Interview with Jim Disner, general manager
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I started part-time while going to Metro State for music education and never left.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: Our instrument repair department is exceptional. Professional musicians from all over the country get their instruments serviced here. Doc Severenson, who led Johnny Carson’s Band on “The Tonight Show,” used to come in whenever he was in town to have his trumpet serviced. A hush always falls over the store whenever a famous musician walks in.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: School music programs. Even beginner instruments are expensive. To make it affordable for parents, we rent good quality instruments to a lot of young musicians. It’s great to see their excitement when they get their first instrument.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: For an older business like ours, modernizing can be difficult. It is our main focus right now. We are currently working on software that will help school music directors browse and purchase sheet music online. Educating parents about good quality beginner instruments is always a challenge. There are a lot of “cheap” instruments out there and it is very frustrating to a beginner when they think they can’t play, but it is actually their instrument that’s failing them.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: People are always surprised when they hear we have several full-time employees who drive around all day picking up and dropping off repairs, instruments, sheet music and accessories at schools all over the state.
Profile
Business: Flesher-Hinton Music
Address: 3936 Tennyson St.
Hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
Founded: 1951
Contact: 303-433-8891,
Employees: 17
