Sam Ash Megastores opens in Raleigh, North Carolina

Divaris Aids Sam Ash's National Expansion 

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA:  Known as “the world’s favorite music store,” musical instrument retailer Sam Ash is expanding its Megastore concept throughout the east with the help of Divaris Real Estate, Inc.

The musical retailer was founded in 1924 when Sam Ash, an Austrian emigrant who was also a violinist, and his wife Rose, opened their first store in Brooklyn, New York. Sam Ash stores, which operate under the premise of having the most complete selection of musical instruments and accessories at discount prices, has now grown to over 40 stores -- located in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia. 

The stores provide sheet music, musical instruments, music software and sound and recording equipment to musicians that range from novices to experts. Customers are not only allowed, but encouraged to try out instruments and equipment before they buy. Sam Ash’s associates, some of whom are professional musicians or DJs themselves, are always on hand to help out.

The Sam Ash brand also includes a professional division, a parts division and the company’s Web site, SamAsh.com, which offers much of the same selection as the Sam Ash stores.  It has over 70,000 square feet of music and sound gear in stock at all times.

Bob Fetterolf, senior sales and leasing broker from Divaris’ Charlotte office, handled the leasing of three stores for the music retailer late last year and early this year.  In October 2003, Sam Ash leased two locations in Ohio and Indianapolis. In Springdale, Ohio, the retailer opened a 39,168-square-foot store in the Beltway Center at Springdale located at 800 Kemper Road.  Later that month, Sam Ash signed a lease for 32,516 square feet of retail space in the Castleton Plaza located on Centerrun Road in Indianapolis.

In January, a lease was completed for the second location for Sam Ash in North Carolina, the first being in Charlotte.   A 34,300-square-foot, former MARS Music store in the Capital Square Shopping Center in Raleigh, North Carolina has been leased by Sam Ash.  MARS Music closed its Raleigh store in late 2002 after its parent company filed for bankruptcy. 

Sam Ash targets areas with populations of over 1 million. The retailer considers locations in enclosed super regional malls, enclosed regional malls and power centers, as well as freestanding locations. Sam Ash’s preferred gross leaseable area is 20,000 to 25,000 square feet, with minimum frontage of 100 feet.