The sun., 1905-11-26
THEY SHOP TO MUSIC NOW,
FREE CONCERTS GIVEN ~ THE
DEPARTMENT STORES.

purse strings and chatelaine bags OF shop
pers was discovered eight years ago by the
head OF department store. He wanted TO
get the public to visit his big grocery de-
partment and engaged a string orchestra
Of four or five pieces TO play on a certain
day, and he advertised the fact in the news
papers.
The housekeeping public read the ad-
vertisement and descended on the grocer
les, or rather on the free music, lnciden-
tally dropping good many dollars in other
departments before leaving the store.
That was practically the beginning OF
free music In department stores
The custom Of providing music in depart
ment stores, 10 far as can be learned, IL
restricted to this country, and TO New
York. Even in the most popular OF the
London and Paris department stores there
Is no free music.
In New York total Of between $4,000
and 100000 is spent every winter by the
proprietors OF ten or a dozen department
stores In treating their customers to free
vocal and Instrumental concerts. Several
of these stores include regular music
room or concert hall.
The programmes rendered extend from
result of all this there are hundreds OF
women whose daily routine includes several
hours in the shops
The proprietor of one department store
told an inquirer the other day that there
were women who frequently spent the
whole day in his store, being attracted
chiefly by the free music. He cited also
the case of an elderly man of means, long
Setired from active business, who spent
hour after hour in the stores, This man
frankly stated that he would rather visit
the shops than theatre any day; that he
found them far more entertaining.
How does it happen you are 80 well up
In all the popular airs OF the day? asked a
busy woman of housekeeper who can't
afford to frequent shows which must be
paid for
Il hear them at Blanks department store,
was the answer. II go there often of an
afternoon, get a pot of tea for dime and
make that an excuse to sit and listen com
fortably to piano and violin stationed just
outside of the Japanese tea room. They
play almost any piece OF music asked for
by customers.
few months after the introduction of
q string orchestra to the tea, coffee, sugar,
spices, pickles and plum cake department
of the concern referred to a second depart
ment store adopted the free concert idea
with enthusiasm Not content with giving
an almost continuous performance Of piano
and organ music in one part Of the building,
the manager has in the last two years ar
ranged two or three evening concerts at
which celebrated orchestras, aided by oele
brated vocal sooists, have entertained n
company OF more than five hundred per-
SONS, who obtained tickets by simply apply
ing for them to the firm either by letter or
in person
But this is not all.
During the holiday season last year, at
q time when 1t would seem a. if the crowds
in all the stores were dense enough to satisfy
the most ambitious rroprietors, this store
furnished as an extra attraction solos and
duets sung by well known artists During
the intervals of this programme instru-
mental music by piano and organ was per-
formed.
Although the exact sum spent by this
firm on free music cannot be ascertaned,
an idea Of the amount may be had from
a remark of a member of the concern whose
yearly salary is known to be in five figures
Said this man
Il should be very glad to have yearly
income equal to the sum we ray out every
year to musicians And we intend to pay
out more in the future than we have in the
past"
why all this music" he was asked at
is all very we'll Of course, in the piano depart
ment to help to sell the Instruments, but
why give evening concerts and special
musical programmes during the day III
other parts Of the store? Are not bargain
counters enough to draw crowd Of women
at any time?"
Perhaps. But tho concerts and extra
performances are not arranged solely 10
draw more dollars out Of the visiting public
They are intended as a courtesy to our
patrons, an acknowledgement Of their
generous dealings with Us.
up to date merchants IN these DAYS
strive to make their retail establishments
as attractive as possible. Some have one
method, some another, Of getting to the
same point. Our method Includes giving
first class musical programmes every now
and then.
In one department store rhe midwinter
musical features which will soon begin
keep three orchestras going COM
posed Of mandolins only. IN order to reach
/ III the shoppers in different parts Of the huge
building none plays for more than one hour
In one spot The store schedule states at
what spot and when each may be heard In
turn.
Not far away from this building is another
which includes a music room furnished with
rows OF chairs, a piano and many shelves
containing piles Of sheet music--lnrlsc
grave and gay, appealing to any nationality,
which is for sale.
Any one curious to know how certain
piece OF music sounds before making up his
or her mind to buy need only hand it over
to the musician in charge, who plays it on
the piano--plays it well, too, All afternoon
long this room ia filed with women. An
occasional man strays in looks embarrassed
and edges out again. The piano is seldom
silent.
One afternoon woman, who had re-
moved her hat, wrap and gloves, sat placidly
knitting in a corner of the room the picture
of oontentment. Near her was another
listener, a baby asleep in her arms
Jimmie likes the music, she whispered
TO a woman who sat down beside her