Presto
Issue: 1927 2120 - Page 10
10
PRESTO-TIMES
SHOW WINDOWS OF
THE MUSIC DEALERS
The Selling Value of a Feature of Most Stores
Which Is Too Often Neglected or
Spoiled by Lack of Proper
Dressing or Display.
PIANOS SHOULD BE MODERN
The Mere Suggestion of Cheapness May Be More
Harmful Than Winning in Window of
Up-to-Date Establishment
By C. M. L I T T L E J O H N .
Getting the maximum results from the windows of
the music dealer's store is a matter which should
interest all dealers. Many, however, merely utilize
this valuable space as a warehouse for several sam-
ples of pianos, or other musical merchandise, which
they are selling, and do not make the necessary effort
to really interest pedestrians, or passing motorists, in
a display that will compel attention.
Too Valuable to Waste.
Store windows are too valuable an asset to waste
on an uninteresting display. While the pianos and
other musical instruments do not lend themselves,
perhaps, as readily as other lines of merchandise for
window trims, there may be stimulated an interest
in the 'window of the dealer by various stunts
or collection of outstanding instruments, or by
showing, from time to time, the relation of
music to historic or world affairs, and to many
national events, or anniversaries constantly recurring.
A most interesting recent window display in Seattle,
Wash., by one of the leading piano houses, was that
of a collection of various old violins, with noteworthy
glimpses of their history. These instruments were
priceless, and the collection was kept constantly under
guard. These facts and others graphically described,
no less than the collection itself, displayed in the
dealers' window, were extremely interesting, and, con-
sequently, attracted much attention.
As Should Not Be.
How different from the usual run of windows of
the piano merchant! A very old piano, we will say,
with a light oak case, marked and battered, entirely
out of style, and certainly no attraction in itself, occu-
pies most valuable space in some of the piano stores
of the country simply because this instrument can be
sold cheaply. This is its chief and only virtue—the
consideration of price.
Perhaps a price of $100, or less, is placed on the
used piano. Certainly this is a low price for a piano
of any style, the public may think, and this there-
fore becomes the sole attraction of the display—a
cheap piano which intimates to the pablic how cheaply
one may be secured.
There is no other inherent allure in such a display,
and the very worn, off-color, out-of-date piano is cer-
tainly no attraction in itself to discriminating mem-
bers of the public who pass up the window display,
and usually the dealer, as well, when such merchan-
dise forms the piece de resistance of his display.
Their taste runs to the newer styles of pianos, the
products of modern and progressive manufacturers,
with new features of style and coloring—such instru-
ments as their friends have in their homes.
Must Create Interest.
One of the first objects of the window display of
the music merchant is to create an interest in the
merchandise which he is selling, a real, wholesome
interest, which will lead to definite sales. This is
done by first attracting attention, but the attention
must be of the right sort. A display that is merely
interesting and does attract attention, is of doubtful
value unless it leads the thought directly to musical
merchandise, and gets people into the store, where
the merchant then depends upon his selling force for
closing the sales.
Once the prospective customer has crossed the
threshold and been interested in the merchandise of
the dealer, the next step is for the salesman to answer
all questions, to show more intimately the merchan-
dise, give prices, and follow the lead of the window,
which has accomplished its purpose, if it creates suffi-
cient interest to cause a prospect to enter the estab-
lishment where a salesman is pleased to wait on him.
JESSE FRENCH & SONS
In rearrangements in the building of the W. C-
Munn Co., Houston, Tex., the piano and radio depart-
ments will be moved to the fifth floor and more space
and new features will he added to the phonograph,
music roll and sheet music departments. The entire
store will be so arranged that customers will be
afforded more pleasure in shopping, the new fixtures
notably aiding in bringing about the result.
(iuy W r . Deetz, for the past two and a half years
manager of the Talking Machine Shop, Rockford, 111.,
with Ellis D. McAssey as his assistant, assumed the
management of the Haddorff Music House, 220
North Main street, March 1. In addition to Haddorff
pianos. Clarendon and Bush & Gerts pianos are car-
ried, and also Brunswick Panatropes. Brunswick
records, and R. C. A. Radiola sets. Both managers
are well known to Rockford residents, and are prom-
inent in musical circles throughout the city.
RACHMANINOFF AND STEINWAY.
JESSE
FRENCH
AND
SONS
PIANO
CO.
NEWCASTLE
INDIANA
'A name wellknown since 1875"
The M. Steinert & Sons store in New Haven,
Conn., recently had a tie-up in its advertising with
the appearance there of Rachmaninoff who played at
the Progress Exposition. The Steinway piano used
by the great pianist was supplied by M. Steinert &
Sons.
WILLIAMS
PIANOS
The policy of the Williams House is and always
haM been to depend upon excellence of product
instead of alluring price. Such a policy does not
attract bargain hunters. It does, however, win the
hearty approval and support of a very desirable
and substantial patronage.
Will I/VMS M.ker. of WilH.ni. Piano..
TTILLIHITIJ Epworth Piano, and Organ.
THE JEWETT PIANOS
Reliable Grand, Upright and Player Pianos
JEWETT PIANO CO., Boston
SCHILLER
A GREAT NAME—A GREAT PIANO
THE SCHILLER
Makes Friends, Makes Customers, Makes
Money, for the Dealer
Super-Grands, Medium Grands, Small
Grands. Full Plate Uprights; Medium
Uprights; Small (3:7) Uprights.
Reproducing Grands, Uprights and
Players
Grands with the Famous Bauer
Patented Construction
The SCHILLER PIANO challenges
superiority in tone quality as in construc-
tion, workmanship, finish and appearance.
For Agency Proposition and All
Particulars, address
SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
Factory and General Offices:
OREGON, ILLINOIS
CHICAGO OFFICE:
State and AdamH Sts.
1)22 Republic Bldg.
NEW YORK OFFICE:
130 W. 42nd St.
Bush Terminal Bldg.
STR1CH & ZEIDLER, Inc.
GRAND, UPRIGHT and PLAYER
AND
TEXAS FIRM EXPANDS.
HADDORFF STORE MANAGERS.
QUALITY FIRST and FIRST QUALITY
March 19, 1927.
Factories: Leominster, Mass.
HOMER PIANOS
740-742 East 136th Street
NEW YORK
BRINKERHOFF
Grands
• Reproducing Grands
Player-Pianos
and Pianos
The Line That Sells Easily
and Satisfies Always
BRINKERHOFF PIANO CO.
711 Milwaukee Ave., CHICAGO, ILL.
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Pianos Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis,
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
Everything that encourages home life helps the sale
of musical instruments.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
PRESTO-TIMES
SHOW WINDOWS OF
THE MUSIC DEALERS
The Selling Value of a Feature of Most Stores
Which Is Too Often Neglected or
Spoiled by Lack of Proper
Dressing or Display.
PIANOS SHOULD BE MODERN
The Mere Suggestion of Cheapness May Be More
Harmful Than Winning in Window of
Up-to-Date Establishment
By C. M. L I T T L E J O H N .
Getting the maximum results from the windows of
the music dealer's store is a matter which should
interest all dealers. Many, however, merely utilize
this valuable space as a warehouse for several sam-
ples of pianos, or other musical merchandise, which
they are selling, and do not make the necessary effort
to really interest pedestrians, or passing motorists, in
a display that will compel attention.
Too Valuable to Waste.
Store windows are too valuable an asset to waste
on an uninteresting display. While the pianos and
other musical instruments do not lend themselves,
perhaps, as readily as other lines of merchandise for
window trims, there may be stimulated an interest
in the 'window of the dealer by various stunts
or collection of outstanding instruments, or by
showing, from time to time, the relation of
music to historic or world affairs, and to many
national events, or anniversaries constantly recurring.
A most interesting recent window display in Seattle,
Wash., by one of the leading piano houses, was that
of a collection of various old violins, with noteworthy
glimpses of their history. These instruments were
priceless, and the collection was kept constantly under
guard. These facts and others graphically described,
no less than the collection itself, displayed in the
dealers' window, were extremely interesting, and, con-
sequently, attracted much attention.
As Should Not Be.
How different from the usual run of windows of
the piano merchant! A very old piano, we will say,
with a light oak case, marked and battered, entirely
out of style, and certainly no attraction in itself, occu-
pies most valuable space in some of the piano stores
of the country simply because this instrument can be
sold cheaply. This is its chief and only virtue—the
consideration of price.
Perhaps a price of $100, or less, is placed on the
used piano. Certainly this is a low price for a piano
of any style, the public may think, and this there-
fore becomes the sole attraction of the display—a
cheap piano which intimates to the pablic how cheaply
one may be secured.
There is no other inherent allure in such a display,
and the very worn, off-color, out-of-date piano is cer-
tainly no attraction in itself to discriminating mem-
bers of the public who pass up the window display,
and usually the dealer, as well, when such merchan-
dise forms the piece de resistance of his display.
Their taste runs to the newer styles of pianos, the
products of modern and progressive manufacturers,
with new features of style and coloring—such instru-
ments as their friends have in their homes.
Must Create Interest.
One of the first objects of the window display of
the music merchant is to create an interest in the
merchandise which he is selling, a real, wholesome
interest, which will lead to definite sales. This is
done by first attracting attention, but the attention
must be of the right sort. A display that is merely
interesting and does attract attention, is of doubtful
value unless it leads the thought directly to musical
merchandise, and gets people into the store, where
the merchant then depends upon his selling force for
closing the sales.
Once the prospective customer has crossed the
threshold and been interested in the merchandise of
the dealer, the next step is for the salesman to answer
all questions, to show more intimately the merchan-
dise, give prices, and follow the lead of the window,
which has accomplished its purpose, if it creates suffi-
cient interest to cause a prospect to enter the estab-
lishment where a salesman is pleased to wait on him.
JESSE FRENCH & SONS
In rearrangements in the building of the W. C-
Munn Co., Houston, Tex., the piano and radio depart-
ments will be moved to the fifth floor and more space
and new features will he added to the phonograph,
music roll and sheet music departments. The entire
store will be so arranged that customers will be
afforded more pleasure in shopping, the new fixtures
notably aiding in bringing about the result.
(iuy W r . Deetz, for the past two and a half years
manager of the Talking Machine Shop, Rockford, 111.,
with Ellis D. McAssey as his assistant, assumed the
management of the Haddorff Music House, 220
North Main street, March 1. In addition to Haddorff
pianos. Clarendon and Bush & Gerts pianos are car-
ried, and also Brunswick Panatropes. Brunswick
records, and R. C. A. Radiola sets. Both managers
are well known to Rockford residents, and are prom-
inent in musical circles throughout the city.
RACHMANINOFF AND STEINWAY.
JESSE
FRENCH
AND
SONS
PIANO
CO.
NEWCASTLE
INDIANA
'A name wellknown since 1875"
The M. Steinert & Sons store in New Haven,
Conn., recently had a tie-up in its advertising with
the appearance there of Rachmaninoff who played at
the Progress Exposition. The Steinway piano used
by the great pianist was supplied by M. Steinert &
Sons.
WILLIAMS
PIANOS
The policy of the Williams House is and always
haM been to depend upon excellence of product
instead of alluring price. Such a policy does not
attract bargain hunters. It does, however, win the
hearty approval and support of a very desirable
and substantial patronage.
Will I/VMS M.ker. of WilH.ni. Piano..
TTILLIHITIJ Epworth Piano, and Organ.
THE JEWETT PIANOS
Reliable Grand, Upright and Player Pianos
JEWETT PIANO CO., Boston
SCHILLER
A GREAT NAME—A GREAT PIANO
THE SCHILLER
Makes Friends, Makes Customers, Makes
Money, for the Dealer
Super-Grands, Medium Grands, Small
Grands. Full Plate Uprights; Medium
Uprights; Small (3:7) Uprights.
Reproducing Grands, Uprights and
Players
Grands with the Famous Bauer
Patented Construction
The SCHILLER PIANO challenges
superiority in tone quality as in construc-
tion, workmanship, finish and appearance.
For Agency Proposition and All
Particulars, address
SCHILLER PIANO COMPANY
Factory and General Offices:
OREGON, ILLINOIS
CHICAGO OFFICE:
State and AdamH Sts.
1)22 Republic Bldg.
NEW YORK OFFICE:
130 W. 42nd St.
Bush Terminal Bldg.
STR1CH & ZEIDLER, Inc.
GRAND, UPRIGHT and PLAYER
AND
TEXAS FIRM EXPANDS.
HADDORFF STORE MANAGERS.
QUALITY FIRST and FIRST QUALITY
March 19, 1927.
Factories: Leominster, Mass.
HOMER PIANOS
740-742 East 136th Street
NEW YORK
BRINKERHOFF
Grands
• Reproducing Grands
Player-Pianos
and Pianos
The Line That Sells Easily
and Satisfies Always
BRINKERHOFF PIANO CO.
711 Milwaukee Ave., CHICAGO, ILL.
KREITER
The Leading and Most Popular
Pianos and Players
Grands, Players, Uprights and
Reproducing Pianos
The Results of Over Forty Years'
of Experience.
Kreiter Pianos Cover the Entire Line
and no Piano Dealer who tries these in-
struments would supplant them by any
others. A trial will convince.
Kreiter Mfg. Co., Inc.
310-312 W. Water St., Milwaukee, Wis,
Factory: Marinette, Wis.
Everything that encourages home life helps the sale
of musical instruments.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).