Music Retail
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...
Myung‑Sool Min has become one of the most successful music retailers in Korean history. Through a period in which many changes occurred in the way Korea does business around the world, Mr. Min has stayed consistent with his philosophy on music education. A steady increase in the number of music...
Frank Fendorf served as a school band director for many years beginning with the high school band in Warrensburg, MO in 1947. He enjoyed the role of band director and in fact was doing just that when his friend Merle Jones called. Mr. Jones and his partner, George Wingert, opened a music store...
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...
Al Rich, the former president of Pearl River Pianos in the United States seems to have pianos in his blood. He grew up in DeKalb, IL, the home of the mighty Wurlitzer Corporation. Al’s father owned a music retail store where Al recalls meeting the many traveling salesmen with a celebrity like...
Masamitsu Yamano’s grandfather opened up a small music stop in the heart of Ginza –the shopping area of Tokyo, Japan. The year was 1892. The retailer, which started out as a small keyboard dealer, has expanded over the years to include over 50 retail stores in Japan. Mr. Yamano’s vision for the...
Dan Vedda grew up playing music. As an arranger and trumpeter he gained a respected reputation in the Westlake area of Ohio. After working for a music retailer in town he was encouraged by a music teacher friend to open his own store –so he did. Skyline Music--the name comes from his rock band the...
Craig Gigax’s father established Meridian Music in Indianapolis and built up a respected reputation, due largely to his friendly personality and clever business skills. After his father, Richard, passed away in 1995, Craig gave up his career in microprocessors to continue in his father’s footsteps...
William Callaway worked in his father’s music store as a child, sweeping up on weekends and working his way up to president of Thearle Music in San Diego. His father, Harry, was President of NAMM from 1951-1953. William recalled the pride his father had in being involved with the industry that he...
Gary DeShazo began his musical career as a Texas bandmaster and then worked with James Caldwell, the founder of Caldwell Music. With a great understanding of the educators’ needs, Gary soon developed lasting relationships with band directors over the entire state and beyond. In 1969, he bought...