About
Hi, I’m Peter Hubbard, the new owner of Play It Again Music Center. The store’s name – Play It Again – holds special meaning for me, for several reasons.

The first is probably obvious. Like many, I’m a Casablanca fan. Although never actually part of the dialogue in the romantic movie classic, Humphrey Bogart is generally credited with telling piano player Dooley Wilson, to “Play It Again, Sam.” As a result, the lyrics to the music he requested, As Time Goes By, have been indelibly etched in the minds of millions of movie buffs -- who this year are celebrating the 70th anniversary of the movie’s release.

Horns Unlimited
On a more personal level, this will be my second go-around running a music business. A jazz sax player since high school, my instruments were stolen … along with many other possessions … by a nasty band of house thieves, back in 1984. When I failed to find them after scouring dozens of Houston-area pawn shops, I decided to start a business, offering quality used band instruments to others in my position. So from 1985-1995, I operated a little part-time music business on the side, called Horns Unlimited. For over 10 years, I sold $20,000 - $30,000 a year worth of instruments to beginner band kids and pros alike.

Car Guy Deluxe
But I shut it down in 1995 to focus more attention on my “other career” as an automotive writer. You see, I have a degree in journalism, and have spent most of the past 25 years as an automotive journalist, doing car reviews and covering both the new-car and aftermarket accessory industries for newspapers, magazines and web sites. Also, since most of the “mom & pop” pawn shops were being bought up, or put out of business by corporate shops run by large corporations, I wasn’t able to do the same kind of wheeling and dealing, or keep the kinds of high-quality inventory I needed, to maintain a profitable business.

So for the next 17 years, my writing career was front-and-center, while my music career took a back seat. Sure, I was still playing in jazz bands, but I wasn’t in the “music business.”

But that all changed on January 2. Things began to shift back last year when I went to work for the former owner, Carol Scarlett, who decided to retire last summer and offered me the opportunity to operate her music business – to literally Play It Again – so I jumped at the chance.

Since I don’t have deep pockets, I can’t do everything I’d like, all at once. But gradually, over the next year or two the long-time customers of Play It Again should notice some significant changes.

Business Goals
First of all, there will be more frequent and focused communication. That starts with this web site, which will be updated at least 3-4 times a month. Next, there will be regular postings on our Facebook page, and email blasts announcing new products and the store’s “specials” – for all our special customers.

Next, you can expect us to offer more professional and efficient service. That means we’ll be taking special orders from you when we run out of something, and working on a quicker turn-around time for your repairs. The repair business will continue to be a cornerstone of our business.
We’ll also be changing up the inventory. Expect to see more used band instruments for sale – especially more intermediate and pro models. Eventually, I hope to have between 50 and 100 instruments available for sale at any given time.

Rental Program Changes
But we won’t abandon our economical instrument rental program, which has been a foundation of Play It Again Music Center since it was started, over 25 years ago. But you’ll notice some upgrades. The instruments will be a little newer and a little shinier … and we’ll be offering more intermediate instruments and a few pro horns, too. We’ll also provide an opportunity to rent many instruments usually provided by school districts, like French Horns, Baritones, Euphoniums, Tubas, Bass Clarinets and Baritone Saxes. Eventually, we’ll move the rental application process online, so customers can use this web site to select instruments, and submit their rental requests, thus streamlining and expediting the rental process. We’ll probably add a few wrinkles, too, like starting to rent banjos and mandolins.
We’ll also strive to work more closely with the band programs in areas high schools, as well as at ACC, The University of Texas, at Concordia, Huston-Tillotson and St. Edwards University, so the area’s college students and music majors are having their needs met, too – not just the beginner band kids.

We’ll continue selling harmonicas and ukuleles, and plan to expand our offerings of accordions and percussion items, to include drum heads and stools. Also expect to see a “guitarron” a Vihuela and a Bajo Sexto from time to time, as we reach out the area’s many Tejano musicians.

So come by and see us sometime. We’d love to meet you and get better acquainted. Let us know what you’re looking for in a locally-owned Austin music instrument store – and I’ll do my very best to provide it for you. I’m committed to earning and keeping your business.

Community Involvement
Another goal of mine is to increase the store’s support for – and connections to – Austin’s vibrant music community. That process actually began last fall, when the store provided over a dozen band instruments – rent free—to the middle school students of Bastrop after that city’s destructive fires. Our efforts were profiled in a news story on Fox 7 news the week of Thanksgiving last fall. Also, in January we donated nine band instruments to Anthropos Arts, the city’s popular non-profit music education program headed up by Dylan Jones. We anticipate even more involvement with the city’s music community in the months to come. Respectfully,

Peter “Play it Again, Sam” Hubbard

Please click the Contact button to send a comment or inquiry to sam@playitagainmusiccenter.com