Community staple Universal Music says goodbye

Northglenn-Thornton music store was instrumental for generations

BY LUKE ZARZECKI LZARZECKI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Back in 1960, Jim and Millie Patterson had the mission to put as many instruments in children’s hands and give as many music lessons as they could.

So they opened up a music store. ey started out successfully in Denver and eventually moved up to Northglenn. After 63 years, a move to ornton, and thousands of students, including more than 120 foster children later, Universal Music will play their last note on July 15.

“You’re 90 years old, that’s why we’re quitting,” Millie said to Jim jokingly. “We want to keep going.”

For Jim and Millie, their whole lives revolve around music. In fact, they met through music. Jim was in the Air Force band, and his bandmate introduced him to Millie, who at the time was in the Denver University summer orchestra. e two hit it o and the next 68 years are history.

“I wouldn’t have Jim without music,” said Millie.

E Agle View A Dult C Enter

1150

Eagle View Adult Center Update

June 28 – July 5, 2023

Eagle View Adult Center is open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Call 303-655-2075 for more information. e July & Aug Newsletter is available.

Registration for July and Aug programs is open to the public on Wed. July 5.

Eagle View Adult Center will be closed Tues. July 4.

Spellbinders Storytelling

Julie and Jim are coming back for another fun- lled storytelling event. Free, but please register.

1:15 p.m. urs. June 29. Deadline: Tues. June 27

Ice Cream Social

You’ll make your own ice cream sundae and then listen to some favorite tunes sung by Bobbie Bell.

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Fri. June 30. $4. Deadline: urs. June 29

Feathered Friends: Bald Eagle

Join Anne Price from the Raptor Education Foundation. Your fee supports the Foundation in caring for injured birds.

2:30 p.m. urs. July 6. $5. Deadline: Wed. July 5

Movie: e War with Grandpa

Grandchildren are welcome for this movie. Peter and his grandpa used to be very close, but when Grandpa Jack moves in, Peter is forced to give up his most prized possession: his bedroom. Rated PG. Free, but please register. 1:30 p.m. Fri. July 7. Deadline: urs. July 6

Legacy

Part of the music in uence comes from Millie’s mother who insisted all her children take music lessons despite raising ve children on only $60 a week. Millie, 86, still plays in the Je Co Symphony and Jim, 90, still plays the drums.

“It’s in our blood,” said Jamie Brown, their daughter.

Jim and Millie’s two children are also musicians. Jamie plays the ute, and oboe and sings while Gary plays the drums. eir children and their grandchildren all play instruments, too.

Before kids, they decided to open up the store as a young duo when Jim was playing percussion professionally and both thought they could teach music to get by. At that time, it was an accordion studio.

“In the 1950s, 1960s, the accordion was really big,” Jim said.

As Rock and Roll grew in popularity and interest in the accordion waned, they started to sell guitars, along with other instruments.

During their rst year at the Northglenn Garland Shopping Center, Millie said they had enough money to go for one year and pay the rent.

“ at was the plan, we could make it for one year. en we started making money,” she said. ey made money in their rst month, and the store took o from there.

During the couple’s time owning the store, Millie was in charge of bookkeeping and the rentals. at’s what kept them going. Students from the surrounding school districts would come to the store to rent their instruments. ough that was when elementary schools had music. A big hit to their business, as well as the music community, was when the Adams 12 school district cut out music, said Jim. ey continued to receive a lot of business from the kids playing but there was more competition. ey noted many families have been coming in to say goodbye. It’s a community staple and generational store, with Millie and Jim teaching music to their neighbors’ children, and their children, and their children.

World changes, music remains ey emphasized how important music is. Millie said that every professional person she’s met has had music in their life, whether it was a semester of clarinet or years of piano. In schools, music speaks to some students who may not be good at math, science, English or sports.

“ e world changes, but music is still important,” said Jim. “Music is a feeling that no one can take away.” e store competed against music stores in the area, but lately most competition comes from the Internet. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they couldn’t sell guitars so buyers went to Amazon and other online retailers.

Despite the competition, they prevailed. Everything they knew about running a business came from “ guring it out.” Neither had college degrees in business or a background in it.

As a way to thank their past customers, they are selling instruments to former renters at a lower price.

“ ey might owe $800 and we’ll let them have it for $200,” Jim Patterson said.

Some of the students they taught years ago came in wanting an instrument for their grandchildren.

“We really belong to the community,” Millie said.

Thu 6/29

Mon 7/03

4th of July BBQ @ 4:30pm

Veteran's Memorial Park, 6015 Forest Dr., Commerce City. 303-289-3760

Toad the Wet Sprocket @ 7:30pm

Arvada Center Outdoor Amphitheater, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada

Tue 7/04

Those Crazy Nights: Brighton CO 4th of July Celebration @ 4pm

Eric Golden @ 6pm

Odde's Music Grill, 9975 Wadsworth Pkwy, Westminster

Phat Daddy @ 8pm Brewski's Pub and Grill, 2100 E 104th Ave, Thornton

Sat 7/01

Carmichael Park, 650 E Southern St, Brighton

Thu 7/06

Jacob Larson Band Funk & Soul: Jacob Larson Band LIVE - Twist & Shout Concert Series @ 7pm

Harley Brown Amphitheater, Thornton

Fri 6/30

Eric Golden @ 7pm

Vfw Post 7945, 10217 Quivas St, Thornton

Colorado Rockies vs. Detroit Tigers @ 7:10pm / $35-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Denver

Sun 7/02

Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers

@ 7:30pm / $25-$999

DICK'S Sporting Goods Park, 6000 Victory Way, Commerce City

Wed 7/05

Giant chess - it’s your move @ 2pm

Anythink Brighton, 327 East Bridge Street, Brighton. rbowman @anythinklibraries.org, 303-4053230

Reverse Mortgage Myths (7/6) @ 4pm

Eagle Pointe Recreation Center, 6060 E. Parkway Dr., Commerce City. 303-2893760

Longmont Humane Society Bene�t @ Summit Tacos with Jack Campbell & Friends @ 6pm Summit Tacos, 237 Collyer St, Longmont

Amazing Athletes @ 7pm

Jul 6th - Jul 27th

Bison Ridge Recreation Center, 13905 E. 112th Avenue, Commerce City. 303-2893760

Joan Jett & Blackhearts @ 7:30pm Ball Arena, 1000 Chopper Cir, Denver

Colorado Rockies vs. Detroit Tigers @ 6:10pm / $33-$300

Coors Field, 2001 Blake St., Den‐ver

The Annual Stars & Stripes 5K Run/Walk @ 7:30am / $20-$30

Riverdale Regional Park, 9755 Henderson Road, Brighton

Hula Hooping 101 @ 1pm

Anythink Huron Street, 9417 Huron Street, Thornton. swhitelonis@any thinklibraries.org, 303-452-7534

Anavrin's Day @ Hoffbrau on Thursday! @ 9pm Hoffbrau, 9110 Wadsworth Pkwy, Westminster of thousands of dollars in security upgrades at no cost from a company that has donated similar systems to rural schools around the state.

Convergint, an international company that designs, installs and services electronic security systems, donated its services as part of an annual social responsibility day, where its 9,200 employees participate in a day of service in their respective communities. e e ort brought $3 million in equipment and labor to schools and security upgrades to 32 schools in three states, including Colorado.

Convergint Director of Business

Development Stephen Fisher said the security portion of the annual program is called STEP Up. It is an initiative to help strengthen school security as part of the company’s and who has no agenda other than to create a safe environment for teachers and students and people on campus.” e company installs and services electronic security, cybersecurity, re and life safety, building automation and audio-visual systems. e backdrop to such upgrades are concerns about security across the county, especially amid ongoing incidents, including shootings at schools. According to a survey done by the Institute of Education Sciences, an independent, nonpartisan statistics arm of the U.S. Department of Education, around 58% of elementary schools reported at least one instance of violent crime in the 2019-20 academic year, the most recent data available. And, 45% reported at least once instance of parents during an incident. According to the IES survey, 41% of elementary schools have buttons or alarms that directly connect to local law enforcement agencies in the event of an incident. And 70% of elementary schools have systems that automatically notify parents of school-wide emergencies. safety equipment. ey company also did some sprucing up with paint on June 9.

Schools apply each year for Convergint’s STEP Up for Schools program, which may include free interior and exterior security system installations, upgrades and assessments. To date, 71 schools across the country have received security donations from the initiative. Convergint has provided the service for several other schools across Colorado, including the Park County School District, Clear Creek School District and Bennett School District.

Ward Principal Robert JurhsSavage said the work done by Convergint was welcome news. He’s looking forward to learning about the new security system.

“I’d love to come in and check out how it works,” Jurhs-Savage said.

Fisher said the company typically selects schools from less populated, more rural districts. But a lack of funding also plays a factor in the company’s selection process.

“We’re looking for school districts that might not have the funding, the capital or the expertise to be able to do what we do,” Fisher said. “We just wanted to shorten the process for the people that don’t even have those resources.”