Evening journal., 1903-12-11
FORMAL OPENING OF
REMODELED PIANO HOUSE
That One of Robel en- Com
pany One Of Most Complete
in Country

Faith in Wilmington is being ex-
emplihed IN no uncertain way today by
the formal opening OF the rebuilt store
Of the Robelon Piano Company, at 40 /
Market street. Practically a. new
building complete in It's appointments,
the home OF this Wilmington business
house is one OF the most attractive in
the city.
we want to show. and are showing.
to Wilmington people said L. A. Ber-
toilette TO a representative Of the
Evening Journal. that a home COM
pany can orfer them every possible
convenience. give them better results
in the way OF the same goods for less
money and really assist them In all
ways In the selection Of what they
wish. We are In a growing city. OF
which am proud. and we have a
growing business"
Every modern convenience for facih-
tating business has been arranged in
the new store, remodelled, rebuilt and
rearranged, and the only part OF the
old store that was retained for this
new home Of pianos is the artistic store
front. The showrooms OF the store, the
main one being on the second floor, are
ESPECIALLY well-arranged and the re-
suits secured are equal to anything to
be found In the larger cities. One of
the greatest necessities of the new store
was to get plenty Of floor space and in
this the architect has succeeded admir-
lably, fine acoustic properties being Sc
cured Tor the building.
Artisucally arranged in the second
floor room are Knabe, Mehlin & Sons,
Robelen. Lindeman, Sterling. Schubert.
Haines Bros. Cable, Franklin. Fisher
Durand and Bailey pianos--a list OF
makers names that tells IN n few
words a long story Of fine goods.
In the third floor there Is an assort-
ment Of second-h hand pianos and Or
gans and quarters have been pro-
vided there FOR a workshop in which
repairing is done by skilled mechanics
At the front Of the first floor is the
general business department. on one
side is a case containing sheet music
and on the opposite side "a case con-
tanning the smaller instruments, Will,
the great part Of the remainder is de-
voted to pianos. The Office is in III,
rear.
Tho building is decidedly ornamental
The original unique two-arch entrance
with its large. ornamental windows ant
rustic front Is a feature, and the tW,
upper stories have ornamental coppe
fronts, with large plate glass bay win
dows, and above each OF the large win
dows is the wonderful light-throwinl
prismatic glass. The interior OF tn
building has been finished in harl
wood.
3 The Rohelen Piano Company had II
beginning thlrty-two years ago. i
! 1871 Henry T.. Robelen, the founder
r opened a store for the sale OF piano
: and other musical Instruments in IN
4 Institute Building, at Eighth and Mar
n ket streets. succeeding Henry Groh
Mr.. Robelen was well acquainted wit
e the business. having served an apprer
IS ticeship Of four years in the piano fai
tory Of William Knabe & Company.
% Baltimore. After conducting busine.
s. Tor a few years in the Institute Built
2 ing Mr.. Robelen purchased the pror
r erty az 40 Market street, and the e.
=. tablishment has been at that locatio
] ever since. The business was cor
p tinued by Mr.. Robelen until 1898, whe
i. A. Bertolette who had for SON
time been one Of the leading magls
. trates in the city purchased an inter
ost in the business, having retired frol
. the Office Of Magistrate. and the nri
p Of Robelen 6 Company was forme,
Tho business was continued by th
> firm until 1899, when q stock conpan
WIS formed. known as the Robeie
Piano Company. Henry +. Robele
was the president; Levi A. Bertoiott
secretary and treasurer. and Charles {
kurtz was also interested. In 1900 NJ
Robelen died and the company was re
; organised with Levi A. Bertolette a
= president; John S. Bertolette. vice
b president and Edward r. Kurtz. sec
retary and treasurer. This is the pres
ent organization.
The formal opening OF the company
old-new home is being largely attende
- today and is an event in business cil
- cles which is attracting much after
ton.