The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1914)

4 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. PACIFIC COAST DEALERS PLACING LIBERAL ORDERS. Jump in Wholesale Business Indicates Faith in Coming Holiday Season — Elaborate Columbia Exhibit for Panama-Pacific Exposition — New Edison Shop Opens in San Francisco — Encouraging News from the Interior — New Stores Recently Opened — News of Month. (Special to The TalUing Machine World.) San Francisco, Cal., October 3. — There has been a notable wholesale movement of talking machines during the last few weeks. Dealers throughout the country have been in the market for both talking machines and records ; and the general expectation seems to be for a good lively fall and winter trade. The orders have not as a rule been particularly large; but they have been numerous and have been restricted to no particular section of the Coast territory. With the close of the harvest season and the advent of money received from trie sale of these, country retail business has also begun to pick up. though the heavy selling in the country will not come till a little later. City retail trade is also showing signs of the regular fall activity, and the general talk around the talking machine departments is of the optimistic sort. The fact that in practically all cases where there is any remodeling being done at the music houses there is also an enlargement of the space allotted to talking machines shows what the dealers are expecting of the fall and holidays. Planning for Elaborate Columbia Exhibit. W. S. Gray, manager of the Pacific Coast territory for the Columbia Graphophone Co., reports a good start made on the fall trade, the volume of the business done to this date being somewhat larger than for the same date last year. The opening of new talking machine departments by music dealers and others in the smaller cities and towns of the Coast being more noticeable than usual. Mr. Gray is now beginning to give some little thought to the exhibit which the Columbia people will put in at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The exposition buildings and grounds are now all complete and ready for the installation of exhibits, and exhibitors are beginning to work out their plans in detail. A fine showing of Columbia machines and records was made by the Wasserman-Gattmann Co., of Sacramento, Cal, at the California State Fair in that city last week. Formal Opening of New Edison Shop. The new Edison shop on Geary street has been the big thing in the San Francisco talking machine trade for the past two weeks. This store held its formal opening on September 24, and on that day and on each succeeding day has been offering special concerts for the entertainment of visitors. The new store and the daily concerts have been given a liberal advertising-, running from half to whole pages in the daily papers, and Manager Jair.es S. Baley reports that results have been of the most cheerful sort. On the opening day concerts succeeded each other almost without intermission from 8.30 in the morning until 5 at night. A total of more than ninety numbers were given. Take Advantage of Los Angeles Fashion Show. The Fall Fashion Show at Los Angeles during the week of September 21-26 was utilized by the Los Angeles music houses as a sort of fall opening for the retail talking machine departments. Special window displays *were made by nearly all the larger stores. A number of the stores, including the Geo. J. Birkel Co., the Wiley B. Allen Co., and the Southern California Music Co., were given special mention by the press in the write-ups of the Fashion Show. Remodeling Store in Santa Barbara. The talking machine store of Ralph M. Paulin, at Santa Barbara, Cal., is now in the midst of a general remodeling and refitting. An artistic entrance has been put in connecting Mr. Paulin's store with the piano store of the Brown Music Co. New demonstration rooms have been added, and the reception room has been refitted. More Space for Eilers Department. Manager Rothermel, of the talking machine department at the Eilers Music Co., San Francisco store, has prevailed on the company to grant him some valuable additional ground floor space in the big Market street store. The growth of business in his department and the prospects for a very busy fall left the department a little short of demonscra-. tion rooms. A special demonstration room for Edison disc machines, has now been completed. Adds Talker Department in Modesto, Cal. H. Hinz, a well-known music man of Modesto, Cal., who has been in business in that county for many years, has now added a talking machine department to his store. In this, he has associated himself with J. J". Morgan, of San Francisco, who was formerly manager of the talking machine department of the Emporium department store. Preparing for Big Season in San Diego. The San Diego store of the Southern California Music Co., is preparing for a big season in the talking machine department, partly as a result of the near-by opening of the Panama-California Exposition in that city, and partly as a result of natural growth. Arrangements are being made to handle additional business. The management of the San Diego store has now been placed in chaige of Leonard Newton, for several years manager of the talking machine end of the Los Angeles store. Mr. Newton took up his new work about the middle of September. New Department in Visalia, Cal. A complete talking machine department will be installed in the new music store of the Wiley B. Allen Co., at Visalia, Cal. A good location has been secured on North Court street. T. F. Sibley, of. Visalia, will be in charge of the store, the special talking machine man having not yet been selected. Clark Wise & Co. Expand. Clark Wise, of Clark Wise & Co., Geary street dealers, say that they have again found it necessary to take additional space for their talking machine department. Some additional demonstration rooms have been added in preparation for the normal fall increase in business. Increases Stock of Edison Products. The Curtis & Henkle Drug Co., of San Jose, Cal., has expanded its talking machine department and is now carrying a larger stock of Edison machines and records than ever before. Arrangements have been made to get in shipments of new Edison records each week. New Stores and Changes. L. C. Ackley, of San Fernando, Cal., has secured a new location, which is now being put in shape. He expects to get moved within a couple of weeks. W. D. Evans, of Antioch, Cal., will shortly organize the Contra Costa Music Co., to take over his business with the idea of doing a little expanding. R. Hosmer has opened at Berkeley, Cal., with a line of talking machines and other musical goods. The Burditt Piano Co., which opened a music store at Pomona, Cal., a few weeks ago, has put in a complete line of Columbia machines, and is preparing to give this line a good representation during the fall and winter. A. L. Gardner, of Bakersfield, Cal., was a trade visitor in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. DEALERS' ASSOCIATION TO MEET. J. G. Bremner, president of the Eastern Talking Machine Dealers' Association, states that, with the opening of fall, the regular meetings «f that body will be resumed for the discussion of various trade questions. The date of the first fall meeting has not yet been announced, but will be decided upon soon. An American Consul in England reports a company in his locality desirous of securing names of American manufacturers of talking machine motors and fittings. Manufacturers wishing ' to communicate with this company should address the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, Department of Commerce, Washington, D. C, referring to Foreign Trade Opportunity No. 13739. The Success of Your Talking Machine Department Is to a large extent dependent upon the service your distributor gives you. This admitted makes it important that you secure the best service obtainable. AND THAT IS EASTERN SERVICE To use it is to swear By it not At it. May we not have the opportunity to convince you that our service is exceptional? EASTERN TALKING MACHINE COMPANY 177 TREMONT STREET, BOSTON, MASS. EDISON FOR NINETEEN YEARS TALKING MACHINES EXCLUSIVELY VICTOR