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MUSIC INC. EXCLUSIVE I MUSIC & ARTS I BY KATIE KAILUS Music & Arts has acquired two music companies in Washington state, making it the largest music retailer and lesson provider in that state. Effective immediately, Mills Music locations in Bellevue, Bothell, Burien, Issaquah, Kent and Redmond, Wash., are now part of the Music & Arts family. This acquisition comes on the heels of the retailer acquiring seven Music Centers stores based in Tacoma, Wash., in February. Music Inc.’s Katie Kailus exclusively spoke with Allan Greenberg, executive vice president of operations for Music & Arts regarding the recent acquisitions. MI: What are Music & Arts thoughts on today’s news of the acquisitions? AG: “We are very excited to have Mills Music join the Music & Arts family. It’s been a busy few months for us, having added 13 stores in only 60 days through our acquisition of Music Centers and Mills Music in Washington. We are thrilled to continue the legacy of top-notch customer service and look forward to working with educators, parents and students to foster a lifelong love of music.” MI: Why did you decide to take on these two companies? AG: “Both Music Centers and Mills Music were well-run companies, with a long history of servicing school music programs in Seattle and Tacoma with excellence. We were able to acquire other infrastructure, such as distribution and repair centers, which will allow us to fully service the communities, not to mention the outstanding staff and ed reps who have longstanding relationships with the community and educators. All of these factors together made these companies a strategic and attractive addition for Music & Arts.” MI: How important is maintaining relationships between the staff members of these stores and the customers? AG: “The relationships between store staff and customers are critical. Whether the customers are parents and students who have come to know our lessons teachers and in-store staff or teachers who work closely with our ed reps, we want to continue to nurture the relationships that have already been established. That’s a big aspect of the whole acquisition process, to maintain as many relationships as we can.” MI: What does Music & Arts hope to get out of the acquisitions? AG: “As the largest band and orchestra instrument retailer and lessons provider in the country, we support school music programs all over the U.S. Our entrance into Washington better positions us to reach as many educators, students and parents as possible as we continue to promote the importance of music education.” MI: What does the future hold for Music & Arts?
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