Music Trade Review
Issue: 1921 Vol. 73 N. 15 - Page 58
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
50
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
OCTOBER 8,
1921
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
CHAIN STORES TO INVADE THE SHEET MUSIC FIELD
Retail Sheet Music Dealers Must Be Prepared to Meet Competition Which Will Be Offered Them
Through the Entry of Several New Syndicate Concerns in the Near Future
The Music Publishers' Protective Association
has, during the past few months, been ap-
proached by financial interests with a view to
inducing publishers to open up a chain of re-
tail music stores. These suggestions, while they
come from reliable sources, have been promptly
turned down by the organized publishers, for
as an association they did not care to become
involved in any such enterprise. The interests,
however, have continued to make repeated of-
fers, the last coming from a well-known capital-
ist, who. offered to put $250,000 in a chain of
stores if the publishers would put in $250,000
worth of stock—sheet music, player rolls and
records.
This is only one of a number of such offers
and every indication shows that the legitimate
sheet music dealer is to have much competition
during the year 1922 from syndicate stores other
than those already in existence.
Those who have made a minute study of the
possibilities of the sheet music field claim.it is
the "cleanest merchandising proposition in the
world" and the point to be made here is that
it behooves the legitimate dealer to do all he
can for his popular sheet music department or
otherwise the success that such departments
have attained in the past two years will be lost.
The latest entry into the sheet music field
is the announcement that the Piggley Wiggley
stores, with headquarters in Memphis, Tenn.,
are now about to open up "miscellaneous" stores
carrying sheet music departments similar to
those operated by Kress and Kresge.
In addition, the United States Music Stores,
Inc., a Maryland company, with headquarters in
Baltimore, recently organized with Thomas E.
Noonan as president; George West, who is a
member of Hecht Bros., of Baltimore, as vice-
president, and H. E. Paetow as secretary and
treasurer, contemplates opening up one hundred
retail stores during the year 1922, carrying sheet
music, player rolls and talking machine records.
Joseph Reinhorn, the well-known music dealer
of New York, who operates a number of stores
on Broadway, through his attorney, Julius Ray-
field, is now carrying on negotiations for the
purpose of opening up a national chain of re-
tail stores.
The Ohio Securities Corp., of Newark, O., is
also arranging plans to operate a chain of re-
tail stores carrying sheet music, player rolls and
talking machine records.
All of the above substantiates the rumors to
the effect that the dealers are to feel the com-
petition of syndicates.
That much business will leave the dealers' hands
is assured unless a fight is put up to meet such
competition. Such syndicate stores use tKe very
best merchandising methods and know-how to
make intensive sales drives for business. On the
other hand, the legitimate sheet music dealer all
too often makes popular music a side line and
gives it the smallest representation possible in
order to operate the department.
The publishers repeatedly claim that they get
little or no co-operation from the regular dealers
and, of course, if that is the case they will do
nothing to discourage the further opening of
syndicate propositions.
There has been some talk in recent months
by dealers to the effect that at the present re-
tail prices they were not getting enough profit.
When it is considered that popular sheet music
takes up little or no space and that the sales
are "quick turn-overs" the argument about
price hardly bears weight. The Woolworth
stores in times past made much money with a
much smaller profit, merely because they had a
quick turn-over. There is a quick turn-over
to-day in popular music. It is true that the
retail price is somewhat higher, but so, too, is the
profit larger, and while the sales may not be as
numerous as in the oldi 10-cent days they are
certainly active and, being active, the dealer
does not require as handsome a profit as if he
only made .a sale now and then.
A case in point was recently brought to the
writer's notice as to the methods pursued by the
legitimate dealer, particularly in regard to the
price question. A certain dealer wrote to a
publisher and stated that he was very sorry to
hear of the price, which was approximately 18
cents, on a fast-selling hit, the dealer taking the
stand that this did not allow him enough profit
and for that reason he intended to place the
goods under the counter and only sell them
when called for. This is, indeed, a case of spit-
ing one's self inasmuch as it is the hits that
attract the people "to the counter and make it
possible not only to sell the number called
for but the other mediocre material that is dis-
played. Hundreds of sales are probably lost in
this manner and probably will never be regained.
If such goods were displayed, even if the profit
were not as large as the dealer thought was jus-
tified, he would find that the volume of the busi-
ness would make up for the small profit. •
SONGS THAT SELL
Irving Berlin's
Song Hit of the Hour
All By Myself
Cry Baby Blues
Birds of a Feather
My Mammy
Home Again Blues
I Wonder Where
My Sweet, Sweet Daddy's Gone
Drowsy Head (Waltz)
Oh, My Sweet Hortense
Once in a Blue Moon
You're Just the Type for a
Bungalow
When the Sun Goes Down
I've Got the Joys
The New Sensational Hit
Tuck Me to Sleep in My Old
'Tucky Home
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1587 Broadway,
New York
This same question was brought up at the
recent convention of the National Association of
Sheet Music Dealers in Chicago in June and a
similar statement regarding the placing of goods
under the counter was made and concurred in
by a number of dealers present. It is certainly
poor business judgment and does not tend to
promote the success of music departments.
THE COUNTRY'S QUICKEST "BLUES" HIT
EVERYWHERE IS HEARD THE
Ta De Da Da De Dum
Already obtainable for player-piano
and any talking machine
Publishers J. W. JENKINS SONS MUSIC CO., Kansas City, Mo.
Also Publishers of "12th Street Rag," "Sweet Love," "Colleen O'Mine"
50
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
OCTOBER 8,
1921
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
CHAIN STORES TO INVADE THE SHEET MUSIC FIELD
Retail Sheet Music Dealers Must Be Prepared to Meet Competition Which Will Be Offered Them
Through the Entry of Several New Syndicate Concerns in the Near Future
The Music Publishers' Protective Association
has, during the past few months, been ap-
proached by financial interests with a view to
inducing publishers to open up a chain of re-
tail music stores. These suggestions, while they
come from reliable sources, have been promptly
turned down by the organized publishers, for
as an association they did not care to become
involved in any such enterprise. The interests,
however, have continued to make repeated of-
fers, the last coming from a well-known capital-
ist, who. offered to put $250,000 in a chain of
stores if the publishers would put in $250,000
worth of stock—sheet music, player rolls and
records.
This is only one of a number of such offers
and every indication shows that the legitimate
sheet music dealer is to have much competition
during the year 1922 from syndicate stores other
than those already in existence.
Those who have made a minute study of the
possibilities of the sheet music field claim.it is
the "cleanest merchandising proposition in the
world" and the point to be made here is that
it behooves the legitimate dealer to do all he
can for his popular sheet music department or
otherwise the success that such departments
have attained in the past two years will be lost.
The latest entry into the sheet music field
is the announcement that the Piggley Wiggley
stores, with headquarters in Memphis, Tenn.,
are now about to open up "miscellaneous" stores
carrying sheet music departments similar to
those operated by Kress and Kresge.
In addition, the United States Music Stores,
Inc., a Maryland company, with headquarters in
Baltimore, recently organized with Thomas E.
Noonan as president; George West, who is a
member of Hecht Bros., of Baltimore, as vice-
president, and H. E. Paetow as secretary and
treasurer, contemplates opening up one hundred
retail stores during the year 1922, carrying sheet
music, player rolls and talking machine records.
Joseph Reinhorn, the well-known music dealer
of New York, who operates a number of stores
on Broadway, through his attorney, Julius Ray-
field, is now carrying on negotiations for the
purpose of opening up a national chain of re-
tail stores.
The Ohio Securities Corp., of Newark, O., is
also arranging plans to operate a chain of re-
tail stores carrying sheet music, player rolls and
talking machine records.
All of the above substantiates the rumors to
the effect that the dealers are to feel the com-
petition of syndicates.
That much business will leave the dealers' hands
is assured unless a fight is put up to meet such
competition. Such syndicate stores use tKe very
best merchandising methods and know-how to
make intensive sales drives for business. On the
other hand, the legitimate sheet music dealer all
too often makes popular music a side line and
gives it the smallest representation possible in
order to operate the department.
The publishers repeatedly claim that they get
little or no co-operation from the regular dealers
and, of course, if that is the case they will do
nothing to discourage the further opening of
syndicate propositions.
There has been some talk in recent months
by dealers to the effect that at the present re-
tail prices they were not getting enough profit.
When it is considered that popular sheet music
takes up little or no space and that the sales
are "quick turn-overs" the argument about
price hardly bears weight. The Woolworth
stores in times past made much money with a
much smaller profit, merely because they had a
quick turn-over. There is a quick turn-over
to-day in popular music. It is true that the
retail price is somewhat higher, but so, too, is the
profit larger, and while the sales may not be as
numerous as in the oldi 10-cent days they are
certainly active and, being active, the dealer
does not require as handsome a profit as if he
only made .a sale now and then.
A case in point was recently brought to the
writer's notice as to the methods pursued by the
legitimate dealer, particularly in regard to the
price question. A certain dealer wrote to a
publisher and stated that he was very sorry to
hear of the price, which was approximately 18
cents, on a fast-selling hit, the dealer taking the
stand that this did not allow him enough profit
and for that reason he intended to place the
goods under the counter and only sell them
when called for. This is, indeed, a case of spit-
ing one's self inasmuch as it is the hits that
attract the people "to the counter and make it
possible not only to sell the number called
for but the other mediocre material that is dis-
played. Hundreds of sales are probably lost in
this manner and probably will never be regained.
If such goods were displayed, even if the profit
were not as large as the dealer thought was jus-
tified, he would find that the volume of the busi-
ness would make up for the small profit. •
SONGS THAT SELL
Irving Berlin's
Song Hit of the Hour
All By Myself
Cry Baby Blues
Birds of a Feather
My Mammy
Home Again Blues
I Wonder Where
My Sweet, Sweet Daddy's Gone
Drowsy Head (Waltz)
Oh, My Sweet Hortense
Once in a Blue Moon
You're Just the Type for a
Bungalow
When the Sun Goes Down
I've Got the Joys
The New Sensational Hit
Tuck Me to Sleep in My Old
'Tucky Home
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
1587 Broadway,
New York
This same question was brought up at the
recent convention of the National Association of
Sheet Music Dealers in Chicago in June and a
similar statement regarding the placing of goods
under the counter was made and concurred in
by a number of dealers present. It is certainly
poor business judgment and does not tend to
promote the success of music departments.
THE COUNTRY'S QUICKEST "BLUES" HIT
EVERYWHERE IS HEARD THE
Ta De Da Da De Dum
Already obtainable for player-piano
and any talking machine
Publishers J. W. JENKINS SONS MUSIC CO., Kansas City, Mo.
Also Publishers of "12th Street Rag," "Sweet Love," "Colleen O'Mine"
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