History of Northside Music Company
History of Northside Music Company
In 1949, Lafayette’s Northside Music was a member of Paul Smith’s Vermilion School of Music group. There were five stores specializing in piano, organ, accordion, and guitar sales and services. They produced a weekly amateur hour show live on Champagne, Illinois WTTV channel three television. Piano restoration services were offered through all of these stores.
In the summer of 1960, the management of the Lafayette store was taken over by John M. Mills. His background in music and business led him to further develop the piano and organ products. By 1963 guitars, accordions, and other musical instruments were dropped to help the company focus on developing a complete restoration shop, and what was to become the largest inventory of piano and organ products in central Indiana.
The company became independent in the early sixties, under the direct ownership of John M. Mills and his brother Richard P. Mills, who brought experience in advanced electronics and engineering to the company. In the fall of 1963, the company expanded into the old Horat home and machine shop at 1008 South Street in Lafayette, Indiana. These remarkably preserved mid-eighteenth century buildings provide a harmonious environment for the company. An additional twenty six thousand square feet of warehouse space was added, bringing the total number of pianos and organs up over six hundred.
In the early seventies, Northside Music Company purchased the Gordon Laughead Company from Grand Haven Michigan. This traditional Maker of "old reliable", quality pianos had worked with Northside and, as the owner died, production was moved to Lafayette where another five hundred pianos were manufactured. Though this production is of relatively few instruments, some of these have 49" Klepac scales that are some of the finest designs in the industry. The actions are made by Swander (Langer) in England, and the castings by Kelly. Today, few of these pianos are being made, but the new "core" of a completely restored piano is, in some instances, a new Laughead piano.
Today, the support for new and used keyboard instrument sales comes from a complete restoration division in which the action, finish, touch-up, electronics, pneumatics, stringing, and sound-board departments are each directed by eighteen dedicated professionals. Northside Music offers wholesale pianos and organs to the trade, a nation-wide detailed restoration service. Local rental, retail, and home services in the Danville, Illinois, central Indiana/ Indianapolis, Kokomo, Marion, Peru, Crawfordsville areas are also offered. There are retail stores in Lafayette and Kokomo Indiana.
The company does offer group tours that have been popular with scouting groups and clubs (appointments required). Restoration/ appraisal services that would precede any shop services that are offered.
