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Mars Music, Inc. was a chain of music stores based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company was founded in 1996 by guitarist and former Office Depot president Mark Begelman, who created the superstore store chain after experiencing dissatisfaction with his own music store shopping experiences. MARS was initially an acronym for "Music And Recording Superstore." At its peak following an aggressive expansion plan, Mars Music consisted of 49 stores in 20 states and was the second largest company of its kind in the US,〔"Message From Mars … Profits Now Top Priority", Music Trades, July 2001〕 but the company went out of business in late 2002 after over-expansion, struggles to raise additional capital, and a failed reorganization attempt. ==Company history== Mark Begelman began Mars Music with the purchase of the five-store Ace Music store chain in south Florida. He had gone into one of the Ace Music locations to try a guitar amplifier, but a salesperson told him he couldn't turn up the volume, and that if he purchased it and didn't like it, he wouldn't be able to get a refund. Frustrated with his shopping experience and music stores' limited product selection, lack of clear pricing, and store personnel who wouldn't allow customers to try the merchandise, he used $10 million of his own funds to start Mars Music.〔("The Big Box Comes To Music" ), Forbes, Mar 1998〕〔"Entertailing", Dale D. Buss, Inc., December 1997〕 A retail superstore concept, Mars Music had a wide selection of music instruments and pro audio equipment clearly priced on display for customers to try in large stores, each with practice rooms, a recording studio, and a performance stage, all with the slogan "We love when you touch the stuff."〔"Former Head of Office Depot Tries Similar Approach to Music", Toledo Blade, July 1998〕 Mars Music stores included a "Learning Center" where instrument lessons for individuals and groups were taught, including the "Babies Make Music" early childhood music program〔("Mars Music Gives Birth To 'Babies Make Music' Program" ), South Florida Business Journal, March 2000〕 and "Weekend Warriors" program designed for adults who want to play on the weekends. At one point, Mars Music was the largest provider of private music lessons in the US. Mars also introduced interactive online instrument lessons with pitch recognition technologies that were new at the time.〔("Chain Of Music Superstores Opens First L.A. Outlets" ), Christopher Keogh, Los Angeles Business Journal, November 2000〕 A related charitable organization, the Mars Music Foundation, operated to grant music lessons and the "In Tune With Kids" program that accepted instrument donations, then reconditioned and donated the instruments to area schools.〔Martin E. Comas, ("Recycling Helps Kids Strike Up The Band" ), Orlando Sentinel, February 2000〕〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Mars Music」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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