Music business expands focus, location

A South Elgin music store is picking up the tempo with an expansion into Huntley.

Music Education Centers of America, a full-service music store that has operated in South Elgin for four years. features instruments, music and 25 teachers who work with about 500 young students.

The owners noticed more and more customers coming to the store from Huntley and decided it was time to expand.

The new shop at Prime Outlets Huntley caters to older adults wanting to learn to play an instrument.

"The business is made up of two separate entities. We provide an opportunity to teach music to seniors," said owner Linda Tischler, who operates the business with her husband, Robert.

The focus of the new Huntley location is to teach music to be a hobby, Linda said. The participants learn to play on Lowrey organs.

"It's easy to play music," Linda said.

She said she uses more than 350 books with a variety of genres from Big Band to hymns.

Additional instruments and classes, including adult piano, will soon be offered in Huntley.

Classes for seniors are taught in a group setting.

"It's a social thing," Linda said of the 10-week sessions that cost $30 for a package. A six-week quick-start class where participants can use a portable organ at home is $20. Linda, who handles all the organ classes for retired students, said studies show that music is beneficial to the health and wellness in older people. She said that it helps with depression, lowers blood pressure and helps increase serotonin that results in better sleep patterns.

Meanwhile, studies also show that younger students who learn an instrument have higher math and science scores.

Music has been a big part of Linda's life. Her late father owned and operated 10 music stores at suburban malls, including Westfield Hawthorn, Oakbrook Center, Woodfield and Northbrook Court. Linda, who grew up in Vernon Hills and graduated from Libertyville High School, often helped out in the stores.

The business owner started playing piano when she was 2 years old and has vivid memories of sitting in her father's stores watching artists perform. After college she worked for the Lowrey dealer where she traveled to performed concerts with the product.

Linda's husband, Robert, handles the financial aspect of the growing business. The couple resides in Bartlett where they have two daughters, Sara, 19 and Kailey, 5.

Linda said she's not seeing a big decline in sales or lessons as a result of the economy.

"People are going back to music," she says. Families are spending more time at home and learning to play an instrument.

"They're sitting around a piano and enjoying," she said.

For more information, check out musiceducationplay.com.

Kim Mikus covers small business and retail. She welcomes comments at kmikus@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4567.