1960
The Farfisa Organ Compact becomes a worldwide bestseller. Sauer Senior establishes a distribution network for FARFISA in Germany.

1972
E-Organ sales are booming. Sauer Jr. becomes managing director at Farfisa.

1972
MUSIC STORE Cologne is founded. As a second pillar, the Sauers build up a chain of music shops from Cologne to Gummersbach, Neumünster, Heide and Husum. With the exception of Gummersbach, all the shops are closed again because they are too small and unprofitable.

1973
Radio and television take offence at Sauer's advertising. Women's associations are up in arms (advertising is really successful as a result), sales rise to almost 40 million DM.

1980
The organ boom is passing its peak. The Japanese are "killing" the European organ industry.

1980
Music Store moves to the city centre in the "Große Budengasse". Customers can reach the store easily thanks to good parking options and the immediate proximity to the train station.

1983
Lear-Seagler Group sells Piper Aircraft, Smith & Weston and Farfisa. M. Sauer loses his job and takes over the management of Music Store. Bontempi buys Farfisa and leaves Sauer's building in Overath.

1985
Music Store stops plans to move to the now empty 3500 m2 building in Overath. Decision is made against the "green field", Music Store remains in the centre of Cologne. Overath is only used as a warehouse.

1988-1994
Music Store takes over more shops in the "Große Budengasse". The recording department moves to the WDR building. Piano/grand piano shop moves to "Große Budengasse 10", PA and synthesizer to "Unter Goldschmied" around the corner.

1992
Rock School is founded. K. Rutha builds up large school for rock & pop music in a short time.

1993
Music Store Bensberg moves to Gummersbach and is expanded./p>

1994
Music Store buys the multi-storey car park "Hohe Str." (opposite), as well as the Hertie car park at Neumarkt. Parking fees are reduced to DM 2. Music Store customers park for free!

1996-1997
Establishment of a large central warehouse with an additional shipping department in Cologne's Rheinauhafen. This results in considerably faster shipping.

1997
Music Store Köln is 25 years old and is one of the 3 largest shops in Germany with well over 4000 m2 of showroom, studio and storage space.

1998
Music Store expands its exhibition space once again. Guitar & bass department move into the converted multi-storey car park across the street.

2000
The multi-storey car park is being extended. 2000m² of exhibition space is added on top of the multi-storey car park! A huge PA lighting hall........DJ department......a large professional recording department......and above that the new MAC department. In the front part, over 40 m long, the new guitar & bass department. One floor below, the large drum & percussion department.

2001
The Rheinauhafen in Cologne is being demolished. Our central warehouse falls victim to the wrecking ball. The entire warehouse has to move within 4 weeks. Fortunately, the tenant in our former Farfisa house in Obersteeg went bankrupt at the same time, so we can move into our own warehouse. Disadvantage: The warehouse is quite far away.

2002
Our multi-storey car park at Neumarkt is also being extended. An ugly old multi-storey car park is being transformed into a futuristically styled new building. The sun wings above the façade weigh about 10 tonnes and can be moved up and down depending on the position of the sun.

2003
Music Store acquires a large, 150 m long warehouse on the Cologne Großmarkt. The warehouse is equipped with state-of-the-art shipping logistics and is completed in June. The majority of the goods come from the Obersteeg warehouse to the new Großmarkt warehouse. Only large special items remain in Obersteeg.

2004
Our Guitar Centre is expanded and gets two new test rooms for amps and effects, where you can now test our huge assortment "at your leisure". Furthermore, our new showroom for acoustic guitars is completed.

2005
We are expanding further. Our warehouse on the Cologne Grossmarkt site is getting an extension that will house a new dispatch centre including a state-of-the-art packing line. Our parcels will now reach you even faster and, above all, absolutely safely packed.

2006
As part of our expansion, we have completed and moved into new premises for our ever-growing call centre team. We are also fortunate enough to be able to purchase another building next to our warehouse and fill it with top deals in order to have even more products available at all times. ....

2008
We are making a small leap in time: after further expansions and extensions to the sales and storage area became more and more necessary, but also more and more complicated due to the lack of sufficient space, the decision has been made: we are moving!

2009
After eager planning and searching for a location, the time has finally come: on 17 September, the construction of the new MUSIC STORE building was initiated with the groundbreaking ceremony. The construction of the huge sales area and the ultra-modern warehouse on the other side of the Rhine has begun ...

2010
This year is also marked by the new building: month by month the new shop grows and flourishes, so that on 17 July we were able to celebrate the official roofing ceremony in bright sunshine and with a juicy ox on the spit.

2011
It's done: The construction work is completed and Istanbulstr. 22-26 is home to one of the largest and most modern music instrument shops in Europe. The official inauguration and the start of the spectacular opening weeks including lots of DEALS, show acts and workshops took place on 16 May!

... to be continued!