Kay Koster

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 guitar store; perhaps the first such store in the country. As the Fender line developed, Kay was one of the first dealers in the state and soon became an expert of electric guitar repairs. In addition to her career in the industry, Kay was also a respected guitarist, first in the big bands and then in rock and roll.