California
Toni Buffa and her husband, Jerry, purchased Lemur Music from the founders in 1995. The fun name of the business comes from the first names of the couple who started the store in 1964, Leah and Murray (Lea-Mur) Grodner. Toni and Jerry grew the business to include more accessories as well as their...
David Woo purchased La Jolla Music with a goal to focus on the lesson programs. His children took music lessons in the store and he wanted to capture the key element of the store by providing its community with music lessons. David expanded the number of lesson rooms, teachers, and instrument...
Bob Ryder grew up surrounded by music and began playing saxophone at an early age. When he and his wife, Janine, had the opportunity to purchase La Jolla Music in the 1990s, Bob was thrilled. The couple expanded the store’s product line while building new brands of products from overseas. The...
Jim Peterson started La Jolla Music in 1962, just a few years after his career in music retail began. Jim worked as a gigging musician in and around San Diego at night and on weekends in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His day job was as a salesman for a local music store and when an opportunity...
Janine Ryder and her husband, Bob, owned La Jolla Music on Girard Avenue for several years beginning in the 1990s. At the time, the store needed new product brands, which Janine expanded by replacing the store's instruments offerings from Asian made to those manufactured by Selmer, Yamaha, Taylor...
James Owen has been teaching at La Jolla Music nearly since the beginning. The store was established in 1962 and James started working there just a few years later. As a teenager, he was the first guitarist to win the Redlands Bowl Youth Artists Auditions, which fueled his passion for music. He...
David St John began his career in music retail in 1967 and since that time he has devoted his career to bringing music and music lessons to the lives of his customers. David worked for a few music stores in Southern California, staying decades at some stores, including Gard’s Music in Glendora. ...
Don Bird founded Conn Organs of Fresno in 1973 in Fresno, CA. He started his career in music, working for Sherman Clay, Co. in 1967 as a general manager of a single store, working completely by himself. He was offered a promotion – move to Philadelphia and general manage 3 Sherman Clay stores – and...
Jerry Woods really enjoyed working in music stores. As a musician, it gave him a day job. As a passionate music maker, it gave him the incredible feeling of placing a guitar in the hands of a young player. After working for Skip’s Music in Sacramento, California, for several years, he had the...
Larry Gosch is the owner of Encore Music in Auburn, California, and a long-time recording engineer. In fact, he has been recording bands and singers for nearly as long as he has been playing the guitar. As owner of Encore, Larry understands the importance of grabbing the attention of motorists...