Store History
Capitol Music Center first opened as Capitol Music Company, Inc. in 1919. The founders were a young couple from New York City whose goal was to provide printed music to local civic and school bands. Small town living in the wet Northwest was not to their liking and they returned East after only two years.
Thomas Edwards acquired Capitol and developed it into a music wholesale house, supplying printed music to music dealers in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Hawaii and British Columbia, Canada. George Olsby, the store manager, became the next owner.
In 1962, Charles Hansen of Hansen Publications, purchased Capitol Music. Paul C. Leaf was hired to manage Capitol in 1969 and subsequently took over ownership. During this time Capitol's distribution was expanded to Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Also the retail division was developed to four locations; Downtown Seattle, Burien, Bellevue and Bellingham.
Paul Leaf sold the business to two veteran west coast music dealers, Joe Kennelly of San Francisco and Gerald Pepos of Tacoma. At this time the business name was changed to Capitol Music Center, Inc.
In 1999 Albert Israel and Paul McFadden purchased the company. As of 2008 Albert Israel is the sole owner.
Capitol Music Company, Inc. was an early tenant in the Terminal Sale Building when it opened at Second and Virginia in Downtown Seattle. From there the company moved to Sherman Clay Music on Fourth Avenue. The next move was to Second and Pine to what was known as the Green Dime Store Building. Following that, home for nineteen years and nine months was at the corner of Eighth and Virginia. The next year was spent in storage. A Grand Reopening was held February 1, 2008 at the current location.
—History written by Paul Leaf