The talking machine world (Jan-June 1925)

138 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD April 15, 1925 Baltimore Trade Is Enjoying Sales Gains All Factors of the Trade Are Optimistic Over the Outlook for Summer — Hub Furniture Co. Opens Department — News of Month Baltimore, Md., April 10. — The past month showed considerable improvement over the previous month in the talking machine business and business generally is reported good, especially in records. Jobbers here are rather optimistic over the outlook for business this Summer and retail dealers feel that the talking machine is again coming into its own. The increase in business last month to a large extent can be attributed to the campaign put on by the Victor Co. which spurred the other dealers to new efforts and the town was canvassed in a more thorough and systematic manner than for years, Holds Formal Opening The Hub Furniture Co., of Washington, had a formal opening of its talking machine department last month and special window displays of both talking machines and records featured the occasion. The firm has seven listening rooms all on the first floor near the front door and they are all handsomely equipped with the latest appliances. Many New Columbia Accounts One of the most optimistic men in the business here is W. H. Swartz, vice-president of the Columbia Wholesalers, Inc., distributors of the Columbia. "Business for the first three months of the year has been very good," said Mr. Swartz, "and closely approximates the remarkable volume of business done the early part of last year. Dealers in this territory are enthusiastic over the additional discounts being alPowed on certain Columbia models, and this to a large extent accounts for the wonderful business being done by Columbia dealers. Many dealers have increased their outside sales force during the past few months. The 25 per cent discount on records is also having its effect on sales and dealers everywhere in this territory are pushing the sale of records with excellent results. "Tn line with the policy of the corporation in granting franchises to the best and most high-grade stores, the following firms have been made Columbia dealers: Hub Furniture Co., Washington, D. C; National Furniture Co., COLUMBIA "The Best in Music" The name "Columbia" stands for the best in music. The list of Columbia New Process Records includes the recently issued series of Musical Masterworks (album sets of complete symphonies, recorded in Europe by famous orchestras, conducted by men of world-wide reputation); the popular "hits" of the day; foreign records in all important languages ; race records by race stars; "fiddle" records by the artists who are in demand. The best to be had in music. Let Us Serve You ! ColumtiaWhole L.L.Andrews — Wm.H. Swartz ' Exclusively Wholes ale 205 W Camden S t. , Baltimore, Md. salersjl r 1C. Washington, D. C. ; Holloway Bros., Charlotte, Va. ; Levy Furniture Co., Roanoke, Va.; Harlow, Wilcox & Co., Petersburg, Va. ; Grand Piano Co., Roanoke, Va. ; Winfree, Strother Co., Lynchburg, Va. ; Weldon Furniture Co.; Weldon, N. C. ; Phillips Furniture Co., Ahoshi, N. C; Clinchfield Corp., Clinchfield, N. C; Community Music Parlor, Harrisburg, Va.; and a number of other smaller houses. All of them have put in a complete line of Columbias and records." Bright Outlook for Brunswick Chas. F. Shaw, manager of the local branch of the Brunswick Co., is another man who holds optimistic views on the outlook for both the phonograph and the combination phonograph-radio. "Business continues to show a very gratifying increase," he said, "and I can see no reason why it should not continue to do so tight along now. Dealers generally are showing more co-operation with the jobber with the result that there is a more united effort to FAST SERVICE TO THE SOUTH From Pennsylvania to Florida COLUMBIA WHOLESALERS, Inc., is known as the Radio Distributor with a real cooperative dealer service and merchandising plan. The ONLY DISTRIBUTOR in the South with an exclusive dealership proposition. FADA CROSLEY MAGNAVOX (Exclusive Distributors) Distributors of PHILCO (Radio and Automotive) THOROLA BURGESS KING CHARGERS BRACH APCO TOWERS SCIENTIFIC (E,ciu8ive> CUNNINGHAM Columbia Wholesalers, Inc. WHOLESALE ONLY 205 W. Camden St. Baltimore, Md. reach the buying public than has been the case before. ''The Baltimore branch feels proud of the fact that through Bernard J. Foy, of Foy Inc., one of our Washington dealers, it has placed a BrunswickRadiola No. 260 in the White House. The machine was the gift of a number of friends of Everett Sanders, secretary to the President, in his home town of Terre Haute, Ind., and was presented to him by Will H. Hays, former Postmaster General. H. H. Beach, Eastern sales manager of the Brunswick Co., spent several days in the Baltimore territory the first part of the month, visiting a number of places here and in Washington. Dealers' Drives Create Sales Boggs, Rice & Co., of Bristol, Va., recently conducted an advertising campaign using about fifteen small papers throughout the section and report excellent results, having orders for records from as far as California and Alaska. The Laurens Music Shop, of this city, has built up a record mail order business by personal letter system and has a mailing list of some 4,000 phonograph owners, all of whom are circularized with splendid results. Lester B. Harvey, of Appomattox, Va., in writing to the Columbia Wholesalers, reports great success on the $200, $250 and $300 machines in a "trade-in" canvass of his territory. Sales of the old-time tune records which have been all the rage in Virginia and North Carolina continue unabated, Benefield, Motley & Co., Columbia dealers in Danville, having sold nearly 5,000 of these records already. F. H. Espey Recovered F. H. Espey, Virginia representative of the Brunswick Co., who has been confined to the hospital for the past month with an attack of pneumonia, is again back on the job and receiving the congratulations of many friends in the business on his recovery. Cohen & Hughes Buy Building Cohen & Hughes, Inc., have taken title to their large and commodious building at Cathedral and Eager streets and after extensive improvements will move from their present location on West Saratoga street. The building represents an investment of over $100,000 and about $10,000 will be spent in remodeling the place for the growing needs of this concern. The following radio firms have filed articles of incorporation with the State Tax Commission: The , Russell Radio Corp., 1429 Maryland avenue; capital stock, $100,000; incorporators: