LAKEWOOD, Colo. — After 73 years on West Colfax Avenue, Rockley Music Center in Lakewood has announced it will be closing its doors for good.
"There’s a lot of looking back and a couple tears shed,” said Liane Rockley, vice president of Rockley Music.
The business opened its original location at Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard back in 1946. Initially, they sold print music, record players, band/orchestral instruments and even washers and dryers.
In the 1950s, Rockley Music moved to its current location at Colfax Avenue and Dover Street. Over the years, washers and dryers were replaced by the booming record industry, a guitar department, a print music department and a teaching studio.
Rockley celebrated 50 years in business in the 1990s. That’s also the era when the technology department and piano department were created, according to their website.
A remodel in 2003 allowed the business to open a piano showroom, and in 2010, Rockley Music entered the online retail market.
“I think that’s probably the hardest thing about this transition that we’re going through right now, with closing our iconic location here, is the sense of history and the responsibility to that history," Rockley said.
Once they close up shop, the Rockley family plans to continue to serve the music community by opening a warehouse location that will still offer piano moving, tuning, storage, and limited sales. Orchestral string rental, repair, and limited sales will also be offered.
The family said work that supports the Rockley Family Foundation will expand nationally following the closure. The non-profit works to support music education through scholarships and instrument donations.
The business is now in the process of liquidating the inventory and selling the property.
Starting Nov. 19, Rockley will start selling grand pianos, baby grands, player grands, vertical pianos, digital pianos, violins, violas, cellos, upright basses, accessories, store fixtures, and furniture. All of the items will be liquidated in what's described as "once in a generation pricing."
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