July 31 was an unhappy day for Happy Tunes.
That was the date the business that had been located in Turtle Lakes Plaza for 33 years closed its doors for the last time.
Three things caused Happy Tunes Music to have to close, according to Marcia Jones who has owned and operated the business with her husband Donald since 1991.
First, there was a serious decline in the business’ customer base as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We lost more than three-quarters of our customer base because of COVID,” she said.
Most of their customers had been students in various grades who needed to buy instruments they had to use in bands or other musical groups at their schools. They didn’t return to the store once they stopped going there, she said.
Second, there was a significant increase in the rent their landlord required them to pay if they were to stay open for another year.
And third, there has been a major change in the interests of students who used to be involved in music programs, she said. This is probably partially because string programs are only now offered at three schools in Hillsborough County, according to Jones.
Happy Tunes Music has had a powerful impact in Hillsborough County during the more than three decades it has been in business. Four thousand-plus students have purchased instruments from the store over the years. Some of the customers they were serving at the time they closed were the third generation of students who had done business with them, according to Marcia Jones.
“Our oldest student is 85 years old and our youngest is 3 years old,” she said.
But, sadly, times have changed.
“Today most of the kids don’t want to do anything but play on their cellphones. They’re not having the joy of creating things,” she said.
Mom and Pop businesses aren’t the only ones, however, that are being pushed out because of the economy, she said — larger music businesses such as Sam Ash, which was founded in 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, also are closing because of financial hardships.
Sam Ash recently closed all 42 of its stores nationwide including ones in Tampa and Clearwater. The COVID pandemic also had significantly impacted sales at the business known as “The World’s Favorite Music Store.” The company recently announced it was in debt for more than $500 million before officially filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
Jones said she had been working in the music business since 1963, and she and her husband moved to Florida in 1981. They opened Happy Tunes in Lutz in June of 1993.
Various types of instruments, including guitars, banjos, mandolins, accordions, bagpipes and drums were available at Happy Tunes Music during the store’s best years in business. They also provided repair services for many types of instruments.
The husband and wife team will be operating as much of their music business as they can out of their home now, including doing instrument rentals and repairs, she said.
Customers who need to have instruments repaired can continue to call them at 813-948-1419, or email them at . The couple will ship customers a loaner instrument while their instrument is being repaired.
It won’t be Mrs. Jones’ only endeavor. Marcia Jones tells us that she has an embroidery side business. She has done hundreds of embroidery projects in the past, and will continue to do them as another source of income, she said.
Published August 7, 2024
