The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1909)

38 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. TRADE NEWS FROM THE PACIFIC. Stocks Arriving Rapidly to Fill the Void Occasioned by Big Holiday Sales — Columbia Co. Occupy Ground Floor of Mauzy's New Store With W. E. Scott in Charge — Madison Furniture Co., of San Jose, to Handle the Columbia — Brown Buys the Talking Machine Department of Kohler & .Chase at Seattle — A. B. McCarty Honored — Victrolas and Red Seals in Demand at Sherman, Clay & Co.'s. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 5, 1909. The first of the year found most of the talking machine dealers on the coast pretty well cleaned out of stock of all kinds, and since then goods have been coming in rapidly to the main distributing centers, to go out to the various retailers throughout the country almost as rapidly. Wholesale business with nearly all the local firms has been much larger than was to be expected this early in the season, and the wholesale departments are only now beginning to get straightened out. Retail business, as is natural, has been rather quiet, though there has been a very good run of business here and in the larger towns on the few days when the weather has been favorable. The most important development in the local trade is the announcement that a branch of the Columbia Phonograph Co. Will occupy a part of the ground floor of Byron Mauzy's new store on Stockton street near Post. In view of the fact that Mr. Mauzy is distributing agent for Zonophone goods, this comes as rather a surprise. His talking machine business, both wholesale and retail, will be conducted in the small goods department on the third floor. On the first and mezzanine floors the Columbia Co. will have an office, a stock room and four demonstration rooms, and will carry a complete stock as soon as the goods can be moved in. W. E. Scott, who will have charge of the new branch, is already on the' ground, and has started business. This announcement has just been made, but the branch has started off very nicely, and promises to heat the main store for retail business unless it is moved downtown very shortly. Mr. Beck, the local manager, however, states that such a move will probably be made in the near future, though the location is not yet ascertained. Francis W. Downe, _coast manager for the Dictophone Co. of America, is moving into new offices in the Phelan building, and will hereafter have no connection with the Columbia store. Mr. Beck states that the company's January business has been quite active, showing up almost as well as December. W. S. Gray, the coast manager, has been in Portland and the Northwest most of the month, but has just returned. Mr. Beck will make a visit to the interior of the State next month. O. W. Cyrus, the traveling representative, has been in the city most of the month, but is now on his southern trip. The company have closed a deal with the Madison Furniture Co., of San Jose, Cal., by which that house will have the exclusive agency for Columbia goods in that city. The company are now running half-page advertisements of their new line in the San Jose papers. Another important announcement is that Chas. E. Brown has sprung the surprise he was preparing. In connection with Mr. Bruce, a wellknown talking machine man on the coast, and at one time manager for Kohler & Chase's Oakland department, he has bought out the talking machine department of Kohler & Chase in Seattle, Wash. Mr. Brown has always had great faith in the Northwest, and believes that with the present arrangement he will be able to build up a very profitable business. To close the deal Geo. Q. Chase and C. M. Jones, now manager of his talking machine business, went to Seattle early in the month, but both are now back in the city. Mr. Jones states that the local trade has fallen off very little, if at all, since the holidays. A. G. McCarthy, who has charge of the small goods and talking machine department of Sherman, Clay & Co., has been elected president of the Permanent Downtown Association. He is now very busy with stock-taking at the main store, but this work will be completed in a few days. He states that the supply of Victrolas has again given out, and he has been waiting for a new lot for about a week. Sales of these machines continue to increase, as Sherman, Clay & Co. are pushing them out all the time, and they are handled by enthusiastic agents all over the coast. One of their greatest advantages is the increased demand they create for Red Seal records, which are now selling off rapidly. Sherman, Clay & Co. report the biggest sale on the new list of Victor records, which was received a few days ago, that they have had during a similar length of time in the last six months. The traveling salesmen are now out, and have sent in fairly good orders all month, with considerable improvement this week. The Wiley B. Allen Co. have done little in the talking machine line at Los Angeles since the fire last month, as the entire stock of records was destroyed. The new store will open with a complete new stock, however, on February 1. The Southern California Music Co.'s branch at Oxnard, Cal., are installing some demonstration rooms, and will hereafter carry a large stock of high-grade Victor records. BLOOM'S PALATIAL STORE. The New Establishment at 366 Fifth Avenue Will be Opened in About Two Weeks. The new store — the second in New York — that Sol Bloom is to open at 366 Fifth avenue, spoken of in The World recently as being decorated and furnished in a unique and original way for a talking machine establishment, will undergo a transformation in this respect, that will delay its formal start in business for about two weeks. The fittings above referred to were removed entirely, and the interior of the store will be finished throughout in silvered bird's-eye maple, with furniture to match. The basement — a commodious place — will be fitted up in like manner. A unique feature will be a good-size stage in front for demonstrating purposes, and along the sides various rooms, and a grotto, will be provided, each decorated after an originally striking scheme in designing. Mr. Bloom is certain his new place will be the handsomest of its kind in the world, and surpassed only by the one he will later create and open in Chicago, where he first started years ago in the music publishing business. Besides Sol Bloom, who will have charge in person, he will be assisted on the floor by Baron Traner, Pauline Teschner and a full corps of clerks. At 40 West 34th street, Harry Stein will be the floor manager, assisted by John C. Van Home and other salesmen, numbering ten in all. The Atlantic City, N. J., store will be in charge of Harry A. Ellis, and is to be opened February 15. ROBERT C. ROGERS OPENS UP. Robt. C. Rogers, for the past twenty-six years associated with John F. Ellis & Co., has organized the Robt. C. Rogers Co., with headquarters at 1313 F street, Washington, D. C, where a full line of Victor and Edison talking machines and records are" handled, as well as cabinets and other accessories. ECKHARDT IS GENERAL MANAGER. Walter L. Eckhardt, of the Manufacturers' Outlet Co., has become identified with the Leeds & Catlin Co. as general manager. A part of his time will be devoted to both enterprises, but the selling development of the "Peerless" double disc record will engage his special attention. A suite of offices has been fitted up for his use at the recording plant of the L. & C. Co., at 53 East 11th street. On February 1 Louis Silverman, in the wholesale talking machine department of the Regina Co., terminated his connection by virtue of the expiration of his contract. He has several business propositions in view. > It's So Easy Yes, it is not only easy to learn a foreign language by the l, C. S. system — the easiest and most perfect way in the world — but it is also easy to sell I. C. S. language outfits. It is easy to sell them to people who are tired of their machines as an amusement device and will be glad to turn them into a source of profit. It is easy to sell them to persons going abroad and who otherwise desire to learn a language' for the sake of the knowledge of it alone. It is easy to sell it to men and women who desirer*to qualify for positions as translators and foreign correspondents. ' It is easy to sell it to foreigners, in order that they may learn to speak English. In fact there are a great many sound reasons why it is easy to sell the I.C.S. LANGUAGE SYSTEM PHONOGRAPH Do you sell I. C. S. Language outfits? If not, why are you thus neglecting such an important and profitable field of your work? Why are you thus absolutely throwing away at least one-third of your business? The Phonograph system of language instruction is now recognized as an educational factor of great importance and the demand for this sort of language instruction is growing by leaps and bounds. The I. C. S. system is undoubtedly the one of the greatest merit obtainable today. Write us a postal now for further particulars. International Correspondence Schools Box 918, SCRANTON, PA.