The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1912)

the Talking machine world. 3? are arranging to put up a great man}' additional racks for the accommodation of almost double the number of records they have previously carried. Louis Buehn notes that their business was this year about the same as last year in the number of instruments sold, but they jumped way ahead on . records. Buehn & Bro. have already on hand a great many orders for the new Victor machines, .and they expect that they will have a lively September business. In their Pittsburgh store about the same conditions prevail. But in their business phonograph department they have more than doubled over last year, and they have a number of the biggest firms in the city in line for these machines this fall and they believe it is going to be a very big percentage of their business. Gimbel Bros.' department looks unusually attrac tive at present. They have fixed it up for the fall business and are showing all lines of instruments they handle most tastefully displayed. An artistic eye has done the decorating, for nothing more attractive is to be seen in Philadelphia. They were in hopes that they would be able to have two new hearing rooms by this time, but thus far they have not been started. They are very much handicapped, especially since their business has been more than doubled over last year. Two Victor men called at the department the past week, Mr. Bennett and Morley Somers. The firm carries four times the stock it did at this time last year. Emmett Stewart, who was connected with the department for about a year, has gone to Easton to accept a similar position in a big talking machine store in that city. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRADE LOOKS FOR RECORD FALL. Improvement in Business for Past Month Presages Great Activity for the Future — Many Changes Among the Various Houses — Wm. Hobbs Richardson Married — Temporary Quarters for Fitzgerald Music Co. — Woman Manager Makes Good — Other News. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Los Angeles, Cal., Aug. 31, 1912. r.i Los Angeles and vicinity has enjoyed a very excellent trade in the talking machine lines within the past thirty days. Dealers throughout the country are looking forward to the most promising fall trade that this section has ever had. Owing to the fact that many new styles of instruments are being placed upon the market there is every prospect of a good business for the coming season. Chas. S. Ruggles, local manager of Sherman, Clay & Co., Victor distributors, has recently returned from his vacation at Camp Baldy, where he had a most delightful time. Mr. Ruggles is expecting a record-breaking fall business. A great surprise came to the friends and associates of William Hobbs Richardson when news was received of his recent marriage to Mrs. L. Russ. The couple are very well known in southern California, especially Mr. Richardson, who has been connected with the Southern California Music Co. for many years, being manager of the talking machine department. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson will spend a few weeks visiting cities along the coast as far north as Vancouver, B. C. Geo. J. Birkel, of the Geo. J. Birkel Music Co., has .recently returned from a trip to San Francisco, where he had been visiting friends and relatives. The Southern California Music Co., of Riverside, Cal., has moved into its new quarters, 924 Main street. Morris Griffin, manager of the store, states that the new location will be more of a trade center than before. L. M. Pray, 5438 Central avenue, has recently taken on the Columbia line and has already been classed as a successful dealer. August is the closing month of a very successful year for the Geo. J. Birkel Co. Now with new energy the company looks forward to still a Die Sprechmaschine the most extensively circulated talking machine paper in Germany. Berlin, S. W. 68. Subscription price per year is eight marks. Specimen numbers free. Orders for advertising can be placed with The Talking Machine World, No. 373 Fourth Avenue, New York. greater year, with prospects of a good beginning with the fall business. W. F. Stidham, local manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., is well pleased with the past business and the outlook for the future is so good that he has procured a several years' lease of the entire third floor of the Winsel block, 420-422 South Broadway, thus giving them more than double the capacity than before. Mr. Stidham reports a strong increase in demand for the two new types of Grafonolas, the Regal and Eclipse. Everybody's Drug Store, Mesa, Ariz., reports a successful season with the Edison line and expects good returns from the coming line of disc machines. Harold Jackson, the new road man for the Southern California Music Co., is making his first trip over his territory. To Mr. Jackson's line is added the Wood filng cabinet, of which the Southern California Music Co. has just received the jobbing agency. Max Shireson, 3G7 North Main street, is very much pleased wifh the big increase in business in his section of the city. Mr. Shireson is a strong Edison man and is making a record with this line. H. B. Hinman, manager of the talking machine department of the J. B. Brown Music Co., accompanied by his wife, returned from a trip to San Francisco. This trip was rather a unique one, being made entirely by tandem motorcycle, and Mr. Hinman boasts that they did not have a breakdown on their entire trip. The Musical Record Co., although a short time in business, has been doing its share of the talking machine business! A. D. Wayne, the manager, predicts a tremendous fall trade and says he is in the position to handle all that comes his way. • Miss Bernice Roby, who has charge of the talking machine department of the Thearles Music Co., of San Diego, has proven herself worthy of the position by the many recent sales. Guy S. Pooler, salesman for the Southern California Music Co., has returned from Avalon, Catalina Island, where he has spent several weeks' vacation. Mr. Pooler is a live salesman in every sense of the word, proving it by the recent sales. W. S. Gray, coast manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., was in this city for a few days combining business with pleasure while calling upon dealers of the city and vicinity. V. B. Chatten, of the J. B. Brown Music Co., has been showing a splendid selling record of late by making a number of high-priced deals. The Fitzgerald Music Co. is erecting a new building for temporary quarters at 947-949 South Broadway. It expects to be located in its new home in a very short time. Miss A. Brown, manager of the talking machine department, and her sister returned from a trip to the northern part of the State, where they spent several days. Whittier Music House, Whittier, Cal., will soon open up several branch stores throughout Orange and Los Angeles counties, all being equipped with a talking machine department. Scott T. Allured, the new manager of the talking machine department of the Wiley B. Allen Co., of San Diego, was in Los Angeles for a few days and placed a large order for Victor goods to be ready for the fall season. Air. Allured takes special pride in his department and takes his men to dinner occasionally at Sargent's Grill, where they discuss the welfare of the department. A. Graham Cook, who had charge of the talking machine department of the Geo. J. Birkel Music Co. for many years, has just returned from a three months' trip East, visiting many points of interest, including the Victor factory at Camden. What he enjoyed most was the visit to the old Boston home. Mr. Cook is very well pleased with the talking machine business of the West, stating that the Western dealer is just as well equipped to handle the trade as the Eastern dealer. F. M. Martell, who was formerly connected with the talking machine department of Wanamaker's, of New York city, has recently joined thg sales force of the same department of the Wiley B. Allen Co., of this city. Mr. Martell has already had splendid success selling talkers and records in his new location. LOUISVILLE'S TRADE HAPPENINGS. Ray Bros. Expansion — Dictaphones for L. & N. R. R. Co. — Cerf to Push Columbia Disc Line — Display at Kentucky State Fair — E. B. Walthall Returns from Visit to New York. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Louisville, Ky, Sept. 9, 1912. E. B. Walthall, local manager of the Columbia Phonograph Co., has just returned from a visit to New York and the Columbia factory at Bridgeport. Ray Bros., Edison and Victor dealers, are making some extensive improvements in their retail store on Jefferson street. The Dictaphone department of the Columbia Phonograph Co. has just closed an extensive deal with the L. & N. R. R. Co., whose general offices are located here. Henry Cerf, of 209 Pearl street, New Albany, Ind., in the future will push the Columbia disc • line. The Victor and Edison dealers and the Columbia Co. all report a good August business, with good collections. The Columbia Phonograph Co. had an extensive display, in charge of Local Manager Walthall and his able assistant, Mr. Reid, at the Kentucky State Fair, held at the State Fair grounds in Louisville, September 9 to 14, inclusive. This was good advertising, as the crowd for the week was estimated at 250,000. Retails for a Dollar, with 80 Per Cent. 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