North Star Music closing after three decades in East Tosa

When Joe Moser opened North Star Music in 1986, he said the East Tosa neighborhood was "comparatively sleepy." But he had fond childhood memories of the area and was happy to set up his racks of records in the storefront at 6831 W. North Ave.

Twenty-nine years later, as Moser prepares to close his shop for good, he looks out his front window and sees a new landscape with fresh businesses taking off. His choice to close is not from a lack of economic vitality. He said he just felt it was time to retire.

"The growth in the neighborhood is really exciting. Someone might think it was counter-intuitive to quit at that time," Moser said. "I've done my thing the best I can and I would love to see a new business with someone young and full of fresh ideas take over."

Moser, 63, plans to have his last day of business May 30. He said he wasn't able to find someone to buy his business, and he is still looking for a tenant for the space.

Looking back on nearly three decades on North Avenue, Moser said he feels like he had a hand in the development of the street.

"I think I was a well-established business that had it's place and was useful," Moser said. "I feel accomplished, lucky, fortunate, and grateful."

Moser said he kept business steady by changing with the times, from selling records, to CDs, to just instruments and music lessons.

"From the moment we opened, this store has been in constant change," he said.

Moser said it has also been important to build personal relationships with customers.

"There are so many examples. Yesterday, a lady came in and gave me a vase of flowers for fixing her Dulcimer," Moser said. "That's just yesterday."

East Tosa Alderman Bobby Pantuso said he still remembers buying his first CD at the store as a high school freshman, in 1990.

"I had a few bucks and I bought an Aerosmith," Pantuso said. "About a year later, I started playing electric bass, and I got that there. Then I got my first amp there."

Now Pantuso's son takes lessons at North Star. Pantuso said he hopes the city will attract another music store to fill the void.

"I really hope we can find and recruit some kind of a music store, especially one that offers lessons," Pantuso said. "We need more retail in East Tosa."

As he looks ahead to retirement, Moser said he doesn't have any plans yet other than to "decompress."

"I can count on one hand the number of vacations I've had that were more than five days," he said.