Central Music adapts to changes in retail from Phoenix shop

With its retro checkered storefront and aisles of sheet music, Central Music has remained a Phoenix staple for the 70 years its doors have been open.

A local music shop at 5038 N. Central Ave. in Uptown that offers instrument rentals, repairs and accessories, along with an assortment of gifts for music lovers and novices alike, Central Music has weathered its share of ups and downs over the years. But it has adapted well to the modern era, and its long-standing staff is confident that its doors will remain open for the foreseeable future.

Central Music opened as Sedberry’s in 1953, and it remains an important part of many Phoenicians’ memories. Preston Wollaston, co-manager of the store, said he frequently hears stories of people who remember going to Central Music years ago.

“It’s generational,” Wollaston said. “Their parents taught piano, now they’re teaching piano, they’re starting the kids. They bought their first guitar here back in the ‘60s. All the time. We even get emails, you know, saying, ‘Oh, you’re still in business!’”

Preston Wollaston, manager at Central Music, said the store has moved beyond catering to just musicians. (Special to Independent Newsmedia/Mira …

Central Music’s most recent development is its shift to a more gift-oriented sales model. While the majority of its stock is still music-related — and their main customer base is piano teachers and band directors — there are plenty of options for the non-musical customers, including mugs and model kits.

“We have a lot of people coming in here, they’re not necessarily musicians,” Wollaston said, so a switch to non-musical items is a good way to expand the customer base, especially in a time when many customers are choosing to buy items online.

While Central Music has a distinctly retro vibe, they’ve had no problem switching into the modern era. Their online store has more than 100,000 products available to purchase, primarily sheet music. Roy Hamasaki, co-manager, who has worked in the store since the 1960s, said his favorite part of working at Central Music is how “ever-changing” it is – but the soul of the store has stayed the same throughout the years.

“The basic structure of the store, as far as merchandise and whatnot, has changed — you know, with the kids, wanting to play guitar changed to the piano, then the electric guitar – but the fundamentals haven’t changed,” Hamasaki explained.

Sheet music and method books aren’t the only thing available at the store – Central Music also rents instruments in a partnership with the Mesa music store Milano. While they haven’t announced any official plans at the moment, Wollaston said they are looking into adding instrument lessons to their repertoire, with a particular focus on brass and woodwind instruments, such as trombones and clarinets.

“The ultimate goal is to try to figure out a place to put a little lesson studio. There’s no space right now, so we have to figure out where to put it,” Wollaston said.

While they may not offer the same lessons or huge space as larger chain music stores, local music shops like Central Music have a place in the hearts of many musicians in the Phoenix area — a store run by music lovers for the community at large.

“With music, there’s always a door opening here, a window opening there,” Hamasaki said. “You know, it’s never boring. You’re always learning something.”

Mira Preston is a student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.