Music is something we all have in common. Across cultures and generations, music is a shared language of the world. If you love music as much as we do, follow along to the rhythm of this Buy El Paso Adventure and see some of the funkiest music businesses El Paso City and County have to offer.
Our first stop was to Olivas Music Company, where we spoke with the owner and founder, Jaime Olivas. Working before as a band director, Jamie believes music for children’s education and growth is essential. The Olivas Music Company operates as a retail music store, selling instruments and music equipment and repairing instruments. The store also rents all of this equipment to students from across the region for classes from band and orchestra to guitar and piano. If your student years are far behind you, not to worry! Olivas Music Company offers lessons for anyone interested in learning a new musical skill. The Olivas Music Company is a trusted name throughout the region, with a client base stretching all the way up to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Our next stop was to Star City Studio, a recording studio here in El Paso. Miguel Garza, the manager at Star City Studio, says their store, simply put, makes records and helps people make records. However, the store offers much more than that – it is a unique space facilitating creativity in all of its forms. There is an art gallery for artists to display their work, a team of producers and art engineers who will help customers draft songs from start to finish and some of the best recording equipment in the Southwest region. Star City Studio also gives back, working with local churches and community organizations and providing space for them and their meetings. The store’s 24/7 hours are mildly unorthodox, but the store goes above and beyond to work with their clientele to schedule times that work best for them to create their next number one hit.
Our last stop on this Buy El Paso Adventure was to All That Music & Video, where we met with the store’s owner and founder, George Reynoso. Forty-two years ago, George took his passion and hobby for collecting records and music and started a store for people to do the same. Having worked in radio broadcasting, George would always be asked, “where can I get that song?” In these moments, George would realize the potential his store had to offer. When asked to tell us about his store, he calls it a ‘pop culture specialty store’ and says the business is quite tricky to keep up with; things are always changing and you have to know what you’re doing. The world started transitioning away from vinyl, CDs and DVDs, but now that everything is digital, people are looking for something physical to hold and hang on to.
All That Music & Video store now offers records and vinyl of all genres.
If you have a song in your head or a song in your heart, drop in to one of these local music stores to help you explore your passion further and bring your rhythms to life!
