Sam Ash was founded in 1924, and is a privately owned chain of stores in the United States that sells musical instruments, electronics, and related supplies. With 55 Sam Ash stores across the United States, Sam Ash Music Incorporated also owns the labels for Groove Percussion and the Brownsville and Carlo Robelli guitars brands.
Ash Family history
On August 27, 1897, Samuel Ashkynase was born to Moishe and Mottl Ash, in Austria-Hungary. The family emigrated to the USA when he was ten.
The family soon moved to Brooklyn, more specifically Hopkinson Avenue, in which the whole Ash family had resided for some time. As soon as they settled, Sam began school and stayed in school until the sixth grade. During this period Sam also attempted to learn English.
Sam’s father Morris later developed a tumor putting him temporarily out of work. By the time his condition improved he had already been replaced in his job. This left Sam to pay the bills by himself. Sam started out working as an apprentice in cutting. This helped to pay for the family, but Sam didn't enjoy the work. He wanted to continue his passion, the violin.
Sam soon began studying more on the violin and later started teaching others how to play. He went on to form the Sam Ash Orchestra. They played many weddings, dances and Jewish organizations around the New York area.
In August 1923 Sam met his future wife, Rose Dinin. Rose had arrived in America around the same time as Sam, though she had emigrated from Russia when she was three. After six months they married on February 9, 1924. Sam was 27 and Rose was 21.
Being low on money, they didn’t move into their own house right away. They continued to reside in Sam's parents' house a little longer to earn the necessary money. Sam had been attempting to make a living by playing gigs, Rose felt that this was too precarious a living and they decided to start their own business. Sam wanted to make a store on what he knew best; music. They found a building owned by a widow who was willing to rent it out. To make the final down payment on the store, Rose had to pawn her engagement ring for $400 (she later got it back). This helped to buy what would become the first Sam Ash store.
Although they had bought the store, both Sam and Rose still spent another two years with Sam’s parents on Hopkinson Avenue in Brooklyn. Although they were officially renting both the store and the new home on 410 Saratoga Avenue in Brooklyn’s Brownsville neighborhood. (This is where the name of Brownsville Guitars comes from).
At first the store only sold musical instruments and phonographs. When radios started becoming popular, the phonograph became less popular. In addition to selling phonographs they also sold records. Later businesses like Sam Goody started competing.
In 1925, their first son Jerry was born. In 1929, Paul was born and in 1935, Marcia was born. The children would usually tend for both the home and the store. Jerry usually helped Sam make deliveries of music and instruments around New York to various people, Paul would help out within the store with Marcia, and Marcia would also simultaneously help out around the house. During this time Sam’s son Jerry joined the army and the family moved the store once again. It was now located in 242 Utica Avenue Brooklyn, only this time they owned the whole building and no longer had to rent. When Sam's son Jerry came home, Jerry married Bernice. Later Paul, like his brother Jerry, joined the army for three years.
On September 10, 1956, Sam died of a massive heart attack.
He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (www.limusichalloffame.org) on October 15, 2006.
