Music Retail
Steve Dawe grew up surrounded by music! His mother was a piano teacher and he studied the trumpet in college, but ultimately gravitated to the Hammond B3 as his primary instrument on stage. A 25-year career in electronics followed, though his love of music never left him. Motivated to return to...
James Nicoloro worked in a few small piano shops in New England, learning the art of tuning and the skills of restoration. He was asked to provide a piano for a women, who was so pleased with the instrument she recommended James to a friend. Before he knew it, James was in business for himself,...
Dusty Wheeler served as a medic in the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. After the war he attended college all the while playing guitar and giving lessons. In 1979 he opened Dusty’s Guitars in Leucadia, California with just four instruments on the wall and an amp (with two of the guitars and the...
Art Olson brought his love for playing music together with his experience as an instrument salesman to form his own store, Artistic Pianos. The store opened in 1999 in Encinitas, California and has since moved to San Marcos where Art continues to offer a wide range of piano brands. He attributes ...
Glen Kersten and his wife were just married when they rented a small house that turned out to be owned by Frank Lohnes. Mr. Lohnes also owned a music store called Dearborn Piano & Organ. Glen joined the sales team and was introduced to the Rodgers Organ, an instrument he would be connected with...
Deanie Sigafoos began working for Prosser Piano when it was located on 6th Avenue in Tacoma, Washington. She recalls meeting the owners, Laurie and Duane Prosser, and how a close friendship seemed to have started immediately. This was 1969 and in all Deanie stayed with the store for 32 years,...
Laurie Prosser and her husband Duane worked together at a small piano store in Sioux Falls, South Dakota before moving to Washington state in 1955. There the couple opened the first Prosser Piano stores in Tacoma, beginning a family business that would include their two sons, Kevin and Kerry....
Kerry Prosser can trace his passion for the piano business directly to his parents who formed the family business. Prosser Pianos has served the Tacoma music community since 1955, and over the years has had locations throughout three states. Kerry grew up with a love of selling and wanting to find...
Stephanie Howe and her sister Whitney run the chain of music stores their grandfather established in 1931, Ted Brown Music. Stephanie followed in his footsteps to run a business that supports local musicians, especially focused on the school band programs in Washington and Oregon. She moved to...
Chris Arent is the instrument repair technician for Ted Brown Music in Tacoma, Washington, a position that is near and dear to him. Chris has always been closely associated with band and orchestral instruments, especially the saxophone for which he has played and taught throughout his career. Chris...