Ironton in Bloom, Inc. recently presented its Business Award to Dick’s Music Shop, located at 119 S. Third St.

Rowena Mollett, owner and an Ironton resident, believed keeping the store’s former name would be a big plus in starting up her new business.

A favorite memory of many of the senior citizens in town, as well as those younger, is going downtown to Dick’s Record Shop on Third Street on a Saturday to buy the latest 45. You could play it on a record player before purchasing, the sound hooked up to a microphone that broadcast the music out on the street, giving the whole neighborhood a festive air.

The new store’s space and inventory is surprisingly large, and its services equally diverse. One can try out almost any instrument that comes to mind from their large selection.

Schools, groups, or individuals can not only rent an instrument for any length of time, but there are four experienced musicians on hand to give lessons.

Josh Kitchen teaches percussion, Zack Rambo and Barbara Marsh handle the stringed instrument instruction, and Mollett, an experienced musician, teaches as well.

Mollett says of Rambo, “If it’s got strings, Zack can play it!”

Violin teacher Barbara Marsh, a member of the Huntington Symphony Orchestra and Ohio Valley Symphony, says she has 12 students taking weekly lessons and she’d like more.

The store also carries a wide variety of sheet music and ‘how to’ books, as well as shirts, jewelry and other items with a musical theme.

Mollett hopes to become more involved in music development in area schools, but says business is good and growing — so good, in fact, she plans to open another Ironton store soon, keeping what kind of store it will be a secret for now.

Citizens are welcome to nominate a business for the award. Ironton in Bloom, Inc. looks for clean, attractive, and welcoming businesses that are an obvious asset to their neighborhood.