Music Trade Review

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Emerson Piano House Modernizing
Carefully Planned by W. C. Busher
T H E Emerson Piano House, Decatur,
111., owned and operated by W. Cur-
tis Busher, is now resplendent in re-
cently modernized quarters said to be
among the most tastefully planned and
decorated in the Middle West.
Before beginning the actual remodel-
ing, Mr. Busher drew the store setting
to scale and spaced the merchandise
upon it on a miniature scale. The
work of remodeling was started on Oc-
tober 10, 1945, and completed on Abra-
ham Lincoln's birthday, 1946.
Main Floor Colorful
The main floor is now a modern
symphony of color and design. The
once "too-high" ceiling has been elim-
inated by dark teal blue color and
special newest type fluorescent light
fixtures have been installed, with diffus-
ing glass bottom shading tubes to cast
all reflection down rather than toward
the ceiling, properly centering atten-
tion on the merchandise. Eight hooded
ceiling spot lights, with special louvers,
illuminate the merchandise upon which
it is especially desirous of focusing the
customers' attention and eliminate see-
ing the light except from directly in
front. Several spotlights are connected
with the window lighting to illuminate
special displays in the interior of the
store, after the store is closed for the
night. The absence of any backing to
the windows makes it easier for pros-
pective customers outside the store to
see the attractively displayed merchan-
dise, and to feel an invitation to come
inside the store. The ever-ungainly
columns extending down the center of
the store have become a "Thing of
Beauty" by the simple expedient of
striking green Marbalia covering.
The walls of the main floor are of
photographic
DiLon
modern
grey
bleached walnut wallpaper. The im-
pression of real wood is thereby cre-
ated. The grey color harmonizes per-
fectly with musical instruments and
appliances. The Marbalia used on the
central columns and cylindrical side-
light fixtures is a fantasy of marble in
the modern manner and is made en-
tirely by hand processing. It is entirely
original and is not to be confused with
the marble production. Marbalia is a
fantasy or so-called impressionistic
work, and is an entirely new discovery,
inasmuch as it has been formerly con-
fined to much smaller patterns.
Scenic Mural Across Front
The green and white scenic mural
across the front of the main floor, up
over the top of the window as one
looks towards the front of the store,
20
is called "Louisiana," and is a hand-
blocked process. It is a panel 7 feet
wide by 40 feet long, and is the outline
of a very old Louisiana residence with
the surrounding estate, the locale be-
ing near Shreveport. This is an old
Civil War estate, and has been rather
faithfully reproduced as to vegetation,
architecture, etc.
The display center on the left side
of the front of the store is covered
with "Countryside," an original War-
ner provincial contemporary drawing,
a wallpaper of charm and distinction.
There are four centers or "stations"
with this background, which are sep-
arated by modernistic walls with cir-
cular motif in Swedish Red. On show-
ing interest in any one product, the
customer is taken to a large display,
where sales help is available. To the
right of this display the salesmen of
the organization have been given espe-
cial consideration. Sales desks, made
on the job, with a nineteen-inch open-
ing underneath, and with three small
drawers, adjoin one another in a series.
These sales desks are made in sections
of three, each thirty inches high and
twenty-four inches deep, placed near
the front of the store, from which the
salesmen may arise to serve entering
customers.
On the right-hand side of the store
is another display of pianos and radios,
with grey bleached walnut DiLon as a
beautiful and harmonious background,
where again one of each of the prod-
ucts is shown. If interest is shown,
the prospect is taken back to an indi-
vidual sales room, spacious in size,
where a complete line is on display of
the particular make in which the cus-
tomer is interested.
Product Names in Wooden Letters
The names of various products sold
by the Emerson Piano House are sil-
houetted in cut-out modern wooden let-
ters, painted white, against a grey
background in a border arrangement,
with opening of 85" in length and
10V2" high, which carries around the
main floor over all the demonstration
rooms, with eight-foot fluorescent lights
behind each.
Various trade names, such as Bald-
win, Chickering, Wurlitzer, Gulbran-
sen, Lester pianos; Frigidaire; RCA-
Victor, Capehart, etc., are displayed.
Also a Service sign in the rear of the
store.
Opening off the main room are eight
individual display and demonstration
rooms. The rooms are equipped with
hidden spotlights, which pick out the
merchandise therein in bold relief.
Piano Display Rooms
The three piano display rooms show
unusual originality. Instead of the
prosaic grey, they are now covered with
exquisite wallpaper, with matching or
harmonizing dados. The first piano
room is called "Mill Pond." This paper
is taken from that used in George
Washington's residence at Mt. Vernon.
The second piano room is called
"Whistler," taken from the Old Corner
House in Stonington, Conn., built in
1787 and occupied by James McNeil
Whistler, the famous painter, and his
aunt. Whistler passed much of his
time here. The colors used in the paper
are the original mulberry and green.
The third piano room is known as
the "Monticello," and takes its name
from an old southern Colonial print
found in that locality. The principal
color here is shocking pink. The illum-
ination is all done by torchier standing
lamps. The carpets are Gulistan Ren-
aissance in light rose.
Radio-Phonograph Rooms
The radio-phonograph combination
demonstration rooms are also given an
individual treatment, contrasting wall-
paper being used in each case. The
first room, especially designed for RCA-
Victor, is the Quill design, with floral
modern yellow extravaganza being
used on the contrasting walls. Both
papers are of the modern theme and
add life to the room. Small wooden
tables are covered in imitation marble
DiLon for folders and records.
The next room, the Capehart and
Panamuse Salon, is in oriental grass
cloth (photographic reproduction) with
the striking fantasy, which is being
used for the first time. Torchiers are
also used for lighting the two radio-
phonograph rooms.
Mr. Busher's private office is papered
with scenic "Old Salem," which depicts
life in the early days of commerce and
shipping. The colors are natural life
colors. The carpet in the radio-com-
bination rooms and the office are sea-
foam green Gulistan Renaissance.
Floors of Asphalt Tile
The main floor and three demonstrat-
ing rooms are covered with asphalt
tile, with a black background flecked
in green and white. Special caster cups
have been made, to avoid heavy mer-
chandise indenting floors.
The service department at the back
of the store has been brightened by
blue-grey walls, mahogany service desk
and counters, and the most modern
equipment. All service men are fur-
nished with special uniforms, with the
store name on each hat and blouse.
"We service our sales" is a store
slogan.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1946