Nuncie's Music
Nuncie's Music was a musical instrument retailer and servicer located in a 23,000 square-foot building at 2601 2nd Avenue North, adjacent to the 2nd Avenue off-ramp from the Red Mountain Expressway. Most of the company's business came from band instruments and service.
The company was founded in 1946 by Nunzio "Nuncie" LaBerte, operating out of a small showroom on 5th Avenue North. He ran the store with his wife, Jesola, bringing his son Larry into the business in 1963.
Around 1988, a second location was opened on U. S. Highway 31 in Hoover. It was relocated to Lorna Road in 2001.
Larry took over the business in 1993 after his father's death. Facing increased competition from online sellers, the company undertook a short-lived foray into e-commerce beginning in early 2000. In 2003, facing debts from unfulfilled school contracts, Nuncie's filed for bankruptcy protection. A partnership with the New York-based American Music Group was expected to allow the company to emerge intact.
However Nuncie's closed its stores in 2004. The building was sold in 2007 to Bruce Office Supply for its main office and showroom.
References
- Park, Jennifer (December 17, 1999) "Nuncie's hopes Web enhancements will strike the right chord with customers." Birmingham Business Journal.
- "Hoover Store To Relocate". (Circa October 13, 2001). Nuncie's Music web site (via the Internet Archive).
- Mahoney, Ryan (August 8, 2003) "School woes lead to Chapter 11 for Nuncie's." Birmingham Business Journal.