Stan Houston inspects some of the merchandise he buys from all over the world. His store, Mozart Einstein & Me on First Street, was recently named as one of the 100 best music shops in the world. (Photo by George Johnston)

Stan Houston does not do it for the money. Houston says the reward he gets from owning Mozart Einstein & Me on First Street is seeing the gleeful looks children have after buying their first instrument and strumming the guitar or blowing into the horn they just purchased. Recently, Houston and Mozart Einstein & Me were awarded in a different way. The National Association of Music Merchants named the Benicia shop one of the best music dealers in the world.
The store is in good company, sharing space on a list with top-grade music stores from not only all throughout America but also shops in other countries like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
“Both my wife and were really shocked and in tears that we won because you know we are small,” Stan Houston said. “What the industry looks at is not size, but how well you are doing and how well you are providing services to the community.”
Ten years ago, Houston wanted to transition out of the plastic engineering industry. He had worked in plastic engineering for 35 years. In 1998, he and his wife Marianne moved to Benicia. Knowing that her husband wanted to change careers, Marianne suggested they buy ABC Music in the Southampton Shopping Center, which at that point was up for sale. The shop later moved to First Street.
“It was more a decision, not about buying a music store as it was to get involved with the community and continuing business,” Houston said.
Over the past decade, Houston and his wife have contributed over $150,000 in donations to various organizations. They are also responsible for starting the band program at St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School and North Christian School, both in Vallejo. The Houstons believe that no family should feel they cannot participate in a band because of financial constraints.
Houston has not noticed an increase in customers since the National Association of Music Merchants award. The award may be well known in the music store industry, but the general public will just come into the store because of how Mozart Einstein & Me has flourished over the years and the unique products it offers.
Under the Houstons’ leadership, ABC Music branched out from just being a store that sells instruments and offers lessons to selling toys and other devices aimed at enhancing the right side of the brain. As part of this new model, the store officially rebranded itself as Mozart Einstein & Me in 2015. The Houstons also operate an additional store in Livermore.
Houston does not have a specific plan for the future. He turns 65 years this year and does not want to retire just yet.
“I work six to seven days a week and usually eight to ten hours a day and I enjoy it,” Houston said. ” I enjoy people, so it’s an easy thing.”

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