Music Retail
Mike Ortigara runs the piano repair and restoration branch of the store his father Ben opened in 1947. Ben opened an accordion store in Chicago which expanded overtime to include pianos, organs, and a well-respected lesson program. When Mike came into the business he focused on the repairs and...
Doug Davies entered the music products industry in 1972 when he was hired by Turner Music in Canada. Turner was a subsidiary of Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) and at the time, Doug was their youngest sales rep. He really enjoyed the job as he had a supportive mentor to help him learn the ropes...
Tom Hebert was serving in the Canadian Air Force when he had the idea of opening a small music store. His idea was to provide lessons to some of his fellow servicemen and the young students in the neighborhood. Cosmo Music was established in 1968 and slowly grew over the years to include repairs...
Brenda Hebert remembers driving to the music wholesaler who represented the small store her husband formed, Cosmo Music. She was several months pregnant with her son, Mark, and was given help loading a pair of guitars in her car. The two instruments were all they could afford at the time and yet...
Bruce Chapman has always believed in the importance of music education and the positive role music can play in a young person’s life. All-throughout his music retail career, Bruce looked for opportunities to provide lessons, instruction, and guidance to young musicians. He worked for Musicstop, a...
David Brown grew up in the music industry working with his grandfather at his store, Critchett’s Music in Des Moines, Iowa. Dave started at a young age, first washing windows in the back of the store until he was encouraged, by his grandfather, to go on the road selling pianos and eventually he...
Cheryl Seppala has given the gift of music to countless students in her organ store over her career. She has never lost that spark in her eye that has encouraged her students to stay with the lessons and enjoy the benefits of making music. She began teaching when she was a teenager at Ozzie’s Music...
Wayne Seppala was playing organ for shoppers at the Montgomery Wards in San Diego before he was a teenager. When the store stopped selling organs, he landed a job at Ozzie’s Music where he met his future wife, Cheryl. Together they opened their own store just a year after getting married in 1977. ...
Beverly Maxwell and her husband, Marvin, established Mom’s Music in Louisville, Kentucky in the early 1980s. Beverly took care of the books and the business end of the store while her husband took care of the sales and product lines. The couple made a great team, which not only led to another...
Tracy Leenman remembers hearing her father play the saxophone and wanting to play the same instrument. She played several instruments throughout school including the sax, flute, and bassoon, while also singing in the choir. Tracy earned her Master’s in music education with the idea of becoming a...