The Sam Ash family of companies have an amazing heritage. We've been there through all of the
significant changes in the music industry - helping to pioneer many ourselves! Take a trip down
memory lane and see how the music industry and Sam Ash grew up together. And while we've been
around longer than anyone else, our philosophy remains today the same as it was when our founder,
Sam, opened the doors of our very first store... provide all our customers the selection, service
and respect they deserve.
| Pre-1920's |
Mouse over any decade to display events.
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| 1920s |
| 1930's |
| 1940's |
| 1950's |
| 1960's |
| 1970's |
| 1980's |
| 1990's |
| 2000+ |
Late 19th/Early 20th century
- Sam Ashkynase is born in Austria-Hungary on August 21, 1897
- Rose Dinin, who would later become Sam’s wife, is born in Russia on August 25, 1903
- Both families arrive in New York in 1907
1920’s
- Sam and Rose marry and buy their first music store in Brooklyn, NY, using money collected after
pawning Rose’s wedding ring. The store’s most popular inventory are banjos and mandolins.
- Jerry Ash, our current Chairman, is born
- Paul Ash, our current company President, is born
- Electric microphones are used in studio recording for the first time
1930’s
- Big band and jazz music flourishes; Sam Ash Music acquiesces by putting banjos and mandolins
aside to make room for expansive inventory of brass and woodwind instruments, as well as sheet
music delivery
- Les Paul creates and tests out some guitar prototypes amplified with microphones
1940’s
- Brooklyn store moves to 242 Utica Ave, Brooklyn
- Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Bing Crosby are among the most prominent artists topping the
billboard charts
- Leo Fender invents the first successful solid-body electric guitar
1950’s
- Sam passes away in 1956
- John Lennon meets Paul McCartney for the first time
- Sam Ash Music responds to the wildly spreading phenomena of rock ‘n’ roll by building up a
stock of electric guitars, basses and drum sets
1960’s
- Stores open in Hempstead, Huntington, and White Plains, New York
- The cassette tape is invented
- Popularity of folk music and singer/songwriters bring on a demand for acoustic guitars
1970’s
- Sam Ash opens its first Manhattan store
- Sam’s grandsons Richard and Sammy officially join the company
- Open store in Paramus, NJ
- Sam Ash Music has a direct hand in the marketing of the boom cymbal stand right after its
invention
- The debut of the Mini Moog leads to a rising demand for synthesizers and other electronic
instruments
- Sony introduces the Walkman
1980’s
- The compact disc is invented
- Sam’s grandson David officially joins the company
- Inception of school instrument rental department
- Open store in Edison, NJ
1990’s
- Hempstead store moved to Carle Place, NY; offices and warehouse open in Hicksville, NY
- Open store in Cherry Hill, NJ; Sam Ash Music Institute is founded in New York City
- Open store in New Haven, Connecticut
- Open stores in Miami and Margate, Florida, and King of Prussia, PA
- Stores open in Lyndhurst (Cleveland) and Columbus, OH; Music to the Max is acquired in
Westminster, California, officially making Sam Ash bi-coastal
- Open Cerritos, Canoga Park, and W. Hollywood, CA locations; stores open in Burbank, Buffalo
Grove and Lombard (Chicago), IL
- Open store in Ontario, CA; The World Famous Manny’s Music at 156 W. 48th St. is acquired
- Acquire Thoroughbred Music in Tampa, FL; their website is re-launched as SamAsh.com
- Adding Clearwater, Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, Nashville, Sarasota Keys and Tampa mail-order
facility. Store opens in Franklin Mills Mall in Philadelphia
2000’s
- Open second store in Hollywood as Manny’s West.
- Stores open in Miami, FL; Orlando, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Charlotte, NC; and Richmond, VA.
- Sam Ash Music breaks the 1,000,000 sq ft of retail space by adding Cincinnati, OH;
Indianapolis, IN; Raleigh, NC; and San Antonio, TX.
- Sam Ash Music’s celebrates its 80th Anniversary.
- Mayor Bloomberg proclaims Sam Ash day in New York on June 29th, 2004
- Stores are added in Springfield, NJ; City of Industry, CA; Torrance, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and
Atlanta, GA. There are now nine Sam Ash stores in California.
- Today, in addition to 48 storefronts and 1800 associates, our new and improved mail order
website serves musicians all over America!
