serio-comic of great talent, and
is said to be the highest salaried vaudeville
artiste in the country. The records she has al-
ready made have proven very successful, both
as regards artistic worth and sales qualities.
IMPROVED
Petmecky
Multi-tone
Talking Machine
Needles
Samples, Prices, Testimonials, etc.
on request
PETMECKY
1041 R., N e w York Life Bldg.
N E W YORK
THE MUSIC TRADE
A GREAT ST. LOUIS INSTITUTION.
New Home of St. Louis Talking Machine Co.
a
Marvel
of
Completeness—Remarkable
Growth of That Business—Devoted Exclu-
sively to the Distribution of the Victor Line
—Occupy Entire Floor of Large Building.
Manager C. W. Long, of the St. Louis Talking
Machine Co., reports a very healthy increase
in both their wholesale and retail departments.
He returned recently from a week's business trip
through a part of his territory, and was highly
elated with the outlook for fall and winter busi-
ness. He states that the country is in a very
prosperous condition and the dealers all alive
to the possibilities of a large trade coming to
^nem.
The St. Louis Talking Machine Co. are now fully
settled in their magnificent wholesale location,
occupying the entire sixth floor of the Mills Build-
ing, 6,000 square feet of floor space which they
THE COLUMBIA PRIZE WINNERS.
are devoting exclusively to the distribution of the
Victor line. The pictures herewith will give
The policy of the Columbia Phonograph Co. to
some idea of the thoroughness with which they give cash prizes to their salesmen, collectors and
have equipped themselves to handle business.
managers on the first of each month for the best
record made in that period has been most stimu-
lative in a business way. There is always a
friendly rivalry between the employes, who look
forward to the showing for each month with con-
siderable interest. The winners for September,
based on the largest volume of business, also for
an increase over August, were, G. M. Stearns,
of the Grand street store, in Brooklyn, who cap-
tured both first and second prizes; S. Halpen,
salesman a t the New York office, won first prize
on sales and F. W. Walker, collector, for the best
record for the month.
SOME LOS ANGELES TRADE NOTES.
(Special to The Review.)
NEW HOME OF THE ST. LOUIS TALKING MACHINE CO.
Los Angeles, Cal., Oct. 6, 1907.
The talking machine business in this city, ac-
cording to all reports and appearances, is in a
flourishing condition. Dealers say that the sum-
mer business was very satisfactory, and with
bright prospects for a busy fall and winter. New
stores are opening up at short intervals, and the
older ones are constantly expanding.
The latest concern to enter the field is the
Talking Machine Co., recently incorporated un-
der the laws of California for $25,000. The mov-
ing spirits are Harry E. Deane, formerly with
the R. S. Williams Co., Toronto, Can., for sev-
eral years since Edison phonograph representa-
tive on the Pacific Coast and with much valua-
ble experience in that field; Sibley S. Pease,
formerly with the retail talking machine depart-
ment of the Bartlett Music Co., and Lewis B.
Graves, who was also connected with the Bartlett
house. The new company have handsome quar-
ters at 535 South Broadway, with several sep-
arate testing rooms, a large concert hall and an
up-to-date record storing system. During the
initial week a surprising amount of business was
done, the principal sale being of a $200 Victor
outfit to a prominent physician. Concerts are
given on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.
WHEN TRYING THE RECORDS.
MANAGER'S OFFICE.
WHOLESALE RECEPTION KOOM SHOWING ACCOUNTING DEPT.
45
REVIEW
The following list of "don'ts" was compiled by
a successful talking machine man for the benefit
of his staff, says the Canadian Music Trades
Journal, and is passed on to our readers with a
recommendation to read and remember:
Don't slam a door.
Don't walk with your heels striking the floor
hard.
Don't walk between the machine and the per-
sons listening to it, unless unavoidable.
Don't start another machine until the first
stops.
Don't talk or laugh; if you do you may as well
stop the record. Your customer came to hear the
record, not you.
Don't get mad when they tell you they know
more about the goods than you; they do—not, but
don't get mad.
Don't let your customer wait; play some rec-
ords for him.
Don't stop a machine until you raise the needle
from the record.
Don't allow a machine to run down while play-
ing.
Don't allow customers to enter the record de-
partment.
Don't play a two-verse song record through
when we're busy; stop it after the first verse. Cer-
tain records cannot be treated like this, but many
can. Use your own judgment.
Don't think you haven't time; make it.
Don't put your hands on a horn or on a ma-
hogany cabinet.
Don't let your customer if you can prevent him.
Don't hesitate to ask what you don't know.
Don't forget the don'ts.
The battle for fall trade is now on.
CLEANED ^ U T BY FIRE.
The Victor Distributing & Export Co. Suffer a
Loss of $50,000 Through the Fire Which De-
stroyed Their Premises at 77 Chambers
Street on Tuesday
Morning—Temporary
Quarters Secured at 256 Broadway—No In-
terference With Business.
Tuesday a disastrous fire destroyed the prem-
ises of the Victor Distributing and Export Co., 77
Chambers street, New York. The loss in ma-
chines and records is placed at $50,000, fully cov-
ered by insurance. Manager Williams and Sales
Manager Beckman let no grass grow under their
feet, and immediately secured temporary offices
in the immediate neighborhood and 'phoned
Camden, N. J., for a fresh stock of Victor records
and machines, which were aboard the cars be-
fore nightfall. Wednesday morning papers con-
tained the appended official notice:
"To Our Dealers—Fire has not put us out of
business. Send in your orders to our 'temporary
offices,' Home Life Insurance Building, 256-257
Broadway, Rooms 600-601. Victor Distributing
and Export Co., formerly 77 Chambers street."
The fire made rapid progress, owing to the
high winds, and 40 girls employed by the com-
pany had to do some hustling to escape. The
blaze was most dangerous in many ways and re-
quired the hardest work on the part of the fire
department to subdue it. Manager Williams is
naturally pleased that no lives were endangered.
MUSIC FOR THE SODA FOUNTAINS.
According to a humorist in the New York
World ice cream and soda water would taste
much sweeter if appropriate music was played
while it was being disposed of, and makes the
following suggestions as to records in harmony
with various flavors as for instance with choco-
late—"Way Down Upon the Suwanee River;"
strawberry, a Caruso number; pistachio, "The
Wearing of the Green;" lemon, "No Wedding
Bells for Me."
A fortune is predicted for the man who in-
stals a "talker" and a suitable line of records
in his "palace of frozen dainties" and then studies
the tastes of his customers.
The Victor Talking Machine Co. have signed
Vesta Victoria, the popular English vaudeville
singer, to sing exclusively for • their company.
Miss Victoria is a serio-comic of great talent, and
is said to be the highest salaried vaudeville
artiste in the country. The records she has al-
ready made have proven very successful, both
as regards artistic worth and sales qualities.
IMPROVED
Petmecky
Multi-tone
Talking Machine
Needles
Samples, Prices, Testimonials, etc.
on request
PETMECKY
1041 R., N e w York Life Bldg.
N E W YORK
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