Photo: Courtesy of Music Unlimited
KINGSTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) – When the owner of a popular music shop decided to retire, a familiar face stepped in to keep the business from being played out.
Music Unlimited has been in business for more than 46 years. As the largest musical instrument retailer on the South Shore, the store offers a wide array of services and selections. So, when owner Barry Doubleday announced his retirement, one dedicated customer figured out a way to help the store rock on.
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“I remember getting a tablature book here, ‘Metallica Ride Lightning,’ that was my first,” said Ric Tomasi who bought his first guitar at Music Unlimited. 30 years later, he can still play all those songs and is now making another big purchase: the entire shop.
“It’s insane,” Tomasi said. “It doesn’t even feel real to me it’s just, like, crazy.”
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Doubleday said it was not a difficult choice to retire, but he does get emotional thinking about the people whose lives were forever changed when they started strumming at his store.
“It’s been a wild ride for sure,” he said. “The outpouring of love [is] just amazing.”
A send-off for Doubleday was held Wednesday with “great musicians, music, family, love” and signified a new chapter for the business. Music Unlimited will re-launch in April.
WBZ’s Matt Shearer (@MattWBZ) tells us how this story plays out:
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