Wick Alphenaar (88) seventy years in family business: “No money for geraniums”

On Wednesday afternoon we find Wick Alphenaar, the real name of the senior manager of the family business, behind the counter as usual. He is the third generation in the family business that has been serving as a music store since 1894.

The fit and vital-looking Alphenaar doesn’t know any better: he can be found in the family business from an early age. “When I was sixteen I already helped with this in the store.” When his father died, he and his uncle became partners in the music business. He was then eighteen years old.

A century and a half

The history of Alphenaar goes back a long way. It all started with Wick’s grandfather who, in addition to being a furniture maker and undertaker, started the music shop in Haarlem in the 19th century. As the years passed, the store grew into a household name both within and outside the city. At that time it mainly sold organs.

From 1928, Alphenaar moved into the current shop on the Kruisstraat. Wick: “The shop window was arranged in a special way at the time: coffins on the left and musical instruments on the right.” According to Wick, the combination was not that crazy. As a cabinet maker, his grandfather was handy in making chests, but also instruments.

Over the years, Wick has seen an ‘amazing’ change. The biggest change for him is around the 1970s with the arrival of the electric organ. “Musically, that was the biggest change.”

Today, Wick is chief sheet music chief. “We have 400 feet of sheet music here.” A little later it turns out to be nothing. A real sheet music treasure is hidden on the first floor. Cupboards full of sheet music fill the floor. “It may have gotten a little out of hand with all this sheet music,” he says with a wink.

Private concerts

Wick thinks the best thing about his profession is that people always come into the store for pleasure. “That often results in a nice chat, or some nice advice.” He also appreciates the free daily private concerts in his profession. “Then someone asks: ‘Can I?’.” What follows is a beautiful music play that lasts for minutes.

When asked if Wick is musical himself, he replies: “I get something out of everything.” He prefers to play the accordion or piano. Something that, in his own words, keeps him young.

Even after seventy years, Wick’s profession is far from boring. He is still very active and can always be found in the shop four afternoons a week. “I like to keep a rhythm. I don’t have money for geraniums,” the 88-year-old Haarlemmer jokes.

The store, which nowadays mainly specializes in keys and guitars, is still doing well after a century and a half. And that is also noticeable on Wednesday afternoon. It is a coming and going of regular and less regular customers. Wick: “All nationalities pass by here. It is often very busy.” The universal language of music seems to appeal to many people.

The fourth generation, Wick’s youngest son, now owns the business. He in turn has two young boys. Wick: “Who knows, maybe there will be a fifth generation.” For now, the 88-year-old is far from thinking about retirement: “As long as it goes, I’ll keep messing around here.”