5 years and 32 feet long.... July 03 2015

July is a great month of celebration for me.  All my children were born in July.

 A son in 1985, a daughter in 1987, and Flute Pro Shop in 2010.

The human children are out in the world, on their own, and thriving.  Thank goodness.  Because Flute Pro Shop has entered kindergarten and still needs careful nurturing and guidance.

Just as children become their own people, so do businesses.  In this case, FPS has become its own little person, and I do believe it is becoming greater than the sum of its parts.

To celebrate this 5th birthday, FPS was named a Top Music Retailer for 2015 by North American Music Merchants (NAMM).  Not only is that, but the awards banquet at Summer NAMM in Nashville on the actual birthday of FPS!  Our music retail peers looked at FPS and decided we were worthy of that honor at this tender age.  What an honor!  What a challenge!

The entire team here at FPS pulls together and creates a dynamic business that represents best business practices in repair service, on-line presence, social media, vendor relationships, the curated music collection, and the many new and previously owned instruments in the inventory.  There is a true understanding of service to the customer.  It starts with answering the phone, shipping instruments, accessories, and music in attractive, professional containers, maintaining an attractive place of business, and goes from there.  The team here values each and every customer no matter who they are.

And let’s talk about the customers.  FPS enjoys loyal, informed, and curious customers who stay in touch and give valuable input.  The large majority see what FPS is doing and appreciate it.  They tell others.  We have groups of customers “generations” deep: top flute personality-teacher-students-students of students.  It’s kind of a family tree.

One final observation: in this time of cuts in the arts, ever-increasing competition, and bitter rivalries, FPS remains a positive environment in which customers feel validated, encouraged, and cared-for, and they give that back to us. 

To all of these customers, and to the FPS, a big thank you from me, Dave Kee, and Kristen Michelle!  What will the next 5 years bring?  Stay tuned.  Big things are  coming up. And I do mean big.  As in 32 feet long….