BOZEMAN — Music Villa has been a staple Bozeman guitar shop since its origin back in the 1950s. The current store resides in downtown Bozeman on East Main, but a new location in Billings has been announced.
“We try to think of ourselves as the local hometown music store,” said Geno Kreis, who started with Music Villa in 1989 and has been working with the establishment on and off in purchasing and managerial roles.
Music Villa has been around the Gallatin Valley under different names until the Decker family bought it in 1982. Their first location was on the corner of 7th and Main until it moved to their current location on East Main in 2000.
Now Music Villa is planning to open a new location in Billings.
“It was not necessarily something that was even planned. An opportunity rose in Billings to help out somebody that was wanting to transition out of the industry,” said Kreis.
Music Villa purchased Billings music store Guitars and Amps, previously located on Grand Avenue. Music Villa plans to merge businesses and open a new location at 112 North Broadway, where renovation is currently underway.
“It was a great opportunity to keep the employees in Billings who have been serving that community their entire lives,” said Kreis.
Although there are many great music stores in Billings, Kreis said Music Villa will offer something more to the music community.
“It's kind of the barbershop. A lot of things get done right in the store that you wouldn't expect. People meeting each other and connecting to cover gigs or empty slots that need to be filled for a band,” he said.
Music Villa’s Billings location is set to open this upcoming spring.
