Dollarhide's Music Center
41 S. Palafox Place
Historic Downtown, Pensacola, Florida
 
 

 

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Company History
by Bill Dollarhide

"The company began operation on March 1, 1988 on Palafox Place in downtown Pensacola, Florida.  The 3,500 sq ft showroom housed pianos, organs, band instruments, guitars and sound equipment.  Baldwin Pianos and Organs, Peavey Electronics products and band instruments from several manufacturers were initially offered."

"On August 1, 1990, an adjacent building was renovated and added to house the expanding guitar and sound department. The business name was changed to Dollarhide's Music and Sound. The name change reflected the added emphasis on the sound contracting business in churches and schools.  The additional 3,000 feet of showroom was dedicated to audio, guitar, drum and keyboard inventory.   "Advanced Sound Design" was the name chosen for the growing sound contracting subdivision."

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Bill & Margaret Dollarhide

"In May of 1991 the company led the effort to start an outdoor music festival. The downtown street event was called SpringFest. The festival began as a one day event to raise funds for the Alzheimer's Association.  I volunteered my time to start SpringFest in memory of my mother, Adelaide Dollarhide of Jackson, Mississippi, an Alzheimer's victim who died in 1987.  Beginning with one volunteer an organization was built that was successful from the beginning and grew to become one of the outstanding weekend music festivals in the United States. I ceased to be involved after the 1998 event but the festival continued successfully for several years.  It has since fallen victim to profitability challenges and is currently not operating. It was a great source of hundreds of thousands of dollars for area non-profits while it was active and will hopefully return in some form in the future."

"On May 1, 1998, the business, needing more space, was moved to a free-standing, two-story, 12,000 sq. ft. building on the edge of Cordova Mall in Northeast Pensacola."

"In early 1999 the company entered e-commerce with the startup of www.MusicForKids.com, a web site offering musical instruments, music toys and educational materials for parents of children 1 to 12."

"In June of 2000 the company was named the authorized dealer for the Allen Organ Company for 17 counties in NW Florida and South Alabama. It is our goal to properly represent this prestigious company and properly care for the needs of the worship community."

"In July of 2000 the pro guitar department was closed.  Excess local and Internet competition hastened this decision which had been considered for some time. The company's sound division, Advanced Sound Design, continued to operate as an audio/video contractor serving schools, churches and businesses."

"2001 saw growth in all remaining departments.  The business was now more focused than ever on the music and sound needs of families, schools and churches."

"2002 brought the company to another expansion move, this time back to downtown Pensacola in June.  The space needed for expansion was found in an expansive building at the corner of Palafox Place and Romano Street.  With 15,000 square feet and excellent parking and visibility the building offered our customers more than ever."

"The summer of 2002 also saw the company begin a partnership with the most prestigious piano company of them all when we became the appointed representative for Steinway and Sons pianos.  What better to offer our customers than the Steinway, Boston and Essex brands offered by the company considered the 'Standard of the World'?"

"By the end of 2006 the sound division had been scaled back to a small department serving the over-the-counter products needed by churches and schools and was no longer offering custom design-and-build installations.  The Internet division, MusicForKids, was sold earlier in the year to a California company. The company continued to focus even more on the piano & organ and school music businesses."

"2006 was a landmark year for our company.  We began the year with our largest ever pipe/digital Allen Organ installation at the First United Methodist Church in de Funiak Springs, FL and concluded the year with the installation of an entire fleet of new Steinway Pianos at the University of West Florida, making it the 65th school to be named an "All-Steinway School."

"The company entered 2007 concentrating entirely on the needs of piano & organ and school music customers."

"As lifetime musicians and teachers, Margaret and I understand the need for quality products and services.  We have gradually gathered together the best of all the music products available and proudly offer them to you." 

"We are grateful to our hard working staff and our loyal customers. We look forward to each passing day with great anticipation."
 

The Dollarhides maintain 2 commercial 
and 4 non-profit web sites.

Commerce
www.dollarhide.com

www.destin-florida-condo-rental.com

Non-profit

www.pmta.info

www.dollarhide.org

www.bravoforkids.org

www.pensacola-ago.org

 
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© 2007 Dollarhide's Music Center, Inc. All rights reserved.