The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1913)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 13 DETROIT STORES CLOSING SATURDAY NIGHTS. Hope to Continue the Practice Throughout the Year — Trial Shows That No Business Is Really Lost — Grinnell Bros. Enlarge Talking Machine Department — The Columbia Co. Active Throughout the State — Manager Andrew Is Going After Record Business. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Detroit, Mich., August 10— Detroit talking machine dealers, for the first time in the history of the business in Detroit, are closing their shops Saturday nights. Indications seem to point to a general satisfaction with the move. It affects •principally the sales of records, and the Saturday (night closing seems to have simply hurried a large part of the shoppers into doing their buying in the afternoon and induced others to wait till Monday, this latter effect is a good thing, for Monday usually was a bit dull under the old conditions. The dealers and all their employes are hoping that the plan works out the same after the vacation season is over, for when they have done a Jfair and square day's business for six days in a week, they find the unaccustomed Saturday night's rest a large satisfaction and benefit, and return to business Monday morning in much better condition to do good work than when they were compelled to add half a day's work to the ordinary quota at the weariest part of the week, when all jthe factories and offices in the city and a large ipart of the stores were closing at noon. ' Besides the fact that no trade appears to be lost, [the move looks to be permanent because of the attitude of the State Labor Department and the bigdepartment stores and other retail establishments. .There is nothing( in the situation in the talking machine stores which comes under the ban of the labor commissioner. But the big stores in general lines of business have been violating the law which limits the number of hours which a woman or child shall work in a week to hfty-four. In trying to obey this law, these stores have brought about a general disorganization of forces in the retail sales departments, by irregular hours of their employes. So they decided to start a campaign for Saturday night closing. The talking machine dealers are pleased with ;the developments. The prospective buyer of a machine will buy anyway. He will make a special trip to a store for the purpose. But records are purchased incidentally. They are a small item in ia shopping trip. In the past they have been bought Saturday nights because that was the heaviest shopping time of the week. With that cut off, the general shopping will be done some other time, and the talking machine stores will sell their records at whatever time that happens to be. Grinnell Brothers, Victor distributers, have leased half of the basement of the Fisher Building, a new structure adjoining their own building on the north, and will enlarge their talking machine department about fifty per cent. In fact, the extension means to the trade here practically the opening of a large new talking machine store, for there will be a new street entrance and two more elevators, conveying patrons from the stores above. Something of an idea of the extent of the addition to the Victor space can he told in the statement that no less than nine new demonstrating rooms will be added, each of the nine being almost twice the size of an ordinary demonstrating room. Grinnell Brothers believe in ample space for showing a talking machine, as the records and the instruments can be much better judged in a large room than if the purchaser is close to them. "Our reason for the enlargement," said Manager Harry Rupp, "is right out there." "He pointed to the present quarters, where every one of the fifteen demonstrating rooms was in use and patrons were awaiting their turn. "More business than we can take care of with our present accommodations," he added. The contractor who is building the demonstrating rooms and doing 'the decorating is slow with his work, and a job promised for August 15 probably will not be finished before September 1. But the new rooms will be ready for the fall business, and that is the principal desire. "We intend to use these rooms exclusively for the sale of Victors," said Manager Rupp. "All the record business will be kept on the other side, liven parties buying machines in the new rooms will be requested to make their selections in tin other department, which will become a goou deal of a record department, though, of course, some machines will be sold there." Besides having a street entrance, the new department will be connected with the old by two doors which have been chiseled through the basement walls, one large one connecting the salesrooms and a small one connecting the office with the new store. The wholesale business will not be affected by the new departure. This wholesale business, by the way, is being largely extended, both in Detroit and up-State. Only the larger cities are entered in "the provinces." The Columbia Co. also is active throughout the State, lining up prospective new accounts for the autumn activities. Throughout the States the talking machine seems to be growing in popularity to an astonishing degree. The only worry of the jobbers is whether they will be able to take care of it all, and because of that, they are making preparations right now. In a short time orders for holiday supplies will begin to go forward, several months in advance of the time they will be needed. This year has been a very gratifying one for the Columbia people. Up to July 31 the business had been equal to that of 1912 up to October 31, placing the Detroit branch three months ahead of last year. Though most of the increase came prior to July, the summer trade has been very good, especially in records. A unique experience fell to the lot of a Columbia salesman recently. He was sent to the home of a regular patron with thirty new records. The madame took twenty of them. On the return trip the conductor of the street car which the salesman boarded asked him what was in his package and on being informed asked to see the titles of the records. He purchased six of the ten. The salesman inquired casually if the motorman had a talking machine also. The conductor said he thought the motorman had one. So the salesman stalked through the car and sold the other four records to the motorman. Selling without demonstration speaks well for the reputation of the goods. E. K. Andrew, manager of the talking machine department of the J. I.. Hudson Co., has come to the conclusion that a record project is more valuable than a prospect lor a machine, and is going after such business systematically. Every owner of a machine is perforce a continuous record prospect. Mr. Andrew has commenced to make an index of them, and of '.he records sold to them, for follow-up purposes, lie plans to write [to them, or to telephone them, about once a month, calling attention to the fact that on such and sujch a day they bought such and such a record, and that certain new ones received, of the same nature, ought to please equally well. "People like to be remembered, and to be the recipient of such little attentions," said Mr. Andrew. "When we call them up, or write to the1™ in such a way, they feel that they are personail:acquainted here, and therefore they are much mort likely to buy here than elsewhere. It is a certainty that no matter how many records they nra> have, they will buy more sometime, and if we keep acquainted with' them we will get the business. It's well worth the time and money expended." Some time this month Mr. Andrew will tour to the East in a motor, and probably will visit the talking machine factories and some of the big Eastern stores. It will be his vacation trip. Max Strasburg, of the Victrola Shop, also will take an automobile vacation iu Eastern parts in August. Frank B. Johnson, of Grinnell Brothers, is spending his vacation in Toronto, as the guest of W. R. Fosdick, president of the Canadian Talking Machine Dealers' Association. They are old pals. Manager Harry Rupp, of Grinnell Brothers talking machine department, will take his two weeks in the latter part of August, after the new store gets in something like shipshape order. S. E. Lind, city sales manager for the Columbia, went to Cleveland as the first instalment of his rest period. A $200 Victrola almost caused international war last week. Max Strasburg sold the machine to a Detroit baking company, which offered it as a prize for something or other at the annual grocers' picnic. It was won by a Hebrew. But it developed that he had sold his business two weeks before, and therefore under the rules was not eligible. So the prize was awarded over again. This time a Polish individual copped it. But the Hebrew didn't quite see the justice of disqualifying him, so when the steamer which conveyed the picnickers docked, he and half a dozen friends sauntered up to the Victrola, attached their tentacles in various places on the heavy machine, and proceeded to kidnap it. They got away before the Pole could recruit an army. United States Government Agent's Report This is a report that is not biased, but facts given as found in their true condition. Please see pages 48 and 49 of the June 15th issue of the "Talking Machine World," subject, "Foreign Market for American Talking Machines." On page 49 see what a French company is doing with a permanent needle, viz., "One of Uncle Sam's agents reports frankly that one maker of French Disc Machines has profited considerably by the circumstances that it uses a sapphire point, obviating the necessity for needle changing." You have the same opportunity here with our Permanent Jewel Needle to combat this advantage, and increase your business both at home and abroad. Those of our Jobbers and Retailers who handle our needle are increasing their orders right along. If you do not care to stock them before a rigid trial, we will be pleased to send samples on approval of the three tones — soft, medium and loud. Permanent Phonograph Disc Needjle Company, Inc. 1128 N. WINCHESTER AVENUE CHICAGO, ILL.