In the Beginning.
Both of these photos were taken in our original location (122 Big Hill Avenue). These photos were taken in the late 60's or early 70's during a Christmas drawing.
Why a music store? And why in Richmond, KY?
The Currier family came to Kentucky from Puerto Rico, my father's last assignment in the U.S. AIr Force. When he left the Air Force, my father was only 34 years old. With a business degree and love of music, he decided to open a music store, and launched Currier’s Music World without ever setting foot in another music store. It’s a miracle we made it!
Why Richmond? My parents had bought their first home in Richmond and it was the first time we had ever lived off of an Air Force base as a family. Richmond was a growing community with a rapidly expanding university and the newly built Interstate 75 (which ended at Berea in 1966). Madison County would become the fastest growing county in Kentucky in the coming years.
Why a music store? The Christmas before our opening, my father had gone to Lexington to purchase musical instruments for me and my two brothers. I guess he figured if he was going to Lexington to buy instruments, other people from Richmond and neighboring counties were doing the same -- and that meant there was a market here.
My parents started the store with a partner, my accordion teacher, Alex. The original plan was for my parents to be the financial backers and for Alex to run the store. Well, as happens with many businesses, the would-be owners and manager underestimated the amount of time, money and hard work it would take. The partnership ended quickly. With my parents' life savings invested in the business, their only course of action was to persevere. And persevere my Dad did.
Our first location was in the Luxon Building at 122 Big Hill Avenue in a single store unit that measured 24 by 60 feet. Within four years, we had added three additional units in the Luxon Building: one for music lessons, one for a booking agency, and one for storage and my father’s office/apartment.
If you’ve ever studied building a business, you know that the first five to seven years are considered the hardest -- and boy was that the truth. I don’t remember my Dad coming home much during those first five years. He was too busy running the business and learning what it took to run a business. I quickly learned that if I wanted to see my Dad I would have to hang out at the store. So that's what I did.
-- More to come next week --
