Experiencing Yenney Music: Keeping Olympia in Tune for Over 50 Years

By Yourwellness Last updated Apr 29, 2014 14

Yenney Music features a large selection of electric guitars, so you can rock out with some of the best name brands. And if you have a guitar needing some TLC, they also offer onsite repair services.

Yenney Music calls themselves “the one-stop shop for your inner musician.” With their large selection of instruments and accessories, music lessons, rentals and more, it’s easy to see why. This family-friendly business has been around since 1946, and they pride themselves on their knowledgeable staff and great customer service. They offer two retail locations: their flagship store is in the brand-new Yenney Music Plaza in West Olympia (on Capital Mall Drive), and they also have a store in Centralia.

I stopped in at the Olympia store to check out their latest offerings and visit with the staff. Yenney Music moved to their new location in November 2013, and they are very excited to share the new, expanded space with customers. Located on the second floor of the plaza, the store is bright and airy, with an 11-room professional music studio for lessons. Stepping into the store on a weekday afternoon, I was immediately greeted by the friendly Yenney crew. As I browsed the extensive selection of sheet music (featuring everything from Bach to Adele), I could hear music from the lessons softly piping in, and customers checked out instruments and chatted with employees.

If you haven’t visited the new Yenney Music location, you’re in for a treat. It’s a first-class, full-service music store, with so much to offer:

Retail Store

From bass to banjo, school orchestra to country band, Yenney has a full array of string instruments. Staff are highly trained to help you select just the right one.

Walking into Yenney Music is like Christmas for music-lovers. They feature top brands in just about every instrument imaginable, from drum kits to electric guitars to keyboards (and don’t miss their ukulele tree!). They carry Velocity Brass, Rowland, Casio and Boss brands, just to name a few. I also spotted some more offbeat instruments, from piccolos to djembe hand drums.

If you can play it, Yenney has it. They also have the area’s largest selection of print music, featuring almost every in-print title available (if you don’t see what you’re looking for, they’ll order it for you). They specialize in music that private music teachers and schools use. They also sell supplies and fun music-themed gift items. The cozy Centralia store carries much of the same merchandise, with a focus on guitars (and, of course, ukuleles).

Music Lessons

Did you know that Yenney Music has been teaching kids and adults to play music for over 50 years? They have a roster of 16 music teachers, all accomplished performers. Whether you or your child would like to learn guitar, cello, or piano, there’s a skilled teacher at Yenney from which to learn.

Yenney Marketing/Sales Manager, Jake Aseltine, explains that Yenney is the ideal place to learn music because they offer “access to professional one-on-one instruction, in a convenient and secure environment.” The new store features well-equipped private teaching studios, as well as a group practice room. From the toddler Kinder Music class to lessons for adults re-learning a favorite instrument, Yenney teachers love working with all ages. In browsing the store, I overheard kids coming out of music lessons, excitedly talking to parents and staff in the retail area about how much fun they had.

Instrument Rentals

Whether you have a child wanting to learn an instrument or you’d like to learn one yourself, Yenney has a staff of 16 highly-qualified music teachers offering lessons for all ages.

Do you have a child or teen who would like to start playing in the school band or orchestra? Yenney is the premiere stop in Thurston County for instrument rentals of all types, from clarinet to cello. Customers come back time and time again for their high-quality instruments and superb customer service. They also feature a unique rent-to-own program.

You can sign up for instrument rentals in-store or online. (I walked through the online process and found it very user-friendly.) Renting from Yenney is convenient because they also have everything else you might need (reeds, strings and more) all in one spot.

Instrument Repair

Have an instrument that needs repairing? Whether it’s a guitar, band or orchestra instrument, Yenney offers convenient onsite repair services. They feature professional repair staff and competitive pricing.

Karaoke and P.A. equipment

Planning a birthday celebration, wedding, or office party? Yenney has karaoke systems (and a large selection of music to go with them) for rental and purchase. They also rent P.A. equipment for your band practice or special event. Renters can count on Yenney’s expert musical help and technical support.

Used instrument buying

Have an instrument that you no longer play, or ready to try something new? Did you know that Yenney buys used instruments? They are always looking for quality instruments in good shape. To learn more about their buying program, call them or visit the store for details.

The store itself also has a unique history as the oldest continuously-run music store in Washington State. They first opened their doors in 1898 (as Rabeck Music House) and officially becoming Yenney Music when Jim Yenney, a former Olympia High School band director, moved back to the area and bought the business in 1946. They have remained family-focused and locally-owned, serving South Sound music lovers ever since.

Yenney Music prides itself on being a full-service music store. They even offer professional repair for band and orchestra instruments, and both acoustic and electric guitars.

Yenney believes in reaching out and giving back to the local community. They do this through their scholarship program, providing musical instruments for low-income students at area schools. They also have a rich history of supporting local music events in the community. Currently, they host a weekly open mic night at Brownstone Coffee Lounge in Centralia.

Yenney Music believes in connecting with their customers and creating customer relationships that span generations. One way you can stay up-to-date is to sign up for their customer mailing list. Yenney Music cares about giving Olympia residents a good value, and they frequently have special deals in addition to their competitive prices.

So, the Yenney Music staff invites you to come into their new store and see what they have to offer. Aseltine says they hope to create “the total music experience” for customers. You can also learn more about them on their website and follow them on Facebook.