Bronstein Music was founded by Milton & Celia
Bronstein on February 9, 1946. Milton Bronstein was a very fine trumpet player
born and raised in Petaluma, California. He would travel to San Francisco by
ferry boat, (the Golden Gate Bridge hadn't been built) to take trumpet lessons
on the weekends. He had landed the dream job of playing on a cruise ship when
World War II broke out.
He joined the Army Band and was assigned to
General Patton's Army Unit in North Africa Campaign, Anzio, and Monte Casino.
Mr. Bronstein led the 6th Army Band, saving his cigarette and liquor allotment
for the future.
After the war, Milton and Celia were married and
Milton finished his teaching credential at Mills College and tried teaching
music for one year in Oroville, CA. He then decided to go into the retail music
business, using the money he had saved during the War.
At the time, the production of musical
instruments was practically nonexistent. The main product to sell was records
and record players. The large publishers, Warner Bros., RCA, and Columbia
controlled distribution. Columbia offered the Bronstein's the rights to South
San Francisco sales, thus the location of their new store was
established
Their first customer was a small boy named Buddy
Powers. Buddy walked into the store with a can of change, dumped it on the
counter, and proclaimed his intention to buy a trumpet. Mr. Bronstein found
Buddy a trumpet and gave him his first lesson. Buddy went on to be a renowned
commercial musician working extensively with Woody Herman.
Over the years Bronstein Music changed with the
ever evolving music industry, selling sheet music, records, record players,
stereos, televisions, transistor radios, organs, pianos, band instruments, hair
dryers, refrigerators...
In 1968 Don Edwards and Rich Welker, two high
school students, were hired as part-time help. The Bronsteins maintained a
policy of hiring high-school and college students to man the store. They would
allow the student/help to take on as much responsibility as they could handle,
and to a large degree, the part-time help did everything from sales, to
delivery, cleaning, repair, and collections.
In 1981, the Bronsteins retired, selling the
store to Rich and Don. At the time the store no longer sold TV's or stereos.
Organs had been dropped, but we still sold acoustic pianos as well as band
instruments, combo gear, and sheet music. A large portion of the business was
rental of combo gear.
Bronstein Music has continued to change as the
music business has evolved. School Band and Orchestra support has become a vital
part of our business and with continued support of combo bands and private music
education.
Over the years, thousands of customers have made
Bronstein Music their supplier of musical instruments and support. Several
generations have grown up with Bronstein Music. Such greats as Janis Joplin,
John Fogerty, The Pointer Sisters, Jethro Tull, Wynton Marsalis and many more
have come to us for their needs.
Bronstein Music has become truly global. Our
remarkable inventory of professional level instruments has made us quietly
famous throughout the world as a source of exceptional product at an affordable
price with expert advice. We have customers in: Japan, Singapore, Mexico,
Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Great Britain, Spain, South Africa,
Poland, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark,
Russia, and many states throughout America.
