The talking machine world (July-Dec 1922)

88 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD September 15, 1922 D EN V E R Strikes Retard Business — Window Displays Win Praise — Consoles in Favor — News of Month Denver, Col., September 6. — Denver music dealers are almost agreed on the fact that not a great volume of business is to be expected in the early Fall, but they do expect a fair business and are not at all discouraged over the prospects. The two strikes still have a tendency to retard business. The slow delivery of new models of talking machines that have been put out by several of the leading manufacturers make it impossible to show customers new models nationally advertised and in some cases new models have been sold as quickly as placed on the floor. There is a decided increase in the sales of consoles, one firm, handling four makes of talking machines, claiming 60 per cent of the sales this Summer have been in the console models. The Laman-Johnson Music Co., at 35 Broadway, recently took an option on a building at 60-64 Broadway. The lease on its present store does not expire until May, but an effort will be made to sell the lease and get into its own building by October. The new store will give the company much larger quarters. G. A. Laman says the store's record sales have been much increased within the last few months. A. E. Emrick, who recently gave up his position as traveling salesman for the Denver Dry Goods Co., Edison distributor, to go into business for himself, has gone back with the Denver people. His business at 1624 Tremont street goes on, however, the Emrick-Nadler Music Co. being conducted by Mr. Emrick's daughter and an assistant. Workmen will begin, shortly, on the remodeling of the basement of the Charles E. Wells Music Co. store. Roy E. Thompson, head of the talking machine department, says his department will then be moved from the first floor to the basement, where much larger quarters will be arranged. Business was excellent during August and many machines were sold during this period. An attractive window was arranged under the direction of H. V. Huntoon, manager of the Victrola department of the Knight-Campbell Music Co., the first week in September. The background typified a section of a wall done in gray, in the center of which was placed a wall mirror and on either side fancy side lights. In front of this wall stood a console model Victrola, showing how nicely this type of musical instrument fitted this particular wall space. So many calls were made for the wall mirror that the department put in a stock and handled them along with the sale of talking machines. The mirror also served to bring people into the department. The balance of the window was a typical living-room setting. Business for August went ahead of the same month a year ago. Mr. Huntoon said he looked for good business with the two new Victor flat-top models, Nos. 210 and 230. The McKannon Piano Co. has sold every console type Edison that has come in and regrets the inability to get these machines more rapidly. The company has just stocked up on radio merchandise and is showing how it can be connected up successfully for parlor use with the Edison phonograph. Mr. McKannon believes that radio and music must go together. J. H. Blinn, manager of the talking machine department of the Baldwin Piano Co., says that, despite the two strikes, if business keeps up as it has done all Summer he will have no complaint to make. The sale of Edison re-creations is keeping up well, says Norman D. Tharp, buyer of the Edison department, wholesale and retail, Denver Dry Goods Co. The popularity of Hawaiian music and piano numbers continues. Charles L. Clark, an Edison dealer from Laramie, Wyo., was a caller on the Edison distributors last week and reported he expected a pretty good business this Fall. He and his son had a booth at the fair held in Laramie during September, in which Edisons and pianos were displayed. Another caller was Wiley H. Clements, Edison dealer, of Canon City, Col. He reported a large fruit crop, with indications that a good business in Edisons would result this Fall. Oscar Frazier, of the talking machine department of the Darrow Music Co., says that talking machines have sold better than records and efforts will be made to build up the sale of records. An attractive Edison window was featured early in September by the Arvidson Piano Co., at 523 Sixteenth street. R. B. Johnson, business manager of the wholesale and retail end of the Aeolian Co.'s branch house at St. Louis, has returned, after spending two months with the talking machine department of the Charles E. Wells Music Co. T. P. Pattison, of the Pattison Music Co., has returned from his vacation, spent at Wagon Wheel Gap, Col. INTRODUCE THE "BLUE BELLE" NEEDLE Samuel Eshborn, well known as a distributor of talking machine parts and accessories, at 65 Fifth avenue, New York City, is introducing a new steel needle under the trade name "Blue Belle." This needle is a specially designed product of blue steel, non-rustable and made in various tones. The product has been given preliminary trials in many homes in Eastern territory and the result has been that Mr. Eshborn acquired the sales rights. LIQUIDATING ITS BUSINESS The Music Shop, Inc., Helena, Ark., handling Victor machines and records exclusively, is liquidating its business and expects to have its affairs wound up shortly after September 15. H. S. Blackwood is president of the company, H. C. Porter vice-president and I. A. Metz, secretary-treasurer. There's a Brand New BABBLE BOOK Audience for You— Every Year Did you ever stop to consider this big advantage Bubble Books have over most other kinds of merchandise? Think it over. Every year there's a brand new crop of little folks just waiting to get acquainted with the books that sing. And their parents are just as eager as the children to find some new amusement for them. Get after this new audience! And get after the old customers, too, for rem ember that everv Bubble Book sale means a chance to sell the other thirteen ! When you sell one you sell a habit and when you sell a habit, you're building business. HARPER & BROTHERS, BUBBLE BOOK DIVISION Established 1817 Franklin Square New York, N.Y.