The talking machine world (Jan-June 1928)

82 The Talking Machine World, New York, January, 1928 Trade in the Cleveland Territory Reports Satisfactory Year-end Business Cleveland Music Trades Association to Hold Annual Banquet and Election of Officers in February—Fleming Co. Opens Radio Department— Jerry's Musical Box Opens Cleveland, O., January 9. — The Cleveland music trade enjoyed a good business for Christmas. It was not phenomenal, but, considering general business conditions, it was very satisfactory. The demand for phonographs was fair. The demand for records was heavy, as it usually is at Christmas time. The Fleming Furniture Co., of 13701 St. Clair avenue, formally opened its radio department to the public and celebrated the event in a unique manner by installing an audition station, known as 2 F. C. O., in its display window. A very fine program by local talent was put on in the evening and gave the public the opportunity to see the inside workings of a radio studio. At the present time the cora Rockford Hardware is made to stand up under wear and tear. In beauty, workmanship and finish it is designed to give the utmost in service and satisfaction. Actual samples of any items you use gladly sent on request. Write for the Catalog, No. 18, and keep it handy. Rational bock Co., FtpckfordJII. U. S. A. Coble Address: NATLOCK Branch Sales Offices : Chicago, 111. Cincinnati, O. Detroit, Mich. Evansville, Ind. Grand Rapids. Mich. Hizh Point, N. C. Shebovean. Wis. St. Louis, Mo. Indianapolis, Ind. Jamestown. N. Y. Los Angeles, Cal. Milwaukee, Wis. Seattle, Wash. pany is featuring the Argus and Crosley sets. The Starr Piano Co., Huron road, has moved its salesrooms to the second and third floors. The Bolton Square Electric Co., of East Eighty-ninth street and Carnegie avenue, has taken space in the Prospect avenue building of the Starr Piano Co. and is featuring Sonora and other nationally known makes of radio receiving sets. The regular monthly meeting of the Cleveland Music Trades Association was held at the Hotel Winton and dinner preceded the meeting. There was a fair attendance and Anthony L. Maresh presided. The matter of admitting radio jobbers to membership in the association was discussed but no action taken. The annual banquet and election of officers will take place on February 13. Very much different is the new music store of Jerry Goldsmith, at 1600 Euclid avenue, which was opened during the month. It is called Jerry's Musical Box. It is a downstairs location, but the front of the store has been built up on a level with the sidewalk and the exterior presents the appearance of a box to a certain extent. Just inside the entrance there is a piano and a young lady plays the latest popular songs, which is proving quite an attraction. Phonographs, radios and Okeh records and pianos are carried, as well as a full line of sheet music. The Cleveland branch of the Brunswick Co. is putting in a very beautiful demonstration and display room. It is being built in the rear of the salesrooms. The branch has received samples of the new P. R. 17-8 combination model, and E. S. Germain, district manager, reports heavy advance orders for it. The Muehlhauser Bros. Co., located in the Guenther Building on Euclid avenue, has taken the agency for the Stromberg-Carlson line of radio receivers. The big sensation of the month was the introduction of the Atwater Kent new model 37 to the trade through the distributor, the Cleveland Ignition Co. T. E. Chadwick, radio sales manager of the Cleveland Ignition Co., was presented with what he termed the "most wonderful present ever" — a fine son and heir. Both mother and boy are doing well. V. W. Collamore, general sales manager of the Atwater Kent Mfg. Co., was a visitor to the Cleveland Ignition Co. during the month. The Cleveland Talking Machine Co., Victor distributor, is making a regular monthly feature of the meetings for dealers' record saleswomen. These affairs are held at one of the downtown restaurants and following the dinner there is an interesting meeting and demonstration of selling not only records but of interesting prospects in an instrument. There is invariably a full attendance as the affairs are both enjoyable and instructive. The company received its first shipment of the new Electrola No. 1215 and this was quickly disposed of as there were many orders on hand. A. L. Maresh, one of the pioneers in Cleveland's music trade circles, who gave up active management of his music store on East Fiftyfifth street, near Broadway, early last year, is back again in harness, having assumed control of the business again. The H. C. Schultz Co., distributor of the Sonora and other lines of musical merchandise, reports that Sonora now has a larger distribution in this territory than ever before and the year 1928 gives every indication of being a good one for business. This distributor features a most complete line of musical instruments and radio. MICA DIAPHRAGMS For Loud Speakers and Talking Machines RADIO MICA American Mica Works 47 West Street New York R. W. Porter Resigns From Splitdorf Bethlehem Go. Plans to Engage in Sales and Advertising Organization Work — Well Known to All Branches of Trade Throughout the Country Robert W. Porter, vice-president and general sales manager of the Splitdorf Bethlehem Electrical Co., of which the Splitdorf Radio Corp., Newark, N. J., is a subsidiary, tendered his resignation, effective January 1, to engage in sales and advertising organization work. Mr. Porter is well known in both radio and talking machine circles. After ten years of adding machine specialty sales experience, he settled into the general field of sales management. In his earlier selling days he traveled much and studied the sectional buying habits of the people of the country. Thus, when he entered the employ of the Columbia Phonograph Co., he soon became known as the traveling sales manager. He operated for this company twenty-eight sales branches, organizing branch meetings and taking active charge in directing the advertising, field salesmen, dealer and sales promotion work. Mr. Porter numbered 7,000 dealers among his personal acquaintances. This period Mr. Porter regards as the most valuable, fitting him for the serious business of knowing how to sell goods by means of thoroughly organized selling effort. It was while Mr. Porter was with Columbia that he developed what became known as the "Point of Sales Newspaper Advertising Plan." Through an interlocking newspaper campaign, which was carefully worked out on a basis of locality, covering certain prescribed space and copy appeals, over 500,000 phonographs were disposed of at a time when talking machine sales were decidedly, slow. When radio had reached a point where application of fundamental merchandising ideas could be made, Mr. Porter became vice-president and general manager of the R. E. Thompson Mfg. Co. Mr. Porter then joined the Splitdorf Bethlehem Electrical Co., where he applied his specialized sales knowledge with excellent results. Mr. Porter, while authorizing the announcement as to his retirement from the Splitdorf affiliated companies, stated he did not deem it proper to reval his new clientele at the moment. E. Toman & Go. Announce New Phonograph Reproducer Latest Product Introduced by Weil-Known Manufacturer Embodies New Features E. Toman & Co., Chicago, 111., recently perfected a new reproducer, which seems destined to attract considerable attention. The new No. 3 reproducer, as it is designated, embodies, among other features, the idea of a positive-locking back, without screws, which often become loose and cause blasting. The diaphragm is of duraluminum and handlacquered to protect it from changes in climate. This new diaphragm is 10/1000 thick, just four times the breadth of the usual type of diaphragm. It is cushioned by live-rubber gaskets, which faithfully translate every vibration into its true tone value. Double-grip tone arm screws hold the reproducer in correct position at all times. In each of these developments E. Toman & Co. have introduced marked advances in reproducer construction.