Farmingdale Music Center, Long Island’s oldest music store, is celebrating 70 years of business. The music center, located at 135 Main St. in Farmingdale Village, has been serving residents since 1945 providing musical instrument lessons, rentals, repairs and sales.
Al LiCausi moved into 135 Main Street in 1922 and converted his boyhood home into Farmingdale Music Center in 1945. His son Frank joined the business in 1977 after earning his degree in musical instrument technology from Five Towns College, launching their on-site repair facility. The facility remains family-owned and operated.
“We are proud to continue a family business, providing quality instruments, excellent service and repairs, and have brought music to thousands of peoples’ lives. Some local musicians bought their first instruments here, including Dave Saul of Electric Dudes, who took their first lessons here. It is truly heartwarming to be such an integral part of music on Long Island,” said Frank LiCausi.
Frank married his wife Valerie in 2009 and together they have four sons, Jonathan, Dudley, Jacob and Danny. Most people find Farmingdale Music Center by word-of-mouth, repeat business and the internet. Valerie, a Canadian native, played trumpet in high school, and working in the music store prompted her to start playing again. Two years ago she picked up her trumpet and inspires other adults to resume playing the instruments they played in school or to start a new instrument.
“Being a student myself, helps me understand the needs of the customers as well,” said Valerie. Valerie’s son Dudley is finishing his music education degree and teaches woodwinds at the center as well. He also performs at various venues on Long Island.
Music education is a major part of the business. A staff of 15 instructors give classes to over 240 students a week. All of the instructors have music degrees; some with masters and doctorate degrees. They offer private lessons for piano, guitar, drums, electric bass, ukulele, flute, clarinet, saxophones, oboe, trumpet, trombone, baritone, tuba, French horn, violin, viola, cello, bass and voice lessons. Annually, the students have an opportunity to perform in a recital for their family and friends.
Frank is a natural-born musician and plays clarinet for enjoyment, but his love is in the repairs. “With 40 years of repairing instruments, he has a natural knack for fixing things. Frank never throws anything away, and maintains what he owns, I think that is in my favor,” joked Valerie.
Farmingdale Music Center rents more than 650 instruments to school students every year. They go out in September and return in late June. Each instrument gets a full service on the bench before September. Frank makes sure his rentals are well maintained. Customers who bring their instruments for repair can see Frank in his repair shop, where he examines the instruments for an on-the-spot estimate. Repairs are done timely in order to get the instrument back to the musician, in many cases, the same or next day.
Farmingdale Village Mayor Ralph Ekstrand is proud the Music Center recently celebrated its 70th anniversary, and it’s still a landmark in Farmingdale.
He said, “Farmingdale Music Center remains a stable force in the growing Farmingdale Village,” said Mayor Ralph Ekstrand.
