Music Trade Review
Issue: 1941 Vol. 100 N. 1 - Page 15
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1U1
Lester Policies Established by
G. Laurence Miller Prove Their Worth
Enhancement of Quality With Well Defined Sales
Policy Combined With Quality National
Advertising Swells Lester Sales
ACK in 1936, G. Laurence Miller, pres- selling have been established in respect
ident of the Lester Piano Mfg. Co., to down payments, time payments, trade-
B
Philadelphia, who was at that time vice- ins and commissions. Each Lester ware-
president and general manager made this
statement: "A name, reputation and stable
business cannot be
built up and held
by presenting a
product whose sole
appeal is price. In
respect to Lester
pianos we have
formed very defi-
nite ideas."
These definite
ideas have proved
their -worth accord-
ing to the record
G. Laurence Miller
of sales which has
been made by the Lester organization
since that time. The definite ideas have
also been crystallized into one of the
most dynamic selling forces in the indus-
try as well as marked enhancement of
the product, establishing of the one name,
one price policy through all retail out-
lets and promoted through a nation-wide
advertising campaign in which quality
copy has been paramount in such maga-
zines as "Life" and others. In 1940 Lester
sales increased far beyond expectations.
Not only has expansion been general by
the establishing of numerous new retail
outlets throughout the country, creating
a wider Lester distribution, but important
changes have been made in the retail
division of the business which operates
in Philadelphia and some other Pennsyl-
vania cities, also Newark, Camden and
Hackensack, New Jersey, Greater New
York, Hempstead, L. I., and Washington,
D. C. These retail outlets are now oper-
ated under Lester Pianos, Inc., tying in
the name Lester in all instances with the
manufacturing division—the Lester Piano
Mfg. Co., backing up every statement
made to a prospect. Uniform methods of
room is uniform in appearance and deco-
rated in apricot tint with black trim, artis-
tically furnished and well lighted. And
back of all this stands the instruments
15
came the active head of the business.
In the wholesale division, under the
experienced supervision of Vice-Presi-
dent Jacob Schiller, there is as able a
group as can be found in the industry—
men who have practically spent their
entire lives in the piano field. These in-
clude L. O. Rogers in the East, Henry T.
Veatch and W. B. Brinkerhoff in the Mid-
west; also Harry G. Melvin on the Pacific
Coast.
The factory which is located in Lester,
Pa., is one of the most extensive in the
industry, but in spite of its capacity, de-
mand for Lester pianos manufactured by
Lester Piano Mfg. Co_, and retailed
through representative dealers all over
the country, as well as through Lester
Pianos, Inc., was so great all through
1940 that overtime was necessitated a
greater part of the year.
Opens Store
in Asheville, N.C
The Cannon-Hellen Co., Asheville, N. C,
opened its new store recently on North
Market Street, opposite the Asheville-
Biltmore Hotel.
Both Fletcher C. Cannon, president of
the company, and Thomas W. Hellen,
vice president, are piano men of long ex-
perience. Mr. Cannon, a native of Texas,
went to Asheville from Washington where
he served with the Homer L. Kitt Co. in a
sales capacity for more than eight years.
Prior to that he had been in the piano
business in Texas.
Mr. Hellen was connected for years
with the Chas. M. Stieff Inc., Baltimore. He
has also had years of experience in build-
ing and tuning pianos.
Both officials of the Company said they
chose Asheville as the location of their
business on the advice of piano experts
in many cities.
The new firm will handle Steinway and
Wurlitzer pianos in Western North Caro-
lina and north Georgia.
Modem Front of the Philadelphia head-
quarters of Lester Pianos, Inc.
Celebrate 50th Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Britt Ellis of Bur-
•which under the experienced hand of Mr. lington, N. C. observed their Golden Wed-
Miller have been brought to a standard of ding Anniversary recently. Mr. Ellis has
quality in strict keeping with the state- been the owner and active manager of
ment he made back in 1936 when he be- Ellis Music Co. for the past fifty years.
Extensive Factories of the Lester Piano Mfg. Co.. which are located at Lester, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1U1
Lester Policies Established by
G. Laurence Miller Prove Their Worth
Enhancement of Quality With Well Defined Sales
Policy Combined With Quality National
Advertising Swells Lester Sales
ACK in 1936, G. Laurence Miller, pres- selling have been established in respect
ident of the Lester Piano Mfg. Co., to down payments, time payments, trade-
B
Philadelphia, who was at that time vice- ins and commissions. Each Lester ware-
president and general manager made this
statement: "A name, reputation and stable
business cannot be
built up and held
by presenting a
product whose sole
appeal is price. In
respect to Lester
pianos we have
formed very defi-
nite ideas."
These definite
ideas have proved
their -worth accord-
ing to the record
G. Laurence Miller
of sales which has
been made by the Lester organization
since that time. The definite ideas have
also been crystallized into one of the
most dynamic selling forces in the indus-
try as well as marked enhancement of
the product, establishing of the one name,
one price policy through all retail out-
lets and promoted through a nation-wide
advertising campaign in which quality
copy has been paramount in such maga-
zines as "Life" and others. In 1940 Lester
sales increased far beyond expectations.
Not only has expansion been general by
the establishing of numerous new retail
outlets throughout the country, creating
a wider Lester distribution, but important
changes have been made in the retail
division of the business which operates
in Philadelphia and some other Pennsyl-
vania cities, also Newark, Camden and
Hackensack, New Jersey, Greater New
York, Hempstead, L. I., and Washington,
D. C. These retail outlets are now oper-
ated under Lester Pianos, Inc., tying in
the name Lester in all instances with the
manufacturing division—the Lester Piano
Mfg. Co., backing up every statement
made to a prospect. Uniform methods of
room is uniform in appearance and deco-
rated in apricot tint with black trim, artis-
tically furnished and well lighted. And
back of all this stands the instruments
15
came the active head of the business.
In the wholesale division, under the
experienced supervision of Vice-Presi-
dent Jacob Schiller, there is as able a
group as can be found in the industry—
men who have practically spent their
entire lives in the piano field. These in-
clude L. O. Rogers in the East, Henry T.
Veatch and W. B. Brinkerhoff in the Mid-
west; also Harry G. Melvin on the Pacific
Coast.
The factory which is located in Lester,
Pa., is one of the most extensive in the
industry, but in spite of its capacity, de-
mand for Lester pianos manufactured by
Lester Piano Mfg. Co_, and retailed
through representative dealers all over
the country, as well as through Lester
Pianos, Inc., was so great all through
1940 that overtime was necessitated a
greater part of the year.
Opens Store
in Asheville, N.C
The Cannon-Hellen Co., Asheville, N. C,
opened its new store recently on North
Market Street, opposite the Asheville-
Biltmore Hotel.
Both Fletcher C. Cannon, president of
the company, and Thomas W. Hellen,
vice president, are piano men of long ex-
perience. Mr. Cannon, a native of Texas,
went to Asheville from Washington where
he served with the Homer L. Kitt Co. in a
sales capacity for more than eight years.
Prior to that he had been in the piano
business in Texas.
Mr. Hellen was connected for years
with the Chas. M. Stieff Inc., Baltimore. He
has also had years of experience in build-
ing and tuning pianos.
Both officials of the Company said they
chose Asheville as the location of their
business on the advice of piano experts
in many cities.
The new firm will handle Steinway and
Wurlitzer pianos in Western North Caro-
lina and north Georgia.
Modem Front of the Philadelphia head-
quarters of Lester Pianos, Inc.
Celebrate 50th Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Britt Ellis of Bur-
•which under the experienced hand of Mr. lington, N. C. observed their Golden Wed-
Miller have been brought to a standard of ding Anniversary recently. Mr. Ellis has
quality in strict keeping with the state- been the owner and active manager of
ment he made back in 1936 when he be- Ellis Music Co. for the past fifty years.
Extensive Factories of the Lester Piano Mfg. Co.. which are located at Lester, Pa., a suburb of Philadelphia.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).