The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 45 "COLUMBIA" DAY CELEBRATED. The Occupancy of Kohler & Chase's Handsome New Building in San Francisco One of the Great Events in That City — Concerts Galore and One Entire Day Devoted to Exploiting the Columbia Grafonolas and Graphophones — A Great Establishment. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., Jan. 24, 1910. When Kohler & Chase's new ten-story building, 26 2S O'Farrell street, near Market, was formally opened to the public on the first of the year it was anything but a stereotyped event. The celebration was continued for a week, ei ding on the 8th. During the entire time, which was liberally exploited by this famous Coast concern as a sort of "musical carnival," their building was decorated with bunting, flags and an electric display, with fireworks every night. A committee was in charge of each one of the ten floors, and open house was the rule observed. Concerts were given every afternoon and evening in the recital hall on the second floor, whicl. holds 450 people, and the most prominent artists in San Francisco volunteered their services and appeared, no little competition arising for the most desirable dates. Throughout the week Kohler & Chase's advertising was extremely heavy, and liberal "writeups" were contributed by all the daily newspapers. In fact, the opening of the new K. & C. establishment was regarded as the final step in the rehabiliment of the city's retail district. With this feeling in mind the mayor was present and took advantage of the occasion to congratulate the firm upon naving the finest musical institution in western America. In order to systematize their advertising campaign for the week the firm concentrated their entire efforts each day upon some individual theme. The first was a general reception, admission by invitation. The second was Founders' Day, when the display, etc., was so arranged as to focus attention on the fact that the house of Kohler & Chase was established in 1850. Musicians' Day followed. Each of the succeeding days was devoted to one of their most prominent lines of goods, the leading ones being featured for lack of time to cover them all impartially. ■ 3 ,~ KOHLER & CHASE'S NEW HOME. As the goods of the Columbia Phonograph Co. formed so important a part of their lines, it was considered particularly fitting to have a Columbia Day, which they did. On Columbia Day, which occurred January 6, the entire building had the appearance of being an exclusive Columbia store. The line is stocked and displayed on one complete floor, the fifth; and the display windows were filled with Columbia machines, records, etc., including every model of the Grafonola-"De Luxe," "Regent" and "Elite." A page ad. was also printed in the dailies exploiting Columbia goods exclusively. Besides, a special Iiigh-class musical program, from Columbia records, was rendered on the G-rafonola Regent, which Kohler & Chase described as "the last word in talking machine construction," and it was a great success from every point of view. Writing of the event at a subsequent date to the executive office in New York, W. S. Gray, Pacific Coast manager of the Columbia Co., said: "About the Kohler & Chase opening, there was always something going on in their music hall on the second floor, which, by the way, is one of the prettiest things of the kind I have ever seen. The building itself is really a magnificent structure, and they are most conveniently and nicely housed. There is not any music store in town with a better, nicer or more conveniently arranged building. Our department is on the fifth floor, and I have no doubt, as the ■ town gets more and more settled downtown, we will have a good business there. "On "Columbia Day' we certainly had a splendid reception, having hundreds of people pass through the department; and at our concert the Recital Hall, which will hold about 450 people, was filled, and everyone seemed to enjoy it very much. Opening day, which was not set aside to any particular department, was certainly a grand success from every point of view, and particularly pleasurable to us. Thousands of people passed through the building for inspection during that day, and the elevator men tell us that more people got off at our floor than at any other (the building being a nine-story building). We had the place full all day and kept the Grafonola Regent going entertaining them with the best of music. This machine has certainly made a hit, and I think we can pretty near keep the factory busy supplying the demand." 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