Alto Music Wins 'Dealer of the Year' at NAMM Top 100 Dealer Awards

Alto Music wins ‘Dealer of the Year,’ while other retailers take home wins in ‘Best of’ categories, as the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) recognizes excellence in music products and instruments retail. The Top 100 Dealer awards celebrate the best business practices by U.S. retailers, as the music products industry gathers in Nashville for the Summer NAMM show.

“The Top 100 Dealer Awards are an opportunity for NAMM members to come together and celebrate excellence in retailing,” said Joe Lamond, NAMM president and CEO. “No two stores are alike and we can all learn from each other; I suspect many NAMM members will use these winning ideas in their own businesses, leading to an improvement in the entire trade.”

A panel of impartial, expert judges selected by, but not otherwise affiliated with NAMM, first select the Top 100 dealers using a numeric rating based on five main criteria. Then, the panel scores retailers’ submissions for awards in ten other specific ‘Best of’ categories. Then scores are tallied and stores are ranked to reveal the music product industry’s ‘Dealer of the Year.’

“The retailers in this room are the backbone of the industry,” said Jon Haber, owner of Alto Music based in Middletown, NY. “We’re cultivating all of the future customers. Whether now a pro audio, lighting guy or other person connected to music today, they probably got their start getting juiced on a guitar at a local music store.”

Candyman Strings & Things in Santa Fe, NM, Music Villa in Bozeman, MT and Amro Music Stores in Memphis, TN took home multiple ‘Best of’ awards in various categories. “I used to think music was good for kids, now I know that music changes kids’ lives,” said an emotional Rand Cook, owner of Candyman Strings & Things based in Santa Fe, NM. “I used to run a store…now it is so much more.”

Find the full Top 100 Dealers list and video at https://ww1.namm.org/summer/2012/top-dealer.