Odland Music Shop helped carry Sioux Falls through war and death: Looking back
For more than 30 years, Odland Music Shop fed the musical needs of the people of Sioux Falls and surrounding areas. The store was located at 109 W. 9th St., just south of the Cataract Hotel. Its proprietor was Earl Odland.
Earl Odland was born in Meckling, South Dakota on May 8, 1903. He attended public schools and later Sioux Falls Business College. In 1926, he started putting this knowledge to use in Sioux City at Odland Radio Studio, where he sold and serviced radios. Business was brisk enough that he was able to buy a delivery truck the following year. On July 20, 1931, Earl was united in marriage to Rosalie Lanott, a native of Salix, Iowa, 15 miles south of Sioux City.
In 1932, Earl sold Odland Radio Studio to Home Appliance Co., an established Sioux City firm. Earl and Rosalie then moved to Sioux Falls, and with some help from Ernest Aegerter, who had owned a music shop in Yankton over the prior 16 years, opened the Aegerter & Odland Music Shoppe. They used the shoppe spelling interchangeably with its more conventional spelling as late as 1940.
Aegerter & Odland Music Shop sold, as its motto claimed, Everything Musical. This included instruments, sheet music, radios, phonographs, records, and even tickets for local performances. Odland believed that music could bring people together and solve the problems of juvenile delinquency, feeling that idle hands were the main cause of that issue.
On May 2, 1936, Ernest Aegerter died and his name was removed from the business. It is assumed that Earl bought Ernest’s portion of the business from his family.
In 1938, record sales started to take off. There were advancements in recording and playback technology that really made the music come to life. Better tone quality could finally be provided in recorded media.
More: Herberger's closed because Sioux Falls was 'over-retailed': Looking back
In 1942, the American Federation of Musicians, realizing that musicians were getting no compensation for the increased record sales, went on strike. No new musical recordings were made in the United States from that point until 1944. This came at a time when the world was at war. Soldiers began collecting all the records they could find, and classical music was enjoying a resurgence, though the jazz hits of the day were also selling well. Odland Music Shop sold and shipped instruments to soldiers who needed something to occupy themselves between times of conflict. During the war, manufacturers refitted their manufacturing processes to benefit the war effort, which meant that new instruments, phonographs, and radios were not being produced. The shop did its best to repair damaged instruments and find new homes for used instruments. Odland made sure the music never stopped.
After the war, supplies began returning to normal pre-war levels, but the demand was even greater than before. Odland Music Shop kept a list of customers to call when stock arrived. No obligation, of course.
On May 14, 1952, Rosalie Odland died suddenly at a local hospital. On Oct. 31, 1953, Earl Odland married Madalene Boyington. It was the second marriage for both. He was 50 and she was 41. Neither had children.
More: How Dairy Queen expanded into Sioux Falls and the rest of South Dakota: Looking back
On June 11, 1956, Earl Odland was found dead in his car, 3 miles south of Sioux Falls. He was parked on an abandoned road, just across the Lincoln county line, having taken his own life. He had reportedly been despondent for some time.
Madalene continued to run Odland Music Shop until late 1964, at which point she held a going out of business sale. The ad said she was closing the store due to ill health. She died suddenly on Nov. 26, 1966. People still have fond memories of Odland Music Shop and all the records purchased there. The store had listening booths, and if a particular item was not in stock, they would order it for you. That kind of memory sticks with you and stays warm in your heart.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Odland Music Shop helped carry Sioux Falls through war and death: Looking back
