Music Trade Review
Issue: 1921 Vol. 72 N. 23 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JUNE 4,
1921
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
LIVE PLAN TO STIMULATE BUSINESS
RACING IN JERSEY? SURE!
Rolfe Music Store, Salem, Mass., Gets Some Big
Advertising From Shipment of Bacon Pianos
—Publicity That Resulted in Sales
Bamberger's Piano Department Has a Most
Novel Sales-invigorating Racetrack There
It is the general inclination throughout the
piano trade to feel that business is more or
less dead. This is heard on every side wherever
The racetrack in Jersey State has become ob-
solete by law, long ago, and Long Island or
"My Maryland" are the only nearby spots where
habitues of the same can satisfy their desire for
this type of sport. Yet
the piano department of
Bamberger's store in
Newark, N. J., has a race-
track all its own, with
"races" going wantonly
on every day despite the
State ordinances.
The
"racetrack"
is
quite the most popular
place in that department
just at the time when the
day's business draws to a
close, for about this
track gather the ten city
piano salesmen of that
store to take their posi-
tions in the "race" or
assume new ones. It's a
"race" for sales—and
therein lies the immunity
of this particular brand
of track from State in-
terference. And another
thing that makes this
track innocent in the
eyes of the law is the fact
that "ponies" are taboo
there, the modern auto-
mobile with each sales-
man's phiz pasted thereon
taking the place of the
condemned
four-legged
animal.
It's all the idea of a
once rather obscure sales-
man on the Bamberger
city sales force who has
since made good—this
idea of an auto racetrack
to stimulate piano sales
with a generous monthly
bonus and a gold star
hanging in the balance
to further enliven the
proceedings.
Carload of Bacon Pianos for Rolfe Music Store
The "racetrack" consists of a wide blackboard,
dealers get together and discuss the subject.
This holds true in New England as well as any several feet long, stretching the entire width of
of the other States in the Union.
the salesmen's room, on which are marked fifty-
However, the Rolfe Music Store, located in two squares opposite each of the ten salesmen's
Salem, Mass., has hit upon a novel scheme to names, each square ordinarily representing $100
"take the bull by the horns" and stimulate such in business done. Each month the manager of
business as is now available. It recently re- the piano department sets a different quota, ac-
ceived a full carload shipment from the Bacon cording to how the trade winds are blowing,
Fiano Co , which was met at the freight depot which is the goal that must be reached by the
by a number of trucks with signs specially aspiring salesman who wins—provided he gets
painted for the occasion. The illustration shows there first. Wire strings running along the
these trucks on the way back to the store. The board contiguous to each man's name support a
next day the passersby at the warerooms saw sliding miniature automobile which can readily
the entire carload filed along the curb in front be placed in its position on the squares corre-
of the shop with immense signs announcing the sponding to the amount of business he brings in
make of instruments and also the dealer's name. daily. When the quota for the month appears
This display created a new interest in player- to be in excess of $5,000—say, $10,000—the sales-
pianos and conveyed the opinion that the piano men well up in the running will make practically
business was not at a standstill. Mr. Rolfe has two trips around the board before they have
informed the Bacon Piano Co. that his scheme achieved the desired result. When the quota is
worked to the extent of disposing of most of this high, as it often is, each square, of course,
the pianos displayed.
is given greater value—in fact, is almost doubled.
It is suggested that Mr. Rolfe's excellent ex- Competition is keen among the rival "horses"
ample in merchandising might be emulated in and piano sales at Bamberger's have taken an
several other cities, which, like Salem, have had enormous jump as a consequence of these
the unfortunate condition of having many of "races"—so much so, in fact, that the gold star
their wage-earners out of work and consequently which is added to the monthly bonus given the
all business more or less tied up on account of winner is apt to change hands from month to
the decrease in purchasing ability.
month for indefinite periods of time. The gold
star, accordingly, is not a fixed gift, but a fluc-
tuating honor that is earned each month.
NEW SHONINGER BRANCH
The B. Shoninger Co., piano manufacturer of
New Haven, Conn., has recently opened a new
branch in Waterbury, Conn.
George Glass has sold his business in Rippon,
Wis. He will devote his entire time to his music
establishment in Oconto, Wis., hereafter.
11
The Famous
Studio Grand
was the first Grand
which established the
new d a n g e r line at
Five Feet.
T o - d a y it still holds
that enviable position
of being the O N L Y
G R A N D of its size
that has a
True Grand
Tone
This may seem to some
a broad assertion, but
the irrefutable truth is
being d e m o n s t r a t e d
every day by our Deal-
ers and by voluntary
appreciations m a i l e d
us.
If you are open to con-
viction, write us and we
will prove the f a c t s .
"The first touch tells"
(Registered
U. S. Pat. Off.)
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St., New York
JUNE 4,
1921
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
LIVE PLAN TO STIMULATE BUSINESS
RACING IN JERSEY? SURE!
Rolfe Music Store, Salem, Mass., Gets Some Big
Advertising From Shipment of Bacon Pianos
—Publicity That Resulted in Sales
Bamberger's Piano Department Has a Most
Novel Sales-invigorating Racetrack There
It is the general inclination throughout the
piano trade to feel that business is more or
less dead. This is heard on every side wherever
The racetrack in Jersey State has become ob-
solete by law, long ago, and Long Island or
"My Maryland" are the only nearby spots where
habitues of the same can satisfy their desire for
this type of sport. Yet
the piano department of
Bamberger's store in
Newark, N. J., has a race-
track all its own, with
"races" going wantonly
on every day despite the
State ordinances.
The
"racetrack"
is
quite the most popular
place in that department
just at the time when the
day's business draws to a
close, for about this
track gather the ten city
piano salesmen of that
store to take their posi-
tions in the "race" or
assume new ones. It's a
"race" for sales—and
therein lies the immunity
of this particular brand
of track from State in-
terference. And another
thing that makes this
track innocent in the
eyes of the law is the fact
that "ponies" are taboo
there, the modern auto-
mobile with each sales-
man's phiz pasted thereon
taking the place of the
condemned
four-legged
animal.
It's all the idea of a
once rather obscure sales-
man on the Bamberger
city sales force who has
since made good—this
idea of an auto racetrack
to stimulate piano sales
with a generous monthly
bonus and a gold star
hanging in the balance
to further enliven the
proceedings.
Carload of Bacon Pianos for Rolfe Music Store
The "racetrack" consists of a wide blackboard,
dealers get together and discuss the subject.
This holds true in New England as well as any several feet long, stretching the entire width of
of the other States in the Union.
the salesmen's room, on which are marked fifty-
However, the Rolfe Music Store, located in two squares opposite each of the ten salesmen's
Salem, Mass., has hit upon a novel scheme to names, each square ordinarily representing $100
"take the bull by the horns" and stimulate such in business done. Each month the manager of
business as is now available. It recently re- the piano department sets a different quota, ac-
ceived a full carload shipment from the Bacon cording to how the trade winds are blowing,
Fiano Co , which was met at the freight depot which is the goal that must be reached by the
by a number of trucks with signs specially aspiring salesman who wins—provided he gets
painted for the occasion. The illustration shows there first. Wire strings running along the
these trucks on the way back to the store. The board contiguous to each man's name support a
next day the passersby at the warerooms saw sliding miniature automobile which can readily
the entire carload filed along the curb in front be placed in its position on the squares corre-
of the shop with immense signs announcing the sponding to the amount of business he brings in
make of instruments and also the dealer's name. daily. When the quota for the month appears
This display created a new interest in player- to be in excess of $5,000—say, $10,000—the sales-
pianos and conveyed the opinion that the piano men well up in the running will make practically
business was not at a standstill. Mr. Rolfe has two trips around the board before they have
informed the Bacon Piano Co. that his scheme achieved the desired result. When the quota is
worked to the extent of disposing of most of this high, as it often is, each square, of course,
the pianos displayed.
is given greater value—in fact, is almost doubled.
It is suggested that Mr. Rolfe's excellent ex- Competition is keen among the rival "horses"
ample in merchandising might be emulated in and piano sales at Bamberger's have taken an
several other cities, which, like Salem, have had enormous jump as a consequence of these
the unfortunate condition of having many of "races"—so much so, in fact, that the gold star
their wage-earners out of work and consequently which is added to the monthly bonus given the
all business more or less tied up on account of winner is apt to change hands from month to
the decrease in purchasing ability.
month for indefinite periods of time. The gold
star, accordingly, is not a fixed gift, but a fluc-
tuating honor that is earned each month.
NEW SHONINGER BRANCH
The B. Shoninger Co., piano manufacturer of
New Haven, Conn., has recently opened a new
branch in Waterbury, Conn.
George Glass has sold his business in Rippon,
Wis. He will devote his entire time to his music
establishment in Oconto, Wis., hereafter.
11
The Famous
Studio Grand
was the first Grand
which established the
new d a n g e r line at
Five Feet.
T o - d a y it still holds
that enviable position
of being the O N L Y
G R A N D of its size
that has a
True Grand
Tone
This may seem to some
a broad assertion, but
the irrefutable truth is
being d e m o n s t r a t e d
every day by our Deal-
ers and by voluntary
appreciations m a i l e d
us.
If you are open to con-
viction, write us and we
will prove the f a c t s .
"The first touch tells"
(Registered
U. S. Pat. Off.)
Christman Piano Co.
597 East 137th St., New York
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