The talking machine world (Jan-June 1922)

138 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD June 15, 1922 FORMAL OPENING OF THE STANDARD CO.'S NEW BUILDING Great Gathering of Victor Dealers and Prominent Guests Enjoy Hospitality of Standard Talking Machine at Dedication of New Home — Speeches by J. S. Macdonald, J. G. Paine and Others Pittsburgh, Pa., June 5. — The Standard Talking Machine Co., of this city, Victor wholesaler, formally opened its new four-story-and-basement building in the heart of the Pittsburgh business district with an all-day housewarming on May 24. Everyone of the 150 Victor dealers who visited the "Standard" plant saw demonstrated the fact that a ground floor Victor jobbing service is possible even in a city the size of Pittsburgh. The officers of this enterprising jobbing house have so planned their building that practically all the every-day functions are conducted and all the constantly used equipment is located on the street floor, including a spacious and beau Luncheon was served on the Hotel Chatham Roof, a few doors away from the Standard Building, following which the formal addresses of the day were begun. J. C. Roush, president of the Standard Talking Machine Co., presided and introduced the speakers. Dr. J. T. Holdsworth, vice-president of the Bank of Pittsburgh, talked on the business outlook, with particular reference to conditions in and around Pittsburgh. The Address of J. S. Macdonald J. S. Macdonald, sales manager of the Victor Talking Machine Co., followed with a very excellent talk on the outlook for the coming season's business, viewed from the sales manager's office. Among the many interesting subjects dis their Victor jobbers the new building which the Standard had just opened and the constantly increasing investment and advertising by the Victor Co. He assured his audience that an excellent Fall and Winter business was in store for Victor dealers. Martin L. Pierce, of the Hoover Suction Sweeper Co., Canton, O., was the third speaker on the program. He devoted his address entirely to selling ideas, which he believed a Victor dealer could use profitably and which had been worked successfully by his company. His address made an excellent impression on the dealers present, many of whom made notes during the progress of his talk. John G. Paine, of the legal department of the Victor Co., delivered the closing address, which was replete with oratory and good common-sense advice on subjects connected with Victor merchandise. This was the first occasion that Mr. (1) Main aisle of stock and packing room; (2) New entrance; (5) Corner of shipping tifully decorated lobby, offices, record stocks, packing, shipping, printing and repairing rooms all working toward and terminating in the inside loading platform at the rear of the building and opening on a public alley. Other interesting features of the Standard plant include its own railroad siding of the Pennsylvania Railroad, h spiral chute for handling stock from the second floor to the shipping room, a display room on the second floor, beautifully equipped for dealers' customers, and which can be converted into an assembly room as needed, and an attractive board room, admirably adapted to small group meetings of dealers and to other uses of the trade, all covering 36,000 square feet of floor space. The Standard Co.'s housewarming furnished a busy day for the Victor dealers of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia. From early morning until a reasonably late hour at night the friends and customers of Standard were alternately instructed and entertained to the best of the company's ability, which any dealer of that section will tell you goes a long way. The morning was devoted to an inspection of the Standard Building with President J. C. Roush, Manager • Wallace Russell, assisted by J. E. McCormick, H. A. Davies, E. A. Ferguson and C. E. Willis, of the Standard staff, as guides; auto trips to Pittsburgh and nearby points of interest. home of Standard Talking Machine Co.; (3) Standard's serv ice print shop; (4) View of beautiful lobby from street room of new plant, showing gravity conveyor; (6) Attractive display room in new building. cussed by Mr. Macdonald, all of the keenest interest to his audience, were the record exchanges, which, he stated, would follow the exchange recently announced until all existing "cut-outs" were returned and many additional records which had not yet been announced as "cut-outs." He bespoke the cordial support of Victor dealers for the new line of horizontal models, for which there is a rapidly increasing demand. He pointed out that, while the Victor Co. had no objection to the flat top talking machine, yet his company would certainly refuse to build a flat top Victrola, because it had, up to this time, been found impossible to build a talking machine with a flat top which at the same time would develop the musical qualities on which the Victor Co. must continue to insist in the construction of its product. In referring generally to radio he saw no reason why dealers should view this with any apprehension, because, while the great volume of radio sales during the past very unsatisfactory business period undoubtedly affected sales of Victrolas as well as other products, yet the same sales of radio during a more satisfactory period would affect the average dealer very little, if at all. Mr. Macdonald had some excellent suggestions to offer the trade as to an aggressive campaign for Victor business, and gave as positive proof of both the sincerity and the optimism of Paine had spoken in Pittsburgh and the dealers enjoyed a rare treat in his fine address. Great Time at Bongiovanni Inn The afternoon meeting adjourned at five o'clock and the following hour was spent at the Standard Building. At six o'clock all were loaded into two large interurban cars, decorated with Victor banners and with toy balloons imprinted with the Victor trade-mark and the word Standard. A merry crowd it was which left promptly at six o'clock for, as the program stated, "parts unknown." A negro orchestra in costume enlivened this trip with plantation melodies and songs. The "parts unknown" developed an hour later into the famous Bongiovanni Inn at Wildwood, where an evening filled with entertainment and good-fellowship was spent, including an interesting vaudeville program of twenty acts. One of the novelties of the evening was a 'solo dance by a pretty little girl of six years, who emerged from a Victrola to the strains of a new popular dance hit. A beautiful miniature Victrola 300, with a lid which raised, disclosing the Standard trade-mark and compartments for pins, ink and paper clips, was found at each place as a desk souvenir. The party was returned to the city in the special cars about 10:30 o'clock. In addition to the speakers of the day the guests from a distance included: Leslie Wiswell, of Lyon & Healy, Chicago, 111.; Perry B. Whit