The new Long & McQuade music store at 129 Aylmer Street North in Peterborough officially opened on Saturday, November 14th, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and live music throughout the day.
The company’s 86-year-old founder Jack Long and his son and current CEO and President Steve Long attended the grand opening, along with several politicians including MP Peterborough-Kawartha and Minister of Democratic Institutions Maryam Monsef, Peterborough MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal, Peterborough County Warden J. Murray Jones, and Peterborough city councillors Keith Riel and Dave Haacke.
Long & McQuade purchased Bud’s Music Centre last October and made plans to move into the building at 129 Aylmer Street, previously occupied solely by Twohey’s Furniture. Twohey’s has completed renovations of its portion of the building and held its grand re-opening at the same time.
The largest musical instrument retailer in Canada, Long & McQuade was founded in 1956 in Toronto by Jack Long. A professional trumpet player, Long set up a small store where he sold King Band Instruments and taught trumpet. After six months, he rented a room to a local drummer named Jack McQuade, who gave drum lessons. Eventually, they opened a new store called Long & McQuade Musical Instruments and, in 1965, McQuade sold his portion of the business to Long.
Today, Long & McQuade operates 63 locations in all 10 provinces, employing 1,200 people and with annual revenues of almost $300 million. Despite its success, Long & McQuade remains a family-owned business. In fact, the new Peterborough store is managed by Daryl Guy, Jack Long’s grandson.
Long & McQuade has hired the former staff and music teachers of Bud’s Music to work at the new location.
Inside the store
All photos by Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW.
