OUR HISTORY

Fuller’s Music House, was founded on September 5, 1905 when George R. Fuller decided to end his career as a traveling pump organ salesman based out of Savannah, Georgia.

At the age of 25, he decided it was time to settle down and open his own music store. He chose New Bern after studying his road atlas and figured with two rivers here, the fishing and hunting around New Bern had to be good. What better reason do you need? The business started by retailing pianos and pump organs from the back of a horse-drawn carriage as well as from its showroom in downtown New Bern. Later, with the advent of the phonograph, victrolas and records were added. When his older son Reid, an avid electronics buff, joined the firm, radios were added and later televisions were sold. This diversification in product lines helped Fuller’s Music survive the Great Depression--a feat that only a handful of music stores nationwide were able to accomplish.

The business rented retail space at three different locations in downtown New Bern until 1924 when George Fuller decided to purchase the Citizens Bank building located at 216 Middle St. This site housed the business for the next 75 years.  This building currently is the location of MJ's Raw Bar & Grill.

After World War II concluded, younger son Andrew, a bomber and fighter pilot with the 8^th Air Force, joined his older brother Reid and father in the business. Reid and Andrew ran the business following George Fuller's death in 1957. Andrew's son Wade began working in the business in 1973. He acquired his father’s portion of the partnership in 1976 and his Uncle's portion in 1981 and owned and operated the business until January 2016 when long-time employee and stringed instrument luthier David Rhodes took over ownership of the business.

Retail focus has expanded over the years and is currently concentrated on band and orchestra instruments, guitars, amps, percussion, keyboards, print music, sound system design and installation, recording equipment and related accessories. Our philosophy is that the musical experience doesn't end with the purchase of an instrument--it begins there.  Our current location has a full suite of 9 lesson instruction studios to help students get the most out of their instrument.  We also have two complete repair shops--one for band instruments and the other for stringed instruments to keep your instrument in top playing condition.  Our present location at 2310 Trent Rd. was designed by nationally renowned music store designer Glen Ingles and is considered one of the finest music retail showrooms in the state. This relocation was a giant leap forward and helps Fuller’s Music position itself for the retail and merchandising challenges of the new millennium.