‘It’s not going to be the same’

An encore awaits though, as Edwards and Welker will continue operating their instrumental rental and repair services for a few more years from a nearby shop as they transition into retirement toward the end of April.

The choice is theirs, said Welker, refuting rumors or fears circulated that they are being pushed toward closing the store due to a rent increase or the burdensome cost of doing business.

“It’s not high rents,” he said. “It’s old age.”

The two met at the store when they began working together while members of the local high school bands and ultimately purchased it in 1981 from Milton Bronstein, who founded the store in 1946.

Through the years they’ve witnessed a variety of eras, from once selling studio systems to en vogue instruments such as home organs to its current model.

While acknowledging the rise of online retail as a factor in their decision to close up their shop, Edwards and Welker also said they are ready to prepare for a life after work.

In the meantime, they expect to work about three days a week operating the rental and repair company. Welker said the company rents thousands of instruments to school districts spanning the Peninsula, and some as far south as Los Gatos.

Bronstein Music also offers a renowned instrument repair business which will remain functional from the workspace. But the retail store’s ending marks an essential transition to the nature of the business.

No longer will shoppers be able to drop in while perusing downtown or seek out their local business when the time comes to purchase a child’s first guitar. Instead, it will become a business-facing company working almost exclusively with professional musicians and educators. The new version of the store is expected to launch at the end of the month.

“It’s not going to be the same,” said Welker.

The storefront’s closure will also end the music school, where as many as 300 students came to train with professional coaches and accomplished musicians.

Edwards said his focus through the process has been attempting to find new studios for the coaches and new coaches for the students.

Such a concern spans beyond the music school too, said Edwards, as the owners are mindful of their decision’s impact on their handful of employees.

“The hardest thing is keeping all the people we work with covered,” said Edwards. “Because what we are doing will work for us. But it may not work for them.”

They harbor fears about the uncertainty posed by retirement as well, noted Welker, who added that with the store’s shuttering comes the harsh reality that a key source of income is going away.

Such weighty concerns are addressed some though by the freedom presented without an obligation to go into work every day, said Edwards. Both owners are accomplished musicians in their own right, and expect their free time will be consumed by playing more.

Ultimately, Edwards said he will focus on raising his teenage daughter, and Welker plans to enjoy more time with his wife, who recently retired as well.

With their schedules clearing up, Welker said he especially looks forward to having weekends off, since he’s worked Saturdays and Sundays steady for nearly 50 years.

In the next few years, as they operate the rental and repair service, Welker suspects they may stay more busy than they plan.

“I’m really looking forward to only working three days,” he said. “God I hope that comes true.”

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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