Brook Mays
Encyclopedia
Brook Mays Music Company, known generally as Brook Mays, is a well known and established Dallas, Texas
-based retailer of musical instrument
s, sheet music
, and supplies for individuals, Bands & Orchestras.
Brook Mays was founded by its namesake investor
, Brook Mays, who saw the opportunity to open a piano
dealership in Dallas, and opened the chain's original store on August 1901. At the time, it dealt exclusively in pianos, and became the largest such dealership in its region. Brook Mays was the only major music company in the area to survive the Great Depression
.
In the 1940s, the company expanded its wares to include organs, sheet music, and band
instruments. Extensive remodeling following World War II
until the early 1950s led to expansion in the downtown Dallas store, which fostered the development of its band instrument division. It became the largest supplier of band instruments to school groups in the southern United States. Brook Mays often had partnerships with school districts, and offered them bulk discounts.
The company grew rapidly with renewed interest in electrical instruments, and had over 50 stores, plus a mail-order and e-commerce division to serve international customers. Each store had access to extensive instrument repair facilities, as well as the largest instrument rental service in the southwest United States.
Brook Mays' slogan is "Brook Mays means music".
In 2003 First Act Inc.
, a competitor that sells its instruments at mass market retailers, sued Brook Mays, and was awarded $16.7 million. According to First Act, Brook Mays discouraged patrons from buying First Act's very inexpensive instruments. This claim was based on a flyer that Brook Mays sent out to band directors and consumers. In 2006, a judge awarded First Act the full amount of their claim. In July 2006, Brook Mays Music Group filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy, citing poor back-to-school and holiday sales.
In August 2006, after 105 years of business, the liquidation of Brook Mays was ordered.
Effective December 1, 2006, a new entity began operating at least one of the old Brook Mays music stores, using the name Brook Mays. The store continues to rent band instruments to schools.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
-based retailer of musical instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
s, sheet music
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
, and supplies for individuals, Bands & Orchestras.
Brook Mays was founded by its namesake investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
, Brook Mays, who saw the opportunity to open a piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
dealership in Dallas, and opened the chain's original store on August 1901. At the time, it dealt exclusively in pianos, and became the largest such dealership in its region. Brook Mays was the only major music company in the area to survive the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
In the 1940s, the company expanded its wares to include organs, sheet music, and band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
instruments. Extensive remodeling following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
until the early 1950s led to expansion in the downtown Dallas store, which fostered the development of its band instrument division. It became the largest supplier of band instruments to school groups in the southern United States. Brook Mays often had partnerships with school districts, and offered them bulk discounts.
The company grew rapidly with renewed interest in electrical instruments, and had over 50 stores, plus a mail-order and e-commerce division to serve international customers. Each store had access to extensive instrument repair facilities, as well as the largest instrument rental service in the southwest United States.
Brook Mays' slogan is "Brook Mays means music".
In 2003 First Act Inc.
First Act
First Act is a musical instrument manufacturer, which producers guitars, bass guitars, guitar and bass accessories, drum sets, percussion instruments, amplifiers as well as student-line clarinets, saxophones, and trumpets...
, a competitor that sells its instruments at mass market retailers, sued Brook Mays, and was awarded $16.7 million. According to First Act, Brook Mays discouraged patrons from buying First Act's very inexpensive instruments. This claim was based on a flyer that Brook Mays sent out to band directors and consumers. In 2006, a judge awarded First Act the full amount of their claim. In July 2006, Brook Mays Music Group filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy, citing poor back-to-school and holiday sales.
In August 2006, after 105 years of business, the liquidation of Brook Mays was ordered.
Effective December 1, 2006, a new entity began operating at least one of the old Brook Mays music stores, using the name Brook Mays. The store continues to rent band instruments to schools.