Music Trade Review
Issue: 1925 Vol. 80 N. 14 - Page 50
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50
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
APRIL 4, 1925
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
Conditions Among Sheet Music
Dealers of Norfolk and Newport News
Maurice Richmond, of the Richmond Music Supply Corp., New York, Tells of the Conditions
Existing Among the Retail Merchants There—Written Exclusively for The Review
, VA., March 28.—Norfolk is inhab-
ited by old-fashioned good folk. It was named
after the Duke of Norfolk away back in 1682, being
bought for ;i few thousand pounds of tobacco.
The present c e n s u s
gives it 167,000 popu-
lation and within a
radius of fifteen miles
300,000. It is the larg-
est peanut and tobacco
market in this part of
the country. The fame
of Virginia h a m i s
known throughout the
country — who doesn't
relish it? 1 It may be
termed a delicacy for
Maurice Richmond
the highbrow, likewise
for the man on the street. What would a base-
ball fan do without the bag of peanuts, while
watching the slugger, not forgetting the kiddies
at the circus? There is the everlasting song of
the peanut stand and Tony Spaghony with the
soprano voice singing out loud: "Hot peanuts,
5 cents a bag, get them while they are fresh."
Menzel Piano Co.
Richard Menzel opened for business in 1910.
His lines of pianos are the Linderman, Steger,
and many other well-known makes; his phrase
is "the best place to buy your piano." This
company occupies its own building at 213 West
Free Mason street, the upper floor being par-
tially utilized for vocal studios by Wm. K.
Parry. The business for this year so far has
much exceeded the year preceding. In its music
department the library editions are carried,
such as Schirmer, Century, Witmark, Black and
White, as well as every requirement for the
teacher and student of music. This store is
really complete in every respect. Young Rich-
ard Menzel, Jr., a chip of the old block, is the
manager, and Mrs. Menzel, a lady of charm and
dignity, is active in the daily routine. Mrs.
Menzel speaks of the senior member in an ad-
miring way, and why not, for they have been
life pals in business as well as in their home life.
Miss Katherine Perkins, in charge of the music
department, is of a very pleasing type and of
the real Virginia bred.
The day I was in the city Mr. Menzel, Sr.,
was at home and it was my extreme pleasure
to pay him a visit there. I was ushered into a
wonderfully sunny room with a nice easy chair,
where we discussed business; also Mr. Menzel's
favorite sport, which is boating. This mer-
chant has surely made the grade for he has had
many hard roads to travel. Ilut he is a past
master in the art of salesmanship, a 100 per cent
graduate from the college of hard knocks, so
he surely is on top with his splendid business.
He invites any of the boys that are coming to
Xorfolk to visit him if they enjoy good sailing,
and can make themselves generally useful. They
have a standing invitation but come one at a
time.
Mr. Menzel, Jr., is working on successful
lines, so his "Dad" declared; he demonstrates
his good sense, not only in business but even
when he is out calling. It seems one evening
young Menzel called on one of his Virginia
beauties; the hour was getting moderately late,
and Miss Virginia's Dad said: "Young man
the lights in this house go out at 10 o'clock."
Young Menzel replied: "Fine, that suits me,
don't delay on my account."
A Spring Rhapsody
How wonderful Spring really is! You can
see it here in full bloom. But poor old-fash-
ioned nature, the trees their naked limbs arc
covering, as Spring o'er Virginia land is hover-
ing, but the ladies aren't that foolish. No, be-
cause they want their limbs to show. If you
are an admirer of beauty, besides the beautiful
country, you will surely have a treat in store
should you happen to come this way. Every
woman wants to be pretty, and the country over
is well populated with beauty parlors. But that
is not necessary in Virginia, for the fair sex
here is born beautiful by nature. I do not speak
with authority, for 1 have never acted in tlie
capacity of a connoisseur of beauty, nor to help
Mr. Shubert select his front line chorus, but it
is a fact.
Foreman Music Co.
Mr. Foreman has been engaged in the music
line for twenty-six years, his present location
being at 432 Granby street. His company is in-
corporated and he is the president and general
manager. It is a complete music store, handling
musical instruments and sheet music, and he
claims "if you get it at Foreman's you are al-
ways right." Mr. F'oreman is of a quiet type,
meaning that he speaks in the soft tone, saving
his energy. He says: "try it, it will help you
MIDNIGHT
WALTZ*
'MISS
YOU'
Ivettjbodx
(
\k>r those f Who delight
in beautiful
ballads
7Ae Waltz In Tfye Mr
Efcrurihe
at Midnight /
i
Written and featured by
HARRY
M. SNODGRASS *Kin4 of tMa
with your daily task. It also leaches one to
curb one's temper by learning to govern one's
tone. When the voice is high and harsh the
mercury in your temper-thermometer will be
above Summer heat even in the shade. The
surest indication of a man's real meaning can be
told by his voice. Tone down your voice and
you will have control of your temper." Mr.
Foreman takes a great deal of pride in his
splendid display of music, and with the assist-
ance of two Virginia "buds" the business is
handled very intelligently and successfully.
Montagna Music Store
R. V. Jones is the manager of this music,
house. It has, from all appearances, a profes-
sional atmosphere, being the headquarters and
hangout for tlie professional and amateur mu-
sician of the community and surrounding ter-
ritory. Mr. Jones is stepping on the gas, hand-
ing out the "how's" and the "why's" and
"wherefore's" to the consumer. He carries a
specially selected stock of sheet music, princi-
pally the popular hits of the day, also a full
line of orchestra music. The name of Montagna
is well known in local orchestra circles.
The Knabe, also the Stieff pianos, are repre-
scntcd here through their agencies, and many
other p : anos are handled by other merchants
who are not in the sheet music line. Small
goods are well represented also.
Newport News, Va.
Newport News is a good-sized city of about
50,000, right across from Hampton Roads, and
one of the most important naval shipbuilding
stations of the United States, a big navy yard
being located here. It boasts of one of the larg-
est and finest American harbors. During the
Spanish-American war this port was a real ren-
dezvous for the Atlantic Fleet that whipped the
Spaniards off Santiago.
Fergusson Music Co.
The Fergusson Music Co. was established in
1893, Thomas H. F'ergusson being the owner.
This house carries and features the Chickering
piano the Ampico and the Gulbransen. W. A.
Mowers is the manager and has been connected
with it for seven years. A complete line of
musical merchandise instruments, the Victor
line, and Century music, also a representative
stock of teaching material, as well as popular
music is carried. These departments are man-
aged by W. W. Lanier, who has been connected
with this house for twelve years and who owns
and operates the sheet music department. The
hospitality that these men displayed to me as a
weary traveler was most cordial and inviting.
Mr. Lanier said: "Now, here, take the after-
noon off, come over to the show with me and
after the show I'll do my business with you and
you can be on your way." It happened that
Ted Lewis New Waltz Hit
WHILE WE DANCED
TILL DAWN*
50
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
APRIL 4, 1925
IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted By V. D. Walsh
Conditions Among Sheet Music
Dealers of Norfolk and Newport News
Maurice Richmond, of the Richmond Music Supply Corp., New York, Tells of the Conditions
Existing Among the Retail Merchants There—Written Exclusively for The Review
, VA., March 28.—Norfolk is inhab-
ited by old-fashioned good folk. It was named
after the Duke of Norfolk away back in 1682, being
bought for ;i few thousand pounds of tobacco.
The present c e n s u s
gives it 167,000 popu-
lation and within a
radius of fifteen miles
300,000. It is the larg-
est peanut and tobacco
market in this part of
the country. The fame
of Virginia h a m i s
known throughout the
country — who doesn't
relish it? 1 It may be
termed a delicacy for
Maurice Richmond
the highbrow, likewise
for the man on the street. What would a base-
ball fan do without the bag of peanuts, while
watching the slugger, not forgetting the kiddies
at the circus? There is the everlasting song of
the peanut stand and Tony Spaghony with the
soprano voice singing out loud: "Hot peanuts,
5 cents a bag, get them while they are fresh."
Menzel Piano Co.
Richard Menzel opened for business in 1910.
His lines of pianos are the Linderman, Steger,
and many other well-known makes; his phrase
is "the best place to buy your piano." This
company occupies its own building at 213 West
Free Mason street, the upper floor being par-
tially utilized for vocal studios by Wm. K.
Parry. The business for this year so far has
much exceeded the year preceding. In its music
department the library editions are carried,
such as Schirmer, Century, Witmark, Black and
White, as well as every requirement for the
teacher and student of music. This store is
really complete in every respect. Young Rich-
ard Menzel, Jr., a chip of the old block, is the
manager, and Mrs. Menzel, a lady of charm and
dignity, is active in the daily routine. Mrs.
Menzel speaks of the senior member in an ad-
miring way, and why not, for they have been
life pals in business as well as in their home life.
Miss Katherine Perkins, in charge of the music
department, is of a very pleasing type and of
the real Virginia bred.
The day I was in the city Mr. Menzel, Sr.,
was at home and it was my extreme pleasure
to pay him a visit there. I was ushered into a
wonderfully sunny room with a nice easy chair,
where we discussed business; also Mr. Menzel's
favorite sport, which is boating. This mer-
chant has surely made the grade for he has had
many hard roads to travel. Ilut he is a past
master in the art of salesmanship, a 100 per cent
graduate from the college of hard knocks, so
he surely is on top with his splendid business.
He invites any of the boys that are coming to
Xorfolk to visit him if they enjoy good sailing,
and can make themselves generally useful. They
have a standing invitation but come one at a
time.
Mr. Menzel, Jr., is working on successful
lines, so his "Dad" declared; he demonstrates
his good sense, not only in business but even
when he is out calling. It seems one evening
young Menzel called on one of his Virginia
beauties; the hour was getting moderately late,
and Miss Virginia's Dad said: "Young man
the lights in this house go out at 10 o'clock."
Young Menzel replied: "Fine, that suits me,
don't delay on my account."
A Spring Rhapsody
How wonderful Spring really is! You can
see it here in full bloom. But poor old-fash-
ioned nature, the trees their naked limbs arc
covering, as Spring o'er Virginia land is hover-
ing, but the ladies aren't that foolish. No, be-
cause they want their limbs to show. If you
are an admirer of beauty, besides the beautiful
country, you will surely have a treat in store
should you happen to come this way. Every
woman wants to be pretty, and the country over
is well populated with beauty parlors. But that
is not necessary in Virginia, for the fair sex
here is born beautiful by nature. I do not speak
with authority, for 1 have never acted in tlie
capacity of a connoisseur of beauty, nor to help
Mr. Shubert select his front line chorus, but it
is a fact.
Foreman Music Co.
Mr. Foreman has been engaged in the music
line for twenty-six years, his present location
being at 432 Granby street. His company is in-
corporated and he is the president and general
manager. It is a complete music store, handling
musical instruments and sheet music, and he
claims "if you get it at Foreman's you are al-
ways right." Mr. F'oreman is of a quiet type,
meaning that he speaks in the soft tone, saving
his energy. He says: "try it, it will help you
MIDNIGHT
WALTZ*
'MISS
YOU'
Ivettjbodx
(
\k>r those f Who delight
in beautiful
ballads
7Ae Waltz In Tfye Mr
Efcrurihe
at Midnight /
i
Written and featured by
HARRY
M. SNODGRASS *Kin4 of tMa
with your daily task. It also leaches one to
curb one's temper by learning to govern one's
tone. When the voice is high and harsh the
mercury in your temper-thermometer will be
above Summer heat even in the shade. The
surest indication of a man's real meaning can be
told by his voice. Tone down your voice and
you will have control of your temper." Mr.
Foreman takes a great deal of pride in his
splendid display of music, and with the assist-
ance of two Virginia "buds" the business is
handled very intelligently and successfully.
Montagna Music Store
R. V. Jones is the manager of this music,
house. It has, from all appearances, a profes-
sional atmosphere, being the headquarters and
hangout for tlie professional and amateur mu-
sician of the community and surrounding ter-
ritory. Mr. Jones is stepping on the gas, hand-
ing out the "how's" and the "why's" and
"wherefore's" to the consumer. He carries a
specially selected stock of sheet music, princi-
pally the popular hits of the day, also a full
line of orchestra music. The name of Montagna
is well known in local orchestra circles.
The Knabe, also the Stieff pianos, are repre-
scntcd here through their agencies, and many
other p : anos are handled by other merchants
who are not in the sheet music line. Small
goods are well represented also.
Newport News, Va.
Newport News is a good-sized city of about
50,000, right across from Hampton Roads, and
one of the most important naval shipbuilding
stations of the United States, a big navy yard
being located here. It boasts of one of the larg-
est and finest American harbors. During the
Spanish-American war this port was a real ren-
dezvous for the Atlantic Fleet that whipped the
Spaniards off Santiago.
Fergusson Music Co.
The Fergusson Music Co. was established in
1893, Thomas H. F'ergusson being the owner.
This house carries and features the Chickering
piano the Ampico and the Gulbransen. W. A.
Mowers is the manager and has been connected
with it for seven years. A complete line of
musical merchandise instruments, the Victor
line, and Century music, also a representative
stock of teaching material, as well as popular
music is carried. These departments are man-
aged by W. W. Lanier, who has been connected
with this house for twelve years and who owns
and operates the sheet music department. The
hospitality that these men displayed to me as a
weary traveler was most cordial and inviting.
Mr. Lanier said: "Now, here, take the after-
noon off, come over to the show with me and
after the show I'll do my business with you and
you can be on your way." It happened that
Ted Lewis New Waltz Hit
WHILE WE DANCED
TILL DAWN*
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