Illinois
Art Risavy Sr. has always been fascinated with music. He had the idea of converting an old bowling alley into a music store in southern Illinois in the 1960s and Swing City Music was born. Fitting enough, his son and future partner was born a few years later. The store became “the place to go”...
Art Risavy Jr. studied business in college and worked in a bank before returning to work in the music store his father had formed just a few years before Art was born. Working alongside his father, Art Sr., he helped the store grow and oversaw the expansion of the church and pro audio departments...
Gloria Guido studied classical music and opera before meeting her husband, jazz man Joe Guido. Together the couple opened Guido’s Music in Chicago, Illinois, in 1958, the same year they were married. When Joe would go on the road to perform, Gloria operated the store and eventually grew the lesson...
Don Canedy was a beloved band director and professor at Southern Illinois University before being hired by the Roger’s Drum Company in 1961. Don played drums beginning at the age of 10 and was a perfect fit for the company’s Educational Director. Just prior to his job at Roger’s, which at the time...
Gil Ellman grew up in the big band era, loving the sounds of large orchestras. He was motivated to create as many opportunities for students to make music as possible. He studied band instrument repair before opening Ellman’s Music Center in 1958. Soon after the store opened Gil began creating his...
Joan Ellman and her husband, Gil, established Ellman’s Music Center in 1958. Five years later the store moved to Naperville, Illinois, where it is located today. Joan kept the books and inventory as well as managing the store when Gil would call on schools and travel for industry meetings. She has...
Jim Kidder had already worked in music retail for several years when he was given the chance to take over the band instrument division and form his own business. Since then, Kidder Music has become well known and beloved by students and band directors alike. Jim’s strong support for school programs...
Jesse Flores was the founder of Flores Music stores located in Peoria and Pekin, Illinois. He had the idea of surrounding himself with music when he was a young boy and when the chance came to open a store, he took it. The year was 1957. Jesse saw the rise of the electric guitar and the home organ...
Gary Gand grew up playing music and developed a passion for musical instruments. In 1971, he parlayed this passion into a successful career in music retail. Gand Music and Sound, located in Northfield, IL, was among the first stores in the country to carry pro audio and lighting equipment and has...
Kay Koster was a pioneering woman retail owner, who not only successfully ran a business on her own beginning in 1940, she also personally repaired guitars and amps of all makes and models for decades – even after she closed her retail store. Koster Guitar Center in Rockford, IL was primarily a...