Sherman Clay

Sherman, Clay & Co.
Private
Industry Musical instruments
Founded 1853
Headquarters 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 450, San Bruno, California, USA
Number of locations
 San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Santa Clara, Roseville, Bellevue, Seattle, Houston (2)
Area served
 San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Houston
Products pianos
Website www.shermanclay.com

Sherman, Clay & Co. is an American music retailer and former music publisher founded in San Francisco.

History

Founded in 1853 as A. A. Rosenberg, located in San Francisco at the corner of Kearny and Sutter streets, Leander Schutzenbach Sherman (1847–1926) — who had been working as clerk for Rosenberg — bought-out his employer in 1870 and took on Major Clement C. Clay (1836–1905) as a partner in 1879.[1] In 1892, Sherman, Clay & Co. was incorporated with Sherman as president. During the 1890s, the firm imported music, pianos, and musical instruments; and it manufactured pianos and church organs from its own factory. At that time, the two principals were Leonard Georges (born 1850), who served as treasurer, and Louis F. Geissler (born 1861).

As of 2013, Sherman, Clay had sold over two million instruments. Sherman, Clay sells new and used pianos manufactured by companies such as Steinway & Sons (which includes subcontracted pianos from suppliers sold under the secondary names Boston and Essex), the Yamaha Corporation, and the Henry F. Miller Piano company.

In 2013, Sherman Clay announced it was going out of business on May 31, 2013 after 142 years. Some of its locations will become Steinway and Sons dealerships.[2]

May 7, 2013, was proclaimed by San Francisco chief of protocol Charlotte Mailliard Shultz as Sherman Clay Day in San Francisco to honor the retailer.[3]

References

External links