The first time Guy Brogna stepped into what would eventually become his beloved music store, the world was a different place. In the 1970s, when it was known as Straub Music, this space was a vibrant hub that sold records, musical instruments, and T-shirts. It even had pinball machines, making it a fun place to hang out.

"Discover the Legacy of a Music Store That Stands the Test of Time"

Early Days and Personal Connection

Guy Brogna, now 59 years old and from Franklin Square, has a deep-rooted connection to this Plainview location. "I grew up coming to this store," he reminisces. "Back in the ’70s, everything was in one place. I loved music." His return to the store in 2001 as manager and then as a partner and owner in 2012 is a testament to his dedication. All Music, which took on its current name in 1984, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, a remarkable feat that showcases Brogna's ability to keep this 4,000-square-foot store alive.During his high school years, Brogna stayed connected to the South Oyster Bay Road shop. He would go to rehearsals there to listen to his friends in the band Blue Spirit. When their bass player didn't show up, he filled in and joined the band, playing songs from The Beatles, Cream, and The Doors. This experience laid the foundation for his future in music. He went on to play bass and tour with heavy metal bands Ludichrist and Scatterbrain."When I was on the road, I came in and said, ‘If you work on my guitars for free, do my set ups, I’ll put your name as a thank you,’ " Brogna shared. "On all my albums, there's a thank you to All Music Inc., even before I was involved with the store."

Adapting to the Changing Industry

The music industry is a challenging one, as evidenced by the recent closure of the century-old Sam Ash music store chain. However, Brogna has managed to stay afloat by adapting to the times. Instead of focusing solely on selling records and CDs, All Music now sells instruments and offers lessons in six soundproof rooms."I concentrate on bringing people into the store [for] an experience," Brogna said. "Instruments should be touched, felt, and heard before you buy them. We sell the experience that having a box delivered to your doorstep can never provide."The shop recently hired former Sam Ash staffers, who brought students with them. All Music supplies about 1,500 musical instruments to students at local schools. In 2017, Brogna and musician and music publicist Rick Eberle formed G&R Events, booking concert series at various locations like the Jones Beach Bandshell and Eisenhower Park.Reminders of the former era still exist in the store. A poster commemorating the 40th anniversary hangs behind the counter, with the store's logo resembling a tattoo with a guitar at its center. Brogna's office is filled with music memorabilia from his touring days, along with a unique record converted into a stopped clock. A poster with Frank Zappa cutouts, a birthday gift from his daughters, adorns a wall. A bust of a sunglasses-wearing Elvis sits on a counter, a memento from a former customer and friend.

Busy Basement Store and Community Connection

On a recent day, the basement store was bustling with children, parents, beginners, and accomplished musicians. Word-of-mouth, longevity, and marketing have helped people find this small-door store. Brogna plans to move to a main floor of the shopping center to increase visibility."You know how many people come in and say, ‘I lived here 30 years. I never knew you were here?’ " Brogna asked.Brogna grew up in Hicksville, Billy Joel's hometown, but he didn't take music in the local school where the Piano Man learned. Instead, he picked up a guitar, then a bass, joined a band, and learned on his own."We were kids, but we brought our cassette to bars," he said of his four-person band, which earned several hundred dollars per gig in the early 1980s. "We used to pack them in there. We were always making money."

Touring and Business Ventures

From 1987 to 1994, Brogna toured the world with Ludichrist and then Scatterbrain. At their peak, they played gigs for thousands and opened for bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Ramones."I spent three months at a time in a tour bus," he recalled of his 20s. "It was tough living out of a suitcase, but you're touring the world."Grunge hit the scene, and the demand for heavy metal dwindled. The record labels shifted their focus from bands like Brogna's to chasing the next big thing in grunge music.In his early 30s, Brogna came back to Long Island and started a landscaping business and a used car lot in West Babylon. Later, he became the manager of All Music, then a partner after five years, and finally the owner in 2012."The band was a business. We worked a lot to do what we did. We used to rehearse Monday to Friday, 10 to five, like a job, when we wrote a record," Brogna said. "Almost all of us went into our own business or a professional career when we left the band. I had a business mindset."He mentioned that the store had a large inventory of guitars, going from 100 to as many as 700 before the internet took over. Today, it carries about 300.All Music rents instruments to students, ranging from $159 annually for the most inexpensive flute to $399 for a stand-up bass or tuba. The store sells guitars from $200 to $15,000, with a record-breaking 1950s-era guitar selling for $47,000. The shop has sold instruments to renowned musicians like Joe Satriani and Keith Urban."He was playing a gig the next day at a big arena," Brogna said. "They called and had us ship it to the arena."

Sam Ash Workers and Musical Services

The school is a significant part of the shop's success, in addition to supplying instruments to students studying elsewhere. A lesson coordinator from the Sam Ash store in Carle Place joined along with nearly a half-dozen teachers and 100 students, increasing the number of students taking half-hour private lessons, mostly in guitar, violin, and flute."It's creating accessibility for people who can come in and take lessons," said Jen Sonesen, a musician who works at the store. "Someone might say, ‘My kids want to play guitar. How do we make this happen?’ It's making it happen."Store manager Bryan Okrent emphasized the importance of private lessons in keeping people connected to music. "One of the reasons a lot of kids stop playing musical instruments in school is they're ahead of the curve or they're so far behind they can't catch up," he said. "We can give them a personalized experience."All Music also offers guitar repairs, working on instruments for renowned musicians like Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Jesse Lacey of Brand New, and heavy metal guitarist Michael Angelo Batio."This one isn't too crazy. I'm just restringing a cello with nice strings," employee Patrick Halcott said as he finished one repair. "This one was a little bit of a job. I had to glue the neck back on."

Performances and Clinics

The shop brings in renowned musicians like Devon Allman and John Moyer of Disturbed to perform and hosts clinics with experts like Larry Mitchell, Greg Koch, Bakithi Kumolo (who played bass on Paul Simon's Graceland), and Mark Mendoza of Twisted Sister.Brogna and Rick Eberle are booking national and local bands, such as Living Colour, which played Eisenhower Park last summer. He still gets recognized from his gigging days."People still come in and say, ‘You're the bass player from Scatterbrain or Ludichrist.’ People still listen to us," he said. "Someone was in here today, going, ‘I was driving down the road. I pull up next to this guy and he's blasting Scatterbrain in his truck.’ "He has reunited with Ludichrist bandmates and played at venues like Mulcahy's in Wantagh, but he doesn't play much for fun these days due to his busy schedule running two full-time businesses.Brogna sees himself and his store as an integral part of the community. After Superstorm Sandy in 2012, he donated 10 guitars to a fundraiser signed by members of Twisted Sister, including Long Islander Dee Snider. He is looking forward to a new space while keeping the old memories alive and hoping for new ones.His focus remains on one thing."Music. I'm still around music, you know," he said. "That's it. My life's been music all these years."