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 Guitar Stop was originally started in 1962
by Edward Oster. The original name for the store was Central Sales Co. It was changed to GUITAR STOP
in 1998 to better reflect the store's focus.
CENTRAL SALES COMPANY
Edward Oster originally started Central Sales Company in 1962. He was an entrepreneur in the true sense of the word. He graduated from Harvard with a Bachelors degree in English and got his Masters from Rutgers. He started his professional career in the 1950's as a driving instructor, the driving school was located under an Insurance Agency. It seemed to him that the Insurance Agency was more profitable and less hazardous to his health than teaching people how to drive. He got his Broker's License and started selling Auto Insurance in 1952. At that time, all Auto Insurance policies in Massachusetts renewed in January. The majority of the year was very slow, waiting for policies to come up for renewal. He decided to sell used typewriters and adding machines while he was waiting for the busy season for Auto Insurance. The retail side of his business continued to grow, used TV's, stereos, cameras and jewelry were soon added to his inventory. He named the business Central Sales Company because the store was located in Central Square, Cambridge. In 1962, Ed bought and sold his first Guitar, an Aria Acoustic. It was the beginning of his musical instrument inventory. The small store quickly became full of used instruments, several rows of Guitars were hung from the ceiling. Central Sales Co. was the type of place you could find any used item you were looking for, no matter how obscure. Ed brought his 5 children into the store to work with him, beginning from the time they were old enough to see over the counter. In September of 1986, he passed away, leaving both businesses to his wife. His daughter Jeanne purchased Central Sales Co. and Oster Insurance Agency from her mother. Six months later, the landlord of the store front asked the store to relocate.
CENTRAL SALES MUSIC COMPANY
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