Alpha Music was started in 1979 by Eddie Hancock, drummer and sound reinforcement specialist, in a 200 square foot closet in a not so scenic area of Norfolk, VA. Possessing boundless energy and working to a standard that few could match, Eddie wanted every customer to get a good deal, not just friends and regulars. General Manager, Eric Burgess, who started with Alpha as a teenager making speaker cabinets in 1980 to support his drumming habit, has been along for the steady growth that is now a packed 24000 square feet. “In the beginning we had to be creative with little stock. We made guitar cables to order– on the spot while the customer waited!” Eddie’s wife, Debbie, soon joined the ranks handling all the book keeping and front counter work and Alpha has remained a family owned business. From humble beginnings of a few hundred dollars a day causing a six-pack celebration, Alpha has never forgot Eddie’s basic premise- satisfied customers make it all possible.


Alpha believes strongly in educating the next generation of musicians by offering lessons. Alpha Music boasts three full time drum instructors and twelve others teaching guitar, bass, keys, and vocals. Powell Randolph, who has been teaching at Alpha for 15 years has just recently been published in Modern Drummer magazine and currently tours doing Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Eagles shows with city symphonies all across the US. Alpha also partners in the Academy of Rock Music, using our 4000 square foot performance auditorium for rehearsals, forming bands of students and recitals becoming actual club dates.


A trip through the store has something for everyone. Guitars and basses by the hundreds, drums sets stacked three rows high, keyboards, recording, a sound reinforcement department that also provides installations (with two recent large line array hangs, one being the largest QSC ILA hang in the state!) and all the accessories you can imagine. Customers are always impressed by the condition of Alpha instruments and the clean lines of the store. This has garnered Alpha numerous awards such as the Music Inc. Retail Excellence Awards– 1997 Promo and Advertising, 1998 Marketing and Promo and 2007 Design and Display.

 

Alpha Music also believes in service after the sale being a key part of customer satisfaction. Two full time electronic technicians and two full time guitar technicians provide quick turn around in tight situations as well as the Alpha touch with such benefits as free lifetime setups with every guitar and bass purchased. This provides that extra assurance that instruments always stay in the best playing condition and if there is a problem, Alpha stands ready to back up the equipment we sell.



Alpha Music credits our satisfied customers for our continued growth and remembers that they keep our doors open. Just recently, Alpha Music raised $2000 dollars for RD Sisk, local sound man, who suffered a stroke and was out of work for almost three months.
Business is building relationships– thirty years in, we are still a “family” of musicians doing the best we can for our customers.

Alpha Music
3234 Virginia Beach Blvd
Virginia beach, VA 23452