For those of you who live in the NY area or have visited here, you may be aware that the stretch of 48th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue has been known for decades as Music Row. Dating back to the Forties, a string of music stores including Sam Ash, Rudy's Guitars and several others have been the destination for musicians and enthusiasts alike...and standing head and shoulders above them all was the store founded by Manny Goldrich back in the late 30's..Manny's Music.
You name it..they shopped there. The custom of putting artist's photos on the walls was initially to cover up a dodgy paint job but it became a calling card for the store.....I am sure that Glenn is in one of the countless pictures in the store....
Manny Goldrich was a man of many firsts; he was the first white man to sell instruments in Harlem, he was the first to offer a steep discount on manufacturers list prices and he gave musicians credit on a regular basis. His son Henry took over the store in 1968 and ran it for more than 30 years before the family sold the store to Sam Ash who at one time were his biggest rivals. The Rockefeller real estate group has had its eye on the property for years and recently refused to renew the lease which spells the end for an icon.
I remember going into the store for the first time in 1977....the endless rows of guitars was just jaw dropping....I visited there several times over the years and was shocked to hear of its impending closure.
I tip my hat to them....
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