Canadian Music Trade - August/September 2017 | Page 14

Steve ’ s Music Montreal Forced to Move
ESTA Announces New Alliance with NAMM for 2018 Show
The Entertainment Services and Technology Association ( ESTA ) has announced an alliance with NAMM to work with them in expanding The NAMM Show to include a special focus on the live event technology community .
This opportunity was made possible by the addition of a new building at the Anaheim Convention Center , where The NAMM Show is held every January . The additional space will allow the 2018 edition to offer the event technology industry a diverse show floor , more robust professional education , and a series of relevant networking events .
Hall A of the convention centre will be transformed into a controlled environment , ideal for showcasing lighting , rigging , and staging products and services . Professional development opportunities , as advised by ESTA , will offer career-enhancing topics and education sessions designed for both established and emerging entertainment technology professionals . The convention centre ’ s arena will provide demo and hands-on opportunities to delve into each facet of entertainment technology .
For more information , go to www . esta . org .
Steve ’ s Music ’ s flagship Montreal store , one of the best-known music and audio product stores in Canada , is being forced to move from its longtime Saint Antoine Street location . The store will relocate to 150 Ste-Catherine St . E ., with plans to reopen in early fall . “ We ’ re moving because we ’ re forced to , not because we want to ,” store manager Sheldon Sazant told the Montreal Gazette newspaper . The property where Steve ’ s Music has been located for over 50 years was sold to a condo developer five years ago and they have now received their expropriation papers from the city . “ I ’ ve spent my life here as an employee and I ’ ve loved doing so every minute … Michael [ Kirman , store owner ] was basically born in the store . But when you have no choice and the government sends you papers for expropriation , you either fold or you roll up your sleeves and continue .”
The late Steve Kirman opened the store in 1965 amongst a strip of pawn shops in the Old Montreal area of the city . Since its opening , the store has expanded repeatedly , buying and adding neighbouring spaces in the building over the years to the point where it now has nine store fronts , making it known for its vast , maze-like layout .
“ Up until ’ 71 , my grandfathers had a pawn shop located in what ’ s now our drum shop . My dad started this business when he was 18 ; he passed a couple years ago , so a lot of his experience is still in the building ,” Michael Kirman , Steve ’ s son and company VP , told the Gazette . “ That part is going to be very emotional for all of us . We ’ re trying to get the spirit of this building into the new business . It ’ s like losing my father again , in a certain sense , but we ’ re looking forward to the challenge .”
For more information , go to www . stevesmusic . com .
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CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE