MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Thompson Community Center
PROGRAM SUMMARY
“The History of the Heid Music Company”
CALL TO ORDER BY PRESIDENT TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 75
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Thomas Sutter, Christine Williams, Laura Leimer, James Richter, Mark Moderson, Gwen Sargeant, David Buss, Linda Muldoon, Brian Schneider.
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
August 13th - Harry H. Long Moving and Storage since 1917 by John Long
August 17th - 2 p.m. Meet the Mayors Riverside Cemetery Walk - Part 3
September 10 - Appleton Yacht Club-Larry Konz
October 8 - Appleton’s Historic Ravines-Sandy Benton and Fox River Academy students
November 12 - The Appleton Picture Show. Bring your own photos for show and tell.
December 6th 9th AHS History Fair, City Center, Downtown Appleton
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
· Officers for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
· Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Thanks to Gwen Sargeant for running last month’s meeting in his absence.
B. Thanks to Gary Schierl for last month’s program on the History of the Sherman
House and Conway Hotel.
C. We have responded to concerns about poor hearing and echoing in our meeting room.
Starting with this meeting we will be putting speakers on the stage at the podium.
D. We appreciate John and Linda Marx manning our booth at the Appleton Downtown
Farm Market last Saturday. This provided our organization some exposure and to talk
with folks about Appleton History.
E. Introduced all of the AHS Officers and Board Members.
F. Special thanks is also extended to Gannett Publications for regular coverage in their
Bulletin paper.
G. Made special note of two articles just ran in the Appleton Post Crescent about the
History of Oscar J. Boldt Corporation. We were fortunate enough to have a program on
Boldt earlier this year.
H. Urges us to attend a couple events that will be put on by the Neenah Historical Society
in coming weeks.
I.The YMCA is doing a Bus Trip and Tour to Chicago on Wednesday, August 5th. Key
event will be to view the Chicago World’s Fair Exhibit at the Field Museum.
J.Just a reminder that previous meeting presentations can be found on YouTube, and our
Meeting Minutes with Program Summary are on our Web Page.
K.Door Prize – Was presented to Pat Hausler, who won two car wash tokens provided by
Bergstrom Enterprises.
L.History Quiz Question for the Month- Who was the first female Mayor of the City of
Appleton. ANSWER: Dorothy Johnson.
AHS COMMUNICATIONS REPORTS:
Christine Williams, Vice President:
1. Gave a summary of upcoming programs and events.
Gwen Sargeant, Board and Public Relations Committee Member:
1. Gave update on the Book we will be publishing on Appleton History. Still looking for pictures and items to include in the book.
2. Urged us to attend a program at the Outagamie Museum on Black History.
PROGRAM - History of The Heid Music Company, Presented by Paul Heid.
Paul Heid Background:
Paul was born in 1943 at Saint Elizabeth's Hospital in Appleton Wisconsin. He lived in Appleton all of his life except for the four years he lived in Milwaukee while attending Marquette University from 1961 to 1965. He started working at Heid Music Company immediately after graduation and worked there until he retired about five years ago.
Paul has been involved in many music industry organizations. Also, he has served on the boards of the Appleton Redevelopment Authority, the Appleton Area School District, Valley Bank, Fox Valley Symphony, and the board to establish and build the performing arts Center in downtown Appleton.
The Presentation:
(1) Peter Matthias Heid got out of the Army in 1945 and worked as a salesman for Henry Techlin selling parts for his Appleton Radio Supply. In 1948 Pete started the Heid Music Company.
(2) Pete came from a retail family. His grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Matthias Rossmeissl operated a shoe store in the community.
(3) Aunt Agnes Rossmeissl provided the startup money for Heid Music.
(4) Their family has a 100 years of retail experience in downtown Appleton.
(5) Heid Music first was located at 305 W. College Avenue from 1948-1951 (current site of The Bar).
(6) They moved the store to East College Avenue in 1951.
(7) In those days their neighbors were the Frick Corsette Shop and the Jimos Hat Shop, as was Checkerboard Lunch.
(8) In 1957 they moved to their current block on East College Avenue. (Former site of the Elm Tree Bakery).
(9) The have grown there and have taken over the Suess Radio and TV and Jerry’s Pipe Shop store buildings, and finally the E.W.Shannon Office Supply building.
(10) In the 1960’s they expanded to Oshkosh for 6 to 7 years, but then closed.
(11) In the 1970’s they moved into the Green Bay Market and have recently moved into their 5th Green Bay area location.
(12) Just a few years ago they bought out the Henri’s Music locations in Appleton, Green Bay and Oshkosh.
(13) Three years ago they opened a large store in Madison.
(14) Currently with five locations they employee 97 people, and have become the largest music store in Wisconsin. Of their staff they have 15 musical instrument repair specialists alone.
(15) Peter Heid retired in 1983 and the business continued to be operated by his partner Buck Jensen and family.
(16) During this time the Heid’s partnered with 15 or 16 like music companies as a self help organization.
(17) Originally these music businesses would go to schools and sell Boards of Education on music programs. When accepted they would teach music to the students, provide instruments for the musicians and outlets for the students to practice and perform.
(18) Lawrence University’s Peabody Conservatory met in a building right behind the Heid store. A lot of interaction took place.
(19) In the late 1990’s Paul and Bob bought out the Jensen family. As time passed Paul and son Todd bought out Bob.
(20) At one time Appleton had 6 or 7 music stores. Meyers-Seeger was the largest.
(21) The Heid’s made acquisitions of most of these including Jim Laabs Music (based in Stevens Point), Tony’s Drum Shop and Gilmour Brothers Music.
(22) Their current business is really three businesses in one:
A. Pianos and keyboards.
B. School music business.
C. Guitars and amplifiers.
(23)Since the musicians in each of these three areas really don’t relate to each other
very well, they operate the three separate entities.
(23) They have always adapted to the times and the needs of their customers:
A. They used to convert hi’fi’s into stereos.
B. In the 1950’s they were in the television business.
C. In the 50’s and 60’s they were in the home organ business on a large scale.
D. In about 1957 they went into the record business, and got out of it 10 years later.
Tidbits about the Heid’s and the Business:
(1) Paul Heid had different career intentions originally. He attended Dental School at Marquette University.
(2) Paul started by playing the trumpet, and then the French horn and so on. Lost interest in all and never became a musician himself.
(3) Peter Heid and Buck Jensen were first class musicians.
(4) First company vehicle they bought was a 1949 Station Wagon.
In Conclusion, Paul stressed how fortunate they have been to be able to operate in Appleton for so many years, and they thank their many customers and friends. He was also pleased to say that “We are a happy business!”
Respectfully, James L. Richter
AHS Secretary, 7/24/14