Iowa
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....
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...
Steve Held was involved in music retail beginning when he was a teenager working at the Music Corner in Waterloo, Iowa. He later worked for West Music in Iowa City for well over a decade and then had his own piano store with his business partner Jim Hall. In the early days, Steve was trained in the...
Ryan West shared many of his memories of traveling abroad with his father, Steve, to understand and appreciate how the business great and diversified including their early distribution of Miyazawa Flutes.. West Music has always been innovative as a music retailer, and their flute line is just one...
Craig Schertz worked for Byerly Music in Peoria, Illinois and saw an opportunity to purchased two of the company’s ten locations when his boss and the current owner, Loren Zimmerman, was ready to retire. The stores continued to grow throughout the 1970s and 80s and when Craig decided to sell the...
Doug Davis has been involved in the music industry for most of his life. Getting the bug to play while playing in the Honor band in school, Doug went on to get a degree in music education and teach in Iowa public schools for many years. Additionally, Doug has worked in retail music for over 30...
Art Hedley and his brother, Kevin, caught the music bug at the time of the British Invasion of the 1960s. They both played in bands and enjoyed witnessing the role music made in bringing enjoyment to people's lives. After working for Radio Shack and getting involved with retail, Art realized...
Kevin Hedley proudly recalled the inspiration behind the name of his store, Uncle Ike's Music, which he opened with his brother, Art, in Iowa. Both were encouraged in music and in business by their friend Ike, not an uncle to them, but they loved the use of the word and thus the name was born. The...
Lou Witt grew up on a small farm in Iowa and one day asked his band director in school for an instrument. He was given a trombone and has played the instrument ever since. He enjoyed playing music and soon developed an interest in working within the music industry. Lou worked for Schmitt Music in...
Steve Judge is the president of Griggs Music in Davenport, one of the oldest music retailers in the country. Formed in 1903, the company has gained a reputation for staying power, which Steve points out, is based on several elements, including their customers and the ability and willingness to...