Hi Folks,  I'm surprised that the news hasn't spread faster than this:
the old roll auction at QRS is no longer.

The manufacturing portion of QRS Music Rolls in Buffalo has been
suspended until September.  The Buffalo office is still open and can
be reached at 716-885-4600.  Their "800" number will connect you to the
Florida office.  Most of the full-time employees and part-timers have
been laid off (including Dan Wilke).  The Story & Clark piano factory
in Pennsylvania has supposedly been closed and most of the employees
laid off.

In my opinion the old roll auctions demise was brought about when
a change in the bid reduction system was instituted by management
a couple of auctions ago.  Problems for the factory were compounded
by delays in producing and distributing of the new roll catalog in a
timely manner (the most recent catalog was released at the beginning
of December, too late for Christmas shoppers to make much of an
impact).  Rolls are still in stock, though, and all orders should be
able to be filled completely, and in a timely manner.

As a frequent visitor to the factory for the past twenty-some years,
I will miss many of the friendly faces that greeted me as I passed
through the office and factory.

I do hope that when September 1999 comes around, Mr. Dolan, the owner,
will have a fresh catalog full of new titles for customers to purchase.

I hope, also, that in some small way that this e-mail will act as a
wake-up call to MMDers and remind them that any industry must have
customers in order to survive, and QRS has not had too many orders
(other than John Tuttle) as of late!

There may another side to this story, and I'm certain that everyone
would be interested in hearing from "the other side of the coin".

Best wishes (and buy those rolls!)

Mike Walter