Music Trade Review
Issue: 1946 Vol. 105 N. 4 - Page 21
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
Basement Record Shop a Success
The record department space had
always been very limited on the main
floor. As there was no upper floor, it
was decided to move the record de-
partment to the basement. The busi-
ness in records has been doubled since
making the change, and the anticipa-
tion of an ever-growing and steadily
increasing return from the record de-
partment has been the answer to the
question, "Will the customer go down-
stairs to buy records and appliances?"
The customer walks down a silver
billiard cue type bannister stairway,
facing a green Marbalia wall. Upon
stepping into the basement, he is met
with a diffusion of color—lime, yellow,
wedgewood blue, Swedish red and grey.
A canopy was installed, covering un-
sightly steam pipes, around three walls.
On the front of the canopy are cut-out
wooden letters in empire green, mount-
ed on a panel, which reflects the light
back of the letters, also giving a bright-
ening effect directly on the merchan-
dise with the use of continuous fluor-
escent lights. The background under-
neath the canopy to the wall is made
of presswood, curved to give the effect
of distance. The record department
was carefully drawn to scale by Mr.
Busher, including all fixtures.
Closing Door Turns on Lights and
Phonograph
There are eight sound-proof 4' x 6'
listening rooms, equipped with a spe-
cial switch on each door, so when the
door is closed both light and phono-
graph are automatically turned on.
Likewise, when the door is opened the
light and phonograph are turned off.
This eliminates customers playing rec-
ords without light, or leaving a booth
with phonograph in operation. The
booths are sound-proofed with celotex
mounted on Ix2s. They are lined on
each side with celotex, with rock wool
in between. A ventilator is installed
in each ceiling, connected to a large
17" fan at the back of the store. The
walls of the listening rooms are painted
cocoa brown to eliminate the possibility
of the younger trade writing on the
walls. Three rooms are reserved for
playing of classical recordings with
keys for these rooms obtainable at the
desk.
In the center of the floor are installed
two very unique record racks for in-
dividual records, with 80 bins, each
holding 20 records, making a total of
1,600 records on display. Storage space
below holds a like number. The title
board, with 10 numbers and titles is
at the back, extending up 14 MJ" above
rack, which is 3%' tall at back, and 8'
long. Below the bins are numbered
from 1 to 10, corresponding to the
title strips above. This arrangement
(Turn to page 241
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1946
Three views of the modernized interior of the Emerson Piano House,
were designed by W. C. Busher, owner
Decatur,
III., which
21
Basement Record Shop a Success
The record department space had
always been very limited on the main
floor. As there was no upper floor, it
was decided to move the record de-
partment to the basement. The busi-
ness in records has been doubled since
making the change, and the anticipa-
tion of an ever-growing and steadily
increasing return from the record de-
partment has been the answer to the
question, "Will the customer go down-
stairs to buy records and appliances?"
The customer walks down a silver
billiard cue type bannister stairway,
facing a green Marbalia wall. Upon
stepping into the basement, he is met
with a diffusion of color—lime, yellow,
wedgewood blue, Swedish red and grey.
A canopy was installed, covering un-
sightly steam pipes, around three walls.
On the front of the canopy are cut-out
wooden letters in empire green, mount-
ed on a panel, which reflects the light
back of the letters, also giving a bright-
ening effect directly on the merchan-
dise with the use of continuous fluor-
escent lights. The background under-
neath the canopy to the wall is made
of presswood, curved to give the effect
of distance. The record department
was carefully drawn to scale by Mr.
Busher, including all fixtures.
Closing Door Turns on Lights and
Phonograph
There are eight sound-proof 4' x 6'
listening rooms, equipped with a spe-
cial switch on each door, so when the
door is closed both light and phono-
graph are automatically turned on.
Likewise, when the door is opened the
light and phonograph are turned off.
This eliminates customers playing rec-
ords without light, or leaving a booth
with phonograph in operation. The
booths are sound-proofed with celotex
mounted on Ix2s. They are lined on
each side with celotex, with rock wool
in between. A ventilator is installed
in each ceiling, connected to a large
17" fan at the back of the store. The
walls of the listening rooms are painted
cocoa brown to eliminate the possibility
of the younger trade writing on the
walls. Three rooms are reserved for
playing of classical recordings with
keys for these rooms obtainable at the
desk.
In the center of the floor are installed
two very unique record racks for in-
dividual records, with 80 bins, each
holding 20 records, making a total of
1,600 records on display. Storage space
below holds a like number. The title
board, with 10 numbers and titles is
at the back, extending up 14 MJ" above
rack, which is 3%' tall at back, and 8'
long. Below the bins are numbered
from 1 to 10, corresponding to the
title strips above. This arrangement
(Turn to page 241
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, APRIL, 1946
Three views of the modernized interior of the Emerson Piano House,
were designed by W. C. Busher, owner
Decatur,
III., which
21
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