Bob Popyk

Bob Carbone is the co-founder of the Piano & Organ Center in Syracuse, New York. The store has a reputation for their quality products as well as creative lesson programs, which are offered to all of their customers. Bob entered the music industry with a letter he wrote while in the US Army to music retailer Bob Popyk, who not only hired the soon to be discharged soldier but met him at the airport upon his return to New York. The two worked together for 11 years before Bob Popyk sold his store to take his own musical career in a new direction.

Joe De Fio has had a long and exciting career in the music industry, especially in the area of piano sales! His career began in 1968 when he was hired as a salesman for Clark Music in New York. A few years later he began working for Bob Popyk, who focused on organ sales while Joe focused on pianos. Those were exciting times with promotions such as a 24-hour sale that was very successful and great fun. He later opened his own store - The Music Center - and ran it from 1981 to 1991. Associations with Hammond Organs and Jenkins Music followed before Joe opened a second store called P

Stan Lindenbaum grew up in Brooklyn and developed many thoughts and ideas about selling. While working for several different industries during his career, Stan studied the idea of incentive marketing, a concept that worked out well for him in his years in the music industry. He worked for the Thomas Organ Company just as the designer, Mr. George Thomas, signed a deal to have the instruments made. Stan later worked in the consumer electronics industry before returning to the music industry as a regional manager for North American Music selling acoustic pianos.

Art Olson brought his love for playing music together with his experience as an instrument salesman to form his own store, Artistic Pianos. The store opened in 1999 in Encinitas, California and has since moved to San Marcos where Art continues to offer a wide range of piano brands. He attributes his success to his philosophies of getting to know the customer’s needs and caring for the brands he carries as well as to the mentors and bosses he has had in the early part of his career. Art worked with Bob Popyk in Syracuse, New York; Hal Cowan in Kansas City, Missouri; and Curt Carter

Bob Popyk knows enough about the music industry to write about it! Bob had several music retail stores before selling them in 1979 to form a sales and marketing strategies business. Since that time he has been active writing columns for Music Trades magazine and providing sessions at several NAMM shows on a wide range of topics. While a retailer, Bob carried Wurlitzer, among many lines, and grew to know the people and products that made that company a major force in the industry for several decades.