It all began in 1915 with a Polish immigrant named Benjamin Bronen, his wife Rose Bronen, and their three sons – Murray, and twins Jack and Sidney. Benjamin Bronen opened what we now know as Bronen’s Music in 1915. He was a violinist in a band orchestra pit, doing instrument repair on the side. It was those repairs that became the vessel through which Benjamin was able to open the first retail store. As the years passed, Bronen’s Music survived blow after blow – from The Great Depression, a major fire, to World War II. The New York City blackout of 1977 and the subsequent looting cleaned out all but a piano and some sheet music, but Bronen’s persevered and 100 years later still stands. The store was honored in 2000 by then-Bronx Borough president, Fernando Ferrer, who paid tribute to businesses that have been in the Bronx for 75 years of more. 15 years later, the Bronx Borough president, Ruben Diaz Jr., awarded Bronen’s Music a Citation of Merit to celebrate the occasion of 100 years in business.
The store shifted locations multiple times over the years, and settled into its current location in the ‘80s. Located at 2462 Webster Ave in the Bronx, NY, Bronen’s Music buys, sells, and rents new and used instruments, while also offering instrument repair, one of the main services they believe differentiates them from other music retailers in New York. “Many music stores now do not have on-site repairs,” says Janine Bronen, wife of current owner Andrew Bronen. “We have a wonderful repair department that can repair almost any instrument, keyboard, et cetera. And we do so in a very timely fashion.” The current sales floor is 3,000 square feet, with an additional 3,000 square feet consisting of stock area and music lesson rooms. “There is one large lesson room for a class as well as three smaller private lesson rooms. We teach piano, keyboard, guitar, bass, brass & woodwind, as well as voice lessons,” says Janine. Between six employees, that’s a lot of ground to cover, but music lessons are just one of many services offered. Bronen’s Music carries Ibanez, Washburn, Peavey, Yamaha, Roland, ESP, Samson, Korg, Tama, LTC, LP, Selmer, Conn, and DW, among other lines. “If we don’t have it, we’ll get it,” Janine says.
Andrew Bronen, began working alongside his father Sidney at the age of eight, continuing until Sidney’s passing in 2003. Andrew, a third generation Bronen, and his wife Janine maintain the ideals that Andrew’s grandfather instituted back in 1915. “Bronen’s Music prides itself on our customer relations,” says Janine. “We truly value our current and repeat customers and try very hard to accommodate them, and get them whatever they need if possible.”
Family is something that is clearly very important to the Bronens, and the surrounding community has become an extension of that family. “Our family-owned business means we take the time, because we really care whether or not you will come again,” says Janine. “You can’t find this online or at a very large store.” The stores customers have been very loyal over the years. Recently, a customer came in who had purchased his first violin from Andrew’s grandfather, Benjamin, 60 years prior. When water damage ruined the instrument, he returned to Bronen’s Music to purchase a new one. “Many of our customers are second, third, and fourth generation,” says Janine. “We pride ourselves on serving our community with all of their musical needs.” The Bronens have even had some notable clientele walking in and out of the store. “During the birth of hip-hop, Bronen’s built custom speaker cabinets for artists such as Grand Master Flash,” recalls Janine. “Ace Frehley, lead guitarist and original member of the band KISS, worked for Bronen’s before becoming a rock legend. Skip to present day and one of our current employees is the bassist for the bachata-sensation Prince Royce.”
After 100 years of service, it’s time to celebrate what got Bronen’s Music this far: family and community. “For our 100th anniversary we will be having a party and inviting our entire Bronen’s community,” says Janine. “A date has not been decided upon yet because we have family scattered and we want to be able to include everyone. But it will definitely happen within this 100th year.”
