Ron Whittaker

Ron Whittaker was just eleven years old when his father started a music retail store in Long Beach, California. Whittaker Music opened in 1946, just after World War II and Ron still remembers the struggles his father had in gaining instruments as manufacturers were still short on raw materials that were used for the war effort. Over the years Ron played a vital role in the expansion of the store including a move in 1968 to the Los Altos Shopping Center, as popularity for mall-based stores was on the rise.  Music education and customer service were key elements of his focus as he felt strongly about the power of music. In 1998, Ron sold the business to retire, taking with him a lifetime of wonderful memories of a job he looked forward to doing each and every day.