What Music Arts Enterprises does

Music Arts Enterprises (MAE) is a family-owned music retail and services business headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, founded in 1963 and operating continuously for over 60 years. The company runs a 20,000 square foot musical superstore at 3301 Davie Blvd and a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at maemusic.com, selling electric, acoustic, and bass guitars (including premium brands such as Fender, Tom Anderson Guitarworks, Nash, Yamaha, and Taylor), keyboards and synthesizers, drums and percussion, pro audio and recording equipment, and vinyl records/LPs. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales across these categories, with pricing ranging from roughly $22 (vinyl) to $4,913 (high-end electric guitars).

Beyond retail, MAE operates four adjacent service lines that diversify the business model: professional instrument repair (guitars, basses, keyboards, amplifiers, drums, band/orchestra instruments), backline and equipment rentals for touring artists and events, audio-video-IT integration through its MAE AVIT subsidiary, and ongoing technical support via MAE Support. Customers span individual musicians (primary segment), schools and education programs, churches and houses of worship, commercial businesses and studios, and venues and event professionals — all served through a direct-to-consumer model combining walk-in retail, online ordering, and B2B service contracts.

The company is privately held under MAE-Music Arts Enterprises, LLC (Florida), has remained family-owned throughout its history with no disclosed external investment or PE involvement, and markets itself through organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), email newsletter, and its website. A legendary in-store performance stage has hosted world-famous musicians and functions as a community engagement asset.

Name

Music Arts Enterprises

Legal name

MAE- Music Arts Enterprises, LLC

Website

https://maemusic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Music Arts Enterprises is a family-owned Fort Lauderdale music retailer and service provider, operating a 20,000 sq ft superstore and Shopify e-commerce site since 1963, selling instruments, vinyl, and pro audio while offering repair, rentals, and AV-IT integration.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instrument Retail

NAICS

Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pro Audio & Recording Equipment Retail (MI-adjacent) (CRALAEAC), Instrument Repair, Maintenance & Luthier Services (CRALAEAF), Instrument Accessories & Consumables Retail (Strings, Reeds, Sticks, Cables) (CRALAEAE)

Keywords

• Musical instrument retail
• Instrument repair services
• Pro audio equipment
• Backline rentals
• AV-IT integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Musical Instrument Sales: One-time sales of musical instruments including electric guitars, acoustic guitars, bass guitars, keyboards, drums, and pro audio equipment. Products range from entry-level to professional-grade instruments.
2. Vinyl Records & LPs: Sale of vinyl records and LPs including classic albums, rare finds, and new releases across multiple genres.
3. Instrument Repair Services: Professional repair services for guitars, basses, keyboards, amplifiers, drums, band instruments, and more. Includes setups, restringing, electronic repair, and full restorations.
4. Rentals & Backline Gear: Rental services providing guitars, basses, keyboards, drum kits, microphones, and full backline production rigs for touring artists, venues, and event organizers.
5. Audio-Video-IT Integration: Design, sales, and installation of sound systems, lighting, video walls, streaming solutions, and secure networks for businesses, houses of worship, studios, and performance spaces.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Music Arts Enterprises sells musical instruments (electric, acoustic, and bass guitars, keyboards, drums, pro audio equipment) and vinyl records through a 20,000 sq ft physical superstore and a Shopify e-commerce site. It also provides instrument repair services, backline rentals for touring artists, and AV-IT design/integration services through its MAE AVIT division.

Product overview

Music Arts Enterprises operates as a full-service music retail store and online e-commerce platform (built on Shopify), offering a comprehensive range of musical instruments and professional audio equipment. The core product portfolio includes Electric Guitars (Fender, Tom Anderson Guitarworks, Nash, Yamaha, Duesenberg), Acoustic Guitars (Taylor, Yamaha), Bass Guitars, Keyboards & Synthesizers, Drums & Percussion, Pro Audio Equipment, and Vinyl Records & LPs. These are complemented by guitar strings and accessories, plus value-added services including MAE AVIT (Audio-Video-IT design, sales, and integration), professional Instrument Repair Services, and Rentals & Backline Gear for touring artists and events. The company operates a 20,000 square foot superstore in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, serving musicians, schools, churches, businesses, and event professionals throughout South Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MAE AVIT: Audio-video-IT design, sales, and integration services division serving businesses, houses of worship, studios, and performance spaces.
• MAE Support

Products and services

• Electric Guitars

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving South Florida musicians since 1963

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Guitar Center: Largest US specialty musical instrument retailer with 250+ stores, carrying guitars, keyboards, drums, pro audio, and offering repairs and rentals. Directly comparable to MAE across every product category, but at vastly greater scale and national reach.
• Full Compass Systems: Wisconsin-based broad retailer of pro audio, lighting, video, and musical instruments serving production, broadcast, and venue customers nationwide. Overlaps with MAE's pro audio and MAE AVIT integration business at a much larger commercial scale.

Direct peers

• Alto Music: Family-owned full-line musical instrument retailer in Middletown, NY offering guitars, keyboards, drums, pro audio, recording gear, and on-site lessons. Direct counterpart to MAE on full-service independent retail with brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels.
• Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center: Family-owned Maryland music store since 1958 selling instruments, pro audio, and offering instrument repair and lessons. A small-format direct competitor with similar community-anchor positioning and longevity, though DC-area focused.
• Sweetwater Sound: Fort Wayne, Indiana-based musical instrument and pro audio retailer with a leading online/catalog sales motion, in-house pro audio and recording gear, and free shipping. The most direct comparable to MAE on product mix and customer base, with a far larger digital footprint.
• Elderly Instruments: Lansing, Michigan-based family-owned instrument retailer (since 1972) specializing in guitars, banjos, mandolins, and ukuleles, plus used/vintage gear. Comparable as a long-tenured independent music retailer with strong service reputation, but with a regional focus rather than South Florida.
• Sam Ash Music Stores: Multi-store US musical instrument retailer (guitars, drums, keyboards, pro audio, lighting) with strong private lesson and education programs. A close direct competitor to MAE on retail assortment, repair services, and pro audio integration, though historically Northeast-focused.
• Manny's Music: NYC-based music retailer with deep guitar, pro audio, and instrument repair heritage, also offering backline rentals. Closely comparable to MAE in instrument + pro audio + service mix, but anchored in New York City.

Emerging players

• B&H Photo: Large multi-category electronics retailer with deep pro audio, recording gear, and DJ equipment assortment. Comparable to MAE on the pro audio and recording side of the catalog, but does not focus on traditional instruments, accessories, or repair services.
• Reverb: Online marketplace for new, used, and vintage musical instruments and gear, including guitars, drums, pro audio, and DJ equipment. Overlaps directly with MAE's instrument retail, used/vintage instrument interest, and accessories catalog, but operates without a physical superstore.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@musicartsenterprises6432
• Facebookfacebook.com/MusicArtsEnterprises
• Instagraminstagram.com/musicartsenterprises
• TikToktiktok.com/@musicartsenterprises
• Xx.com/maemusicsfl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/musicartsenterprise

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Music Arts Enterprises