Stone's Piano Company

Charles R. Stone arrived at Fargo on July 9, 1885, representing the W.J. Dyer & Bro. music company of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Mr. Stone was in charge of their business in North Dakota and northern Minnesota. Mr. Stone went into business for himself on February 1, 1894, opening Stone's Music House at 74 Broadway. About a year later he moved to 110 Broadway, and remained at that location until he built the C. R. Stone block at 614-615 1st Avenue North in about 1901.

In about 1909, the company changed its name to Stone's Piano Company. In 1910, Mr. Stone built a new building across the street at 613-617 1st Avenue North. The three-story building was designed by the Hancock Brothers in Classical Revival style with yellow brick and stone trim. During this time, the Fargo College Conservatory of Music was housed in the upper floors. In 1919 the Stone Piano Company expanded opening a branch store in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The late 1920s and early 1930s the United States sunk into economic depression, and this was a difficult time for the business. C. R. Stone sold the band instrument department to Albert J. Daveau in 1929, and a year later, Mr. Daveau and C. R.'s son, Robert, formed a partnership to retain the store. C. R. Stone died in Fargo on November 3, 1935. In 1940, A. J. Daveau became the sole owner of the business and renamed the store Daveau Music Company. In 1976, the Schmitt Music Company of Minneapolis purchased Daveau's. The building was beautifully restored in the 1990's and became the Avalon Events Center.

These pictures are from a postcard folio dated 1915 (2006.23.2). The next three images are of the first floor of the Stone Piano Company.

The top image shows the left side of the interior. On the far left is the stairs leading to the basement. To the left rear is an organ and there is a piano in the foreground. Note the leather sitting areas surrounding the column in the foreground and the patterned tin ceiling.

This image is taken just to the right of the one above. In the glass counter cases one can see trumpets, trombones, and other instruments.

This image shows the right side of the store.

The image to the right is the "Talking Machine Parlor." It was in the basement of the Stone building. On the left are stairs leading to the ground floor. This area was were Daveau's sold records in the 1950's and 60's.

The center image is the "piano showroom."

The bottom image shows the auditorium on the second floor.

Sources:
Fargo and Moorhead City Directory. Fargo, 1881-1927.
Polk’s Fargo and Moorhead City Directories. St. Paul, MN: R.L. Polk and Company
“C. R. Stone dies here at age 70” Fargo Forum and Daily Republican (4 Nov. 1935): 1.
“A. J. Daveau dies at 81” The Forum (18 Mar. 1981)
Fire Anniversary Edition. Fargo: Daily Argus, (7 June 1894): 24.