As we continue to showcase small local businesses this week, today we bring to you Bob Demanico and Pat's Music store in Philadelphia. And if you missed it, check out yesterday's spotlight on Infinity Jewelers and take advantage of a special offer just for One Unified readers!
WHEN AND HOW DID PAT'S MUSIC GET STARTED?
"It started in 1939. My grandfather started it and it was called Frankford Saxophone Shop at the time. Then in around 1943, they changed it to Pat's Music since his name was Pat. So this is our 75th year in business."
SO HOW MANY GENERATIONS HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED PAT'S MUSIC?
"That would be three generations."
HOW WOULD YOU SAY BUSINESS HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?
"I've seen a lot of changes in the business and it's kind of an exciting business because of that. Different configurations of music. Different ways to get music. I've seen vinyl to eight tracks to cassettes to CD and now vinyl and CD. A lot of different changes all throughout."
DO YOU DO MORE BUSINESS THIS TIME OF YEAR MORE THAN OTHERS?
"We're really a 12 month store. Of course we'll have that extra push after thanksgiving throughout the holidays, people buying gifts and things like that. We're kind of a specialty store. I sell to about 1500 DJ's, since they're busy throughout the year."
IS THIS THE FIELD THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU'D GO INTO?
"Yes. It was destined."
BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO OR HAD TO?
"Because I wanted to."
SO MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF YOUR LIFE?
"When I was about 10 years old, I used to go down to the store with my grandfather to help him out. And so, I guess I was destined for it."
IS THIS THE ORIGINAL LOCATION?
"No, we were down on 4500 Frankford Ave. for about 45-50 years. Until the neighborhood kind of changed a but and we needed to make a move."
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER BUSINESSES OF ITS KIND?
"The product that I sell, I have a lot of proprietary stuff that only I sell. There's places you can buy CDS and things like that. There's other stores that sell guitar strings, guitars, things like that. But not so much what I sell. I have a catalog that I carry just for DJ's, things that they use, whether it's just for music or equipment. I have a lot of different stuff that nobody else carries."
DO YOU THINK THAT ADVANCING TECHNOLOGIES, SOCIAL MEDIA, FILE SHARING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HAVE SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED THE THRIVING INDUSTRY OF THE SMALL MUSIC STORE?
"Like 4 or 5 years ago when file sharing was big, (when people were downloading music) for free, I saw a decline. Not a lot, but a decline. But in the last year, I've seen a pick up of business. Now I put stuff on Facebook, like things I get in everyday. So social media helps in that way . I find that with file sharing, somebody that doesn't wanna buy a cd or whatever, they weren't my customer anyway. They're not even a music (store) customer.
YOU MENTIONED FREE LESSONS WITH A GUITAR PACKAGE. DO YOU OFFER THOSE LESSONS HERE?
"We have a music school here too. I have about 500 students all throughout the week. I'm in here two hours after closing every night because there's just not enough time slots for everyone."
WHAT DO YOU TEACH?
"Piano, guitar and drums. And I just hired a flute teacher."
ARE THERE ANY TYPES OF EVENTS OR SPECIALS THAT YOU HAVE AROUND THE HOLIDAYS?
"I'll put some specials on guitars. What I really like to do is offer a guitar package. What we'll do is when you buy the package we'll give maybe two free lessons if you sign up in January. That's a special I have every Christmas. Outside of that, I just do what I've always done. (Specials can be found on the website or on Facebook.)"
"It started in 1939. My grandfather started it and it was called Frankford Saxophone Shop at the time. Then in around 1943, they changed it to Pat's Music since his name was Pat. So this is our 75th year in business."
SO HOW MANY GENERATIONS HAVE OWNED AND OPERATED PAT'S MUSIC?
"That would be three generations."
HOW WOULD YOU SAY BUSINESS HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?
"I've seen a lot of changes in the business and it's kind of an exciting business because of that. Different configurations of music. Different ways to get music. I've seen vinyl to eight tracks to cassettes to CD and now vinyl and CD. A lot of different changes all throughout."
DO YOU DO MORE BUSINESS THIS TIME OF YEAR MORE THAN OTHERS?
"We're really a 12 month store. Of course we'll have that extra push after thanksgiving throughout the holidays, people buying gifts and things like that. We're kind of a specialty store. I sell to about 1500 DJ's, since they're busy throughout the year."
IS THIS THE FIELD THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU'D GO INTO?
"Yes. It was destined."
BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO OR HAD TO?
"Because I wanted to."
SO MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WAS PART OF YOUR LIFE?
"When I was about 10 years old, I used to go down to the store with my grandfather to help him out. And so, I guess I was destined for it."
IS THIS THE ORIGINAL LOCATION?
"No, we were down on 4500 Frankford Ave. for about 45-50 years. Until the neighborhood kind of changed a but and we needed to make a move."
WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES YOUR BUSINESS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER BUSINESSES OF ITS KIND?
"The product that I sell, I have a lot of proprietary stuff that only I sell. There's places you can buy CDS and things like that. There's other stores that sell guitar strings, guitars, things like that. But not so much what I sell. I have a catalog that I carry just for DJ's, things that they use, whether it's just for music or equipment. I have a lot of different stuff that nobody else carries."
DO YOU THINK THAT ADVANCING TECHNOLOGIES, SOCIAL MEDIA, FILE SHARING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HAVE SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED THE THRIVING INDUSTRY OF THE SMALL MUSIC STORE?
"Like 4 or 5 years ago when file sharing was big, (when people were downloading music) for free, I saw a decline. Not a lot, but a decline. But in the last year, I've seen a pick up of business. Now I put stuff on Facebook, like things I get in everyday. So social media helps in that way . I find that with file sharing, somebody that doesn't wanna buy a cd or whatever, they weren't my customer anyway. They're not even a music (store) customer.
YOU MENTIONED FREE LESSONS WITH A GUITAR PACKAGE. DO YOU OFFER THOSE LESSONS HERE?
"We have a music school here too. I have about 500 students all throughout the week. I'm in here two hours after closing every night because there's just not enough time slots for everyone."
WHAT DO YOU TEACH?
"Piano, guitar and drums. And I just hired a flute teacher."
ARE THERE ANY TYPES OF EVENTS OR SPECIALS THAT YOU HAVE AROUND THE HOLIDAYS?
"I'll put some specials on guitars. What I really like to do is offer a guitar package. What we'll do is when you buy the package we'll give maybe two free lessons if you sign up in January. That's a special I have every Christmas. Outside of that, I just do what I've always done. (Specials can be found on the website or on Facebook.)"
Thank you to Bob Domanico of Pat's Music Center.
Pat's Music is located at:
7302 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA
(At the corner of Frankford & Cottman Aves. in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia)
Visit them online at
www.patsmusiccenter.com
and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/patsmusiccenter
Pat's Music is located at:
7302 Frankford Ave.
Philadelphia, PA
(At the corner of Frankford & Cottman Aves. in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia)
Visit them online at
www.patsmusiccenter.com
and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/patsmusiccenter
