Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
AUGUST 16, 1919
THIEBES CO. FORMALLY TRANSFERRED TO WURLITZER CO.
SHERMAN, CLAY & CO.'S BIG DEAL
St. Louis Music House, Formerly Owned by Haddorff Piano Co., Now Property of the Wur-
litzer Co.—Sheet Music Department to Be Discontinued—No Changes in Personnel Announced
Purchase Pacific Union Club Building in San
Francisco for $525,000 as Protection Against
Possible Future Developments
ST. LUUIS, Mo., August 12.—In a month, or
maybe two months, the name of Thiebes,
which has been identified with the piano busi-
ness in St. Louis for a good many years, will
come down from above the door at 1006 Olive
street, and be uprooted from the pavement in
front of the store, and be replaced by the name
of Wurlitzer.
Sales Manager Thomas P.
Clancy, of the Wurlitzer Co., tarrying here
after the ceremony of transferring the building,
lease, stock, accounts and good-will of the
Thiebes Co. from the Haddorff Piano Co., of
Rockford, 111., to the WurLtzer Co., announced
that no time was to be lost in superimposing
the name of Wurlitzer and all that it stands
fur in the way of energetic merchandising upon
what has been so long the house of Thiebes.
For thirty days, or maybe sixty days, both
the Thiebes store and the old Wurlitzer store
at 1109 Olive street will be operated. The
length of time depends, for one thing, on how
long it is going to take to get rid of the sheet
music department at the Thiebes store. That
is one thing that must go, says Mr. Clancy, and
until it goes alterations will be retarded. It is
10 lie sold as soon as possible and the chief
stipulation will be that it is to be moved out
faster than any sheet music department was
ever moved out before.
When it has gone the space it has occupied
at the west side of the store will be built up
with talking machine and music roll demon-
stration booths. The east side, where the
booths are now, will be given over to the
records and small merchandise. As much space
as possible will be reserved at the front for a
display that will make it look like a piano store.
The entrance will be shifted to the center.
The house will not handle the Haddorff line
of pianos. The Wurlitzer, Estey and Mehlin
will be the lines for the present. Others are
expected to be added. The only talking ma-
ch.nes handled will be Victors. All the odd talk-
ing machines handled by the Thiebes house
will be closed out. As much small merchandise
will be handled as there is room for.
The lease of the old Wurlitzer store has more
than two years to run, but the Wurlitzers are
not worrying about that. It is a very favorable
lease and no difficulty is anticipated in getting
rid of it.
No changes in the organizations of the two
stores are to be made for the present. The
heads of departments will be retained in their
positions. James B. Moran will be manager,
assisted by A. N. Engberg. All the other de-
partment men will be retained. Such readjust-
ments as may be found necessary will be ac-
complished gradually and the Wurlitzers will
keep all of the people that they possibly can.
Formal possession was taken at 5 p. m.
Thursday. The Haddorff concern was repre-
sented by P. A. Peterson, president, and A. E.
Johnson, secretary and treasurer.
From here Mr. Clancy goes to Kansas City
to look over a property which the company
contemplates purchasing there, with the pur-
pose of expanding as it has in St. Louis. After
that, he says, there are not going to be any
more Wurlitzer expansions for some time.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., August 8.—Something of
a sensation was created in musical circles by
the announcement that Sherman, Clay & Co.
had bought the old Pacific Union Club Building
at the corner of Stockton and Post streets at
a price stated to be $525,000. At first it was
thought that the purchase of the property meant
that the old-time music house was contemplat-
ing a move to that locality, where are lo-
cated Byron Mauzy, where the Heine Music
Co. is erecting a new building and where Clark,
Wise & Co. are remodeling a building for their
use at an early period. However, no such move
is under contemplation and the property was
bought solely as a protection against possible
future developments and as an investment. At
the present time it is covered with a first-class,
six-story, reinforced concrete building and is
fully leased for longer or shorter periods. It
has a frontage of eighty feet on Post street, 122
on Stockton street and an ell extends on Stock-
ton place for 100 feet. Speaking of the purchase
Phil T. Clay, of the company, said: "We do not
contemplate removal to the Post and Stockton
site for the reason that our present lease does
not expire until 1927. But we cannot tell what
may be the trend of trade by that time. Post
and Stockton is a pretty good corner and the
property is a good investment, so we bought."
CAPT. KINQWILL BACK FROM FRANCE
TREASURER OF E. QABLER & BRO.
Former Member of Review Staff in Chicago
Saw Much Active Service in the War
Anthony Doll, Jr., to Become Actively Engaged
in Management of This House — Has Had
Wide Experience in All Trade Branches
Captain H. Scott Kingwill, formerly assist-
ant manager of the Chicago office of The Music
Trade Review and The Talking Machine World,
returned last week from France, where he saw
active service for nearly a year and a half with
the Fifty-eighth Infantry, A. E. F. Although
his outfit spent over 100 days in the front line
and he had many thrilling experiences Captain
Kingwill returned without a scratch.
Captain Kingwill attended the Officers' Train-
ing Camp at Fort Sheridan in 1917 and came
out with a commission as first lieutenant. After
some time spent in Southern training camps he
went overseas early in 1918 as a member of
the headquarters company of the Fifty-eighth
infantry. It was not long before he won for
himself promotion to a captaincy. After a short
stay in New York, Captain Kingwill, with his
company, was transferred to Chicago for de-
mobilization.
Anthony Doll, Jr., for many years identified
with the piano industry, but who since his
resignation from W r asle & Co. last year has
TRADE ACTIVITY IN THE SOUTH
Bowen Piano Co., Winston-Salem, N. C, Re-
ports Summer Lull Conspicuous by Absence
WINSTON-SALEM, N. C , August 11.—The
Bowen Piano Co., of this city, piano dealer
carrying the Vose, Laffargue and Gulbransen
lines, reports that the demand for pianos in this
section of the country has continued without
abatement. The summer laxity in business
usually experienced at this time of the year
has been conspicuous by its absence. There
has been marked expansion and prosperity in
Winston-Salem and the surrounding towns.
R. J. Bowen, president of the company, re-
ports that the demand is especially strong for
player-pianos. The Bowen Piano Co. spe-
cializes the Gulbransen player in this field.
mur/cafname
to t/ieWorld.
Anthony Doll, Jr.
not been actively engaged in any piano manu-
facturing enterprise, became this week treasurer
of E. Gabler & Bro., Inc., 347 River avenue,
New York, and will again be actively identified
with the piano industry. Mr. Doll has had many
years' experience and knows thoroughly the
manufacturing details as well as the financial
end of the piano business.
NEW INCORPORATION
The Collings & Price Co., Newark, N. J.,
has been incorporated with a capital stock of
$100,000 to deal in musical instruments. The
incorporators are I. W. Collings, T. B. Collings
and M. G. Price.
PIANOS
PRESENTS HUNGARY'S CAUSE
Committee of Which Arnold Somlyo Is Corre-
sponding Secretary Uses Full Page Ads in
Sunday Papers in Order to Acquaint Ameri-
can Public With Facts Concerning Hungary
Arnold Somlyo, representative of the Bald-
win Piano Co. in the New York territory, has
also been actively engaged as corresponding
secretary of the American Committee for the
Relief of Hungary, and as such has been doing
a great deal of good work in presenting the
claims of Hungary to the American people.
Last Sunday's papers carried a page advertise-
ment headed: "Real Facts About Hungary," in
which a very concise presentation of the po-
litical, geographical and economic history of
Hungary was made, together with some very
pertinent arguments for the preservation of the
national autonomy of that country. The ad-
vertisement was exceedingly well written, and
showed a very comprehensive grasp of the sit-
uat.on now existing with reference to the ques-
tion of the dismemberment of the Hungarian
Empire. Mr. Somlyo has been doing invalu-
able work for the preservation of the national
entity of Hungary through his activities as sec-
retary of the committee above referred to, and
he has played a large part in presenting to the
citizens of this country generally, through ad-
vertisements such as the one which appeared
last Sunday, and through other forms of edu-
cational propaganda.
C. JOHNSON VISITS NEW YORK
A recent visitor to New York was C. Johnson,
manager of the Elgin Metal Novelty Co., Elgin,
111. This company makes a great many parts for
player rolls. Mr. Johnson, while in the city, was
a visitor at the warerooms of the Q R S Co.
DERIVAS & HARRIS OUTING
The employes of the DeRivas & Harris Mfg.
Co. are holding their annual outing to-day,
Saturday, at Fred. C. Loefier's Park and Casino,
\\ estchester and Castle Hill avenues, Union-
port, L. I. This is the first outing to be held
by the organization since the war.
ORGANS
E5TEY PIANO COMPANY NEW YORK CITY
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