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THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD.
9
TRADE NEWS FROM MILWAUKEE.
Holiday Business of Exceptional Volume — Prospects Very Bright — Meeting of New State Association Next Month — What Various Houses Have to Report.
(Special to The Talking Machine World.)
Milwaukee, Wis., Jan. 8, 1910. Milwaukee talking machine dealers are now in the midst of inventory taking, and the figures that are heing disclosed are highly satisfactory. The holiday business, just passed, was one of the largest in the history of the local trade, and dealers feel that December sales formed a fitting climax to an exceptionally good year. No one particular machine or class of. records seemed to be particularly in demand during the holiday season, but, on the other hand, demand was general. There has never been a period when machines sold as readily in Milwaukee as (hey did during the last week before Christmas. One feature of the trade was the fact that more high-class goods were sold than even the most optimistic of dealers had anticipated. Indications are that money is again plentiful and that general confidence has returned in the trade. General business and manufacturing conditions have returned to the normal, and people seem more inclined to part with their money.
The wholesale trade is not as brisk as it was during the month of December, but, nevertheless, it is highly satisfactory, a sure indication that dealers met with such a good business during the holidays that their stocks have been depleted, and they are forced to order even at this early date. Reports from the up-State dealers concerning the holiday trade are especially bright, and jobbers say that everything augurs for a big trade throughout the year.
"We are especially well pleased with the heavy holiday business," said Lawrence McGreal. "A few more days of the holiday rush and our salesrooms would have looked like an empty warehouse. We are having considerable trouble in securing the stocks that we want just at I he present time as a result of the heavy demands that have been made upon the factories. The coming year looks more than bright to me, and 1 am confident that Wisconsin dealers will meet with a banner business."
Plans are under way for the holding of a general meeting of the new Wisconsin Talking Machine Dealers' Association some time during the month of February. The gathering will probably be held at Milwaukee. Several matters of interest to the trade will be brought up for dis( ussion. although a general plan of procedure has not as yet been outlined. The organization was not launched until a few weeks before the holidays, and it has not been possible for dealers to take much active interest in the matter because of the rush of the holiday trade. Every effort will now be made to create an interest in the organization, and to make the body one of real worth to every dealer who is a member.
Walter J. Augustin, the talking machine dealer of Fond du Lac and Oshkosh; W. J. Graff, of Boscobel, and Fred Liethold, of La Crosse, were among Wisconsin dealers who were recently in Milwaukee. All report an excellent holiday business, and the feeling seems to be strong among the up-State dealers that trade throughout 1910 will be of the very best.
The Hoeffler Mfg. Co. met with such a lively demand for records and machines that, as J. H. Becker, Jr., manager of the talking machine department, expressed it, he was forced to order "music by the carload" from the talking machine manufacturers. The biggest holiday business in the memory of Mr. Becker was secured by the Hoeffler Co., and this is saying a good deal, because Mr. Becker is able to recall to mind some remarkably heavy business periods since his connection with the talking machine business.
As the result of business and profession! men of Janesville, Wis., circulating a petition which was to have been presented before the common council of that city, asking that the owners of moving picture shows discontinue the practice
of allowing their talking machines to run riot at the theater entrances, the show people have put a stop to the so-called nuisance. Talkingmachine dealers of Janesville have been considerably concerned over the matter, but they say that if the theater owners would regulate the practice there would be no objection from nearby business men. Dealers say that if the show people would not allow their talking machines to run all day and well into the night and that if they would not confine the repertoire of their machines to only a few songs, like "My Wife's Gone to the Country, Hooray, Hooray," and would offer more of a variation, the public would not be so inclined to make the serious objections that they have been prone to do in the past. Dealers are working for a harmonious solution of the whole trouble.
One of the heaviest holiday trades in the history of the downtown store of the Columbia, at 413 Grand avenue, Milwaukee, is reported by A. G. Kunde, the new owner and manager. General business seemed to be of the best and demand was brisk for both records and machines. The only trouble experienced by Mr. Kunde was that he had considerable difficulty in securing the necessary stock from the Columbia factory. "We are more than satisfied with the big holiday trade, and prospects just at the present time all point to a successful year," said Mr. Kunde. "We have several plans under way for pushing the Columbia business during the year 1910, and we hope to make the Milwaukee business even more successful than it has been in the past."
As the result of a successful demonstration made by the "B Y" model of the Columbia at the recent open-house celebration, held on NewYear's Day at the Young Men's Christian Association's Building in Milwaukee, A. G. Kunde, owner of the downtown store of the Columbia, made the sale of two Columbia machines within the short space of one-half hour.
The Columbia iour-minute indestructible records have been selling in Milwaukee at an unusual rate for the past two months, and just at the present time there is no indication of an abatement in demand. The popular double-faced records are more than holding their own also.
The Amberola, the new Edison cabinet machine, arrived in Milwaukee just before the holiday season closed, and its appearance has created a lively demand from the dealers for shipments of the new machine. Jobbers are unable to get enough machines from the factories to satisfy but a small fraction of the dealers, and it is expected that as soon as larger shipments can be secured a brisk business will be done.
News has reached Milwaukee jobbers of the recent death of I. L. Rice, a prominent and enterprising talking machine dealer at Wittenburg, Wis. Mr. Rice was only 34 years of age, and was regarded as one of the most up-to-date Edison and Victor dealers in the State. His early death has caused genuine regret among talking machine men. He is survived by a young widow, who. it is expected, will carry on the business of her husband.
William P. Hope, traveling representative of the National Phonograph Co.. who has been in Milwaukee for a few days, is now in northern Wisconsin, where he is meeting with an excellent business. Mr. Hope reports that dealers are exceptionally low on stocks and that they are ordering freely.
Miss Gertrude Gannon, a sister of Mrs. Lawrence McGreal, and well-known attache of Mr. McGreal's store, spent New Year's with her sister, Mrs. S. W. Uhl, of St. Louis.
William Schmidt, formerly traveling representative in Wisconsin for the Victor Talking Machine Co., and now wholesale manager for Lawrence McGreal, is on a business trip up the State. Mr. McGreal expects to keep a traveling representative about the State a great deal of the time from now on. This is something of an innovation.
Harry W. Krienitz, well-known young talking machine dealer of Milwaukee, was married recently to Miss Mayme Hoffmann, a popular young lady of Milwaukee.
0. K. Houck Piano Co.
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