Victor Litz Celebrates 60 Years
This year, Victor Litz Music Center in Olde Town Gaithersburg is celebrating 60 years in business.
Founder Victor Litz, an accountant and musician in the Washington Metro area, opened Victor Litz Music in Olde Towne Gaithersburg in 1961. He taught private lessons at the music store as well group lessons for the City of Gaithersburg.
In the late 1960s, the store moved to a new location at 305 N. Frederick Avenue. This location was an old house that they worked out of for nearly 30 years. Eventually they out-grew the building and opened a showroom down the street at 506 N. Frederick Ave while the other location held the music lessons.
In 1999 they moved to their current location at 306 E Diamond Ave in Olde Town Gaithersburg, formerly a Ben Franklin craft store.
Victor Litz is a family business. In the early 1980’s, Victor’s children Tony and Terry Litz took over the day to day operations. They started a mail order business (long before the internet) which gave them the the ability to buy and sell in volume.
Today Victor Litz Music is still run by Tony and Terry, as well as 3rd generation family members Michael and Logan Litz, accomplished musicians themselves.
When asked how the business has adapted during the pandemic, Tony Litz told us, “Music lessons are almost all virtual/on-line and that part of the business has taken a big loss. Our school band instrument business has also dropped way off due to schools being closed for in school teaching. We have shortened our hours closing earlier as not many in house music lessons.”
Riding the wave of the vinyl comeback, Victor Litz Music recently bought out a used record and cd store, now located in the back of their showroom.
“We have been very blessed and fortunate to stay solvent during these crazy times due to the support of our long standing wonderful customers and staff members from teachers and employees that are all friends and like family to us. We live eat and sleep music and music and would not be able to do it with out all of them.”
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