The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-08
The Firm That Made
Richmond Musical Is
to Be Enlarged.
GREW WITH CITY.
AND GROWING YET
Piano and Musical Instrument Els.
tablishment Seeks More Ground
to Expand With Expansion
of Richmond-Grace Street
Is to Be Invaded-Gen-
cral Music Studio.

quiet announcement was made
como weeks ago that tho Corley Com
pany, the house that made Richmond
musical had bought certain Grace
street property. with the view OF build :
ing through from their present quar-
tiers, 2lS East Broad street. ard MAX
ing the largest and most extensive
piano and music house that was ever
dreamed OF in all or the Southland
called on j. g. Ccrley. the head OF tho.
mouse. to ascertain the facts. In a
quiet and modest way lie admitted
that the property had been acquired.
ana further admitted that II was the
purpose of the company TO build
through to Grace Street and make 3,
house that Richmond and all Virginia
ana all the South. as for that matter.
VIII be proud OF. But" said he, ..y.
nre not especially hurrying about it.
In fnct. We can't hurry. While VIC
have acquired the property. all right.
there arc lcasca aid chooses on some
OF II that viii take time TO 10 re-
moved, and II may lie as much ~ a
year before We can do all CT the things
we have in mind, but we nro going
ahead as rapidly ~ we can" Mr..
Corley admitted that In view o, the
necessary enlargement. tentative plans
had been made, and practically the
"ork had been mapped out. In fact,
the new Corley house Is on tho map Of
lsichmond and II is only q question Of
time. and limited time at that, when it
VIII De visible To the naked eye.
Thoughts OF the Past.
And all OF this reminds me that IN
the scores OF successful business en-
ierpriscs that have contributed so
much 70 the commercial awakening of
richmond, none. perhaps, occupies a
more promincn; place than tho Corlcy
Company. the housc that made Rich
mond musical"
The beginning OF this successful
musical establishment dates back to
1887. in which year r piano warcroom
WAS opened at 1917 East Main street
under the name OF Sanders & Say,nan
and associated with whom. was j. G.
CorlcS, destined, though urdreaRicd Of
Mt that time, to become the head OF
one OF the South's greatest music
houses.
IN 1880. the name Of the firm was
changed 10 the Richmond Music Com
peny and new location was secured
NJ East liroad Street II is inter
estiuS To note that this marked the
FIRST invasion Of Broad street by any
music house. though many later fol-
lowed this lead. The demands OF in
cFeas!ng business soon made another
move necessary and tho store waa
leased Al the present loca ton. al3 East
Broad Street.
y :cw years later the Cable Com :
pailSs OF Chicago. what Is clIilncd 10 be
the worlds largest manufacturers OF
pianos. with branches In every city of
Importance III the country, tool; over
the business, operating IL under their
own name. making II q large factory.
distributing branch for Virginia, West
Virginia. North Carolina and parts of
South Carolina, under the general man
ngership and supervision or j. Il Cor
ley.
business OF To-Day.
In October. 1911, a local stock COM
p&ny was organized by Mr. Corlcy TO
purchase the Cable interests at Rich
nond and incorporated with a capital
OF 100000. In addition 10 their i'm
;ncnse retail business OF musical In
struments are wholesaleG TO dealers
in many states. for the business OF the
tcorley Company has now extended it
self as far TO the Northwest as Mime
apolis, Mimi. to the West as far as St
Louis and Kansas City. and to the
South far as Jacksonville Fla, and
New Orleans, La
In the Coming Days.
tAe rapid development OF this house
has made IT necessary to secure addi-
tional Moor space and the firm belief
OF Mr.. Corley, that Grace Street IS
destined to become the main retail
business street of Richmond IS shown
In the requirement OF the property at
2o6 East Grace street, directly in the
rear OF the present Broad Street build
ing.
Building operations will he started
in the near future. and u handsome
four-story building erected. With
Keen foresight. to future require
'ncnts, the foundation Of this building,
VIII be or heavy construction. and so
designed that additional stories may
he added as needed. In the meanwhile,
the Grace street residence. now. n pa rt
Of the purchased property, will he
fitted up In the fall and used for
music studios until the close OF the
musical schools in June OF next year.
1t is proposed to carry out in this
new building the plans. ideas and de-
ttils shat Mr.. Corlcy has had I'm mind
ana which Will give to Richmond one
of the finest cdifces in the country, de-
voted to music and matters musical.
In design."it will be one OF the most
strikinCly artistic buildings ever con-
structed. and the plans and specifica-
tons cmbody manT unique and attrac-
tive ideas in architecture. The outside
will he built Of handsome. cream coll
orcd enamelled brick. with ornamental
terra Gotta decorations In relief. ~
deep. open loGgia with floor OF green
tile conveys an invitation to the
ptssnr-by ii step within.
Scientific Arrangements.
In the interior much careful thought
has been expended. In addition to the
large, impressive display room for
musical instruments. there will be NJ
teen CT twenty sound-proof studios
constructed on approved acoustic
principles for the use OF teachers Of
this city. On tho second floor will be
located splendid auditorium. with n
seating capacity of Ebout 400, and
many OF the city's most delightful
musical events will doubtless be staged
herein. rs this frm has always taken
nm active part IN every movement
which had for its object the growth
and development OF musical sentiment
III the community.
When completed, the now bull
will DO four stories In height, front