The talking machine world (July-Dec 1928)

88 The Talking Machine World, New York, October, 1928 Seventh Annual Northwest Radio Show Proves Highly Successful Practically Every Prominent Radio Manufacturer Represented — Crosley Dealer Meeting Held — Robert T. Devlin Is New Brunswick Branch Manager — Other News Sr. Paul and Minneapolis, October 8. — The Seventh Annual Radio Show in the Northwest came to a triumphant close Saturday night, September 29. More stars on the program, more displays, more crowds, and, above all, more dealers in attendance marked the week. H. H. Cory, who has managed the shows for some years, stated that over a thousand dealers were in attendance and thousands of dollars in orders are in the distributors books. Among the many feature attractions was the radio star popularity contest in which sixty girls were entered and which was won by Miss Ethelwynne Kingsbury, who is a cripple and who spends her life in a wheel chair. The Atwater Kent Audition also drew much interest. Reinhard Bros, took center space on the floor to exhibit the Atwater Kent line. Chas. Freshman Co. had an advantageous position near the entrance and their display was adjoining that of the Kern O'Neill Co., which has recently been appointed as Northwest distributor of the Freshman radio line. Interesting and beautiful displays were sponsored by the Findley Electric Co., Kellogg line dealer; the Belmont Corp., of the Sonora models; Foster & Waldo, of the Majestic line, as well as other lines. V. G. Stringer, who was in charge of the Lawrence Lucker exhibit of Lyric and Sparton radio goods, reported many sales on the floor. Some were retail, which were directed to the dealer. The Lucker Co. had four booths and staged a dealer conference last month which did much to arouse enthusiasm. The St. Paul Radio Show preceded the one in Minneapolis and proved equally successful. R. C. Coleman, manager of the radio department of the George C. Beckwith Co., has had three weeks of overwhelming activity. Following the Minnesota State Fair, where the Beckwith Co. displayed Crosley, Amrad radio and speaker lines, as well as the Icy Ball refrigerator, the South Dakota Fair demanded attention and the same exhibit. That had hardly been disposed of when the Radio Show in St. Paul came along, closely followed by the one in Minneapolis. October 1 found Mr. Coleman opening the Beckwith display at the Radio Show in Milwaukee. Crosley dealers met at the Hotel Nicollet on September 27 and heard talks by William Kellogg and H. F. Jacks, of the Crosley Corp.; Dan McKinnon, of the Amrad Co., and representatives of Showers Bros., cabinet makers, and of the Robert Findley Metal Table Co. At Brunswick Northwest headquarters a change has taken place. Robert T. Devlin is branch manager and Selman C. Schulz goes to the Chicago offices. Mr. Schulz turns over the books showing a remarkable increase in the past year. The Brunswick Co. held a convention of all Northwest dealers from Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin and southern Montana. About 125 attended and viewed the complete new line which was displayed at headquarters. Some models shown were in advance of the announcements and the greatest approval was enthusiastically expressed. A dinner meeting at the Nicollet Hotel added much to the information and pleasure of the dealers. Selman Schulz acted as toastmaster and A. W. Brunsell gave the address of welcome. Mr. Delano, of the Chicago offices, held a clinic on business and offered many remedies and valuable suggestions. Mr. Devlin, the new manager, outlined his policies, stating the dealers' success was responsible for the success at the distributing office. Jack Condon, who for some years was well known to Americans visiting in Paris as proprietor of a Show Bus for Tourists, is now located in Minneapolis and has started covering the Dakotas and Montana for Kern-O'Neill Co. William Sprague, general Western representative of the Columbia Co., is back in Minneapolis after visiting points in Nebraska and Iowa. Business is good and a number of new Columbia dealers have been installed. Kern-O'Neill Co. is broadcasting daily all new Columbia releases and standard numbers over station WDGY and reports it an excellent medium for reaching out-of-town trade. September was 50 per cent bigger than any other Fall month in the history of the Foster & Waldo firm. The Metropolitan Music Co. had an attractive display of Stromberg-Carlson radios at the Northwest Show. Edison Richmond Branch Office Opens Many New Dealer Accounts Dealers in Virginia and North Carolina Add Edison Line — Graves Music Co. to Open Branch Store in Richmond — Goldberg Bros. Expanding — Cowan Co. Adds A. K. Line Richmond, Ya., October 8.— Richmond is to have a new music store, handling several lines of phonographs, in addition to a general line of musical instruments. The store will be located at 23 West Broad street and will be operated by the Graves Music Co., of Danville, Radio and Victrola Department The largest department store in Texas offers to lease prime first floor balcony space to well established radio department operators. Write in detail, outlining proposition or send representative. Real opportunity for $100,000 sales volume. GILBERT LANG, Merchandise Manager JOSKE BROS. CO., San Antonio, Texas Va. It is expected to be opened for business some time the latter part of this month. Besides the main store at Danville, the company has other units in South Boston and Martinsville, Va., and at Burlington, Reidsville and Winston-Salem, N. C. The Victor, Brunswick and Columbia lines will be carried, in addition to several leading radio lines. I he Corley Co. is just getting into its new home at 213 East Broad street after being in temporary quarters for nearly a year await completion of the building that replaces one destroyed by fire last Fall. Goldberg Bros., Lyric manufacturers and distributors, announce the addition of three men to their sales staff. They are: M. E. Prag, L. E. Bowman and B. Sturman. All three have been assigned to Southern territory, which is now being developed intensively. The company has begun to extend its operations to Texas, which is being opened up satisfac mg the Nickel in the Slot Electric Automatic Phonograph Holds ana plays 5 disc records automatically. Don't have to keep our machines a lifetime to Pay for themselves at 512a. ElectricaUy amplified. $225. Writ* for photo of new Model G at $195. Amplified. $295. ATLAS SALES CO. Taylor St. Kaukauna, Wisconsin torily. LeRoy Goldberg says that there has been a healthy response to the company's bid for business and that its lines are being strengthened in anticipation of a bigger volume of business this Fall than has been experienced in several seasons. The company also handles the Artone line. The Richmond branch office of the Edison Co., opened just a few months back, is now adding a number of new accounts in communities in Virginia and North Carolina, where accounts had not already been established, according to P. J. Costello, manager of the office. Some of the new accounts are: Brockman Piano Co., Greensboro, N. C; James Cowan Co., Richmond; Harris Bros., Monroe, N. C; W. P. Ford & Sons, Norfolk; Carter Fur Co., Sanford, N. C; McGrath & Co., Wilmington. The James Cowan Co. has added the Atwater Kent line of radios and is laying in a complete stock. It reports that Columbia records, and particularly the Paul Whiteman numbers, are enjoying quite a good run. J. M. Cridlin, formerly assistant manager of the Richmond branch office of James K. Polk, Inc., manufacturer and distributor of Polkphones, is now in charge of the Atlanta parts department. He was transferred there recently from Richmond. According to Charles J. Rev, manager of the Richmond branch, more than ordinarily good results have been obtained in his territory from the campaign featuring the latest releases. A big increase in record business has been experienced as a consequence. Howell Bros., pioneers in the radio business, have just added the Majestic to their other lines carried, which include Atwater Kent, Radiola and Bremer-Tully. Jack Herbert, former manager of the radio department of the Holladay Co., here, has gone to Petersburg to connect with a radio house. H. E. Brittle is the new manager of the ladio department of the Columbia Furniture Co. The company recently took on the Atwater Kent line. The fourth annual radio show staged by the Radio Dealers' Club of Richmond proved a great and unqualified success, according to Robin A. Frayser, one of the officers of the club. More than 30,000 persons attended ithe show this year and nearly 400 prizes were awarded. The show was staged in the new Mosque, which afforded exceptionally fine space. A charter of incorporation was recently granted the L. B. Clark Music Co., of Danville, of which Henry Lea is president. Unique Fada Showroom A glass-enclosed exhibition room, soundproof, is now under construction for Agar, Cross & Co., Ltd., Fada radio distributors in the Argentine Republic, according to R. C. Ackerman, export manager for F. A. D. Andrea, Inc., who recently returned from a trip to Buenos Aires. It is stated that this will be the handsomest exhibition room in South America for radio demonstrations. Mr. Ackerman stated that radio is very popular in the Argentine, and that the proceedings of the Administrative Council of Buenos Aires will be broadcast.