San Rafael’s rock steady music store The Magic Flute opened its doors in 1976 under the ownership of Michael Mitchell and is still going strong today as it reaches its 50th year.
The store, located at 182 Northgate One in Terra Linda, was recently named Best Musical Instrument Store in the Pacific Sun’s Best of Marin poll. Riding that wave of love from the community, the store’s current owners are conducting a Willy Wonka-like search for new owners who will keep it not only thriving but also maintain its community minded tone.
Christian Dean and Tamara Osheroff have owned and grown The Magic Flute since 2010, and both have decided it’s time to move towards retirement. Yet rather than shut down the store or merely put it up for sale to the highest bidder, the pair, who are also married, are looking for more than just someone to buy the shop.
Instead, according to Dean, they are looking for “the right person.” He explains, “Ideally, if we had our druthers, we’d be selling to somebody who’s from the community, who understands the value of a community music store in terms of lessons and support for people just starting out, but also for our older customers who want a place to continue learning or perform.”
Much like the story of Charlie Bucket vying to win ownership of Wonka’s chocolate factory, Dean and Osheroff are genuinely looking for someone to not only buy the store but also maintain a high level of community involvement that extends beyond the doors of The Magic Flute.
Dean’s connection with the store began in 1980 when he came in and bought a guitar for $35 from Mitchell, who became a lifelong friend and mentor. While Dean still plays regularly, his life took a direction away from music when he went off to college, ultimately earning a Ph.D. in philosophy with a focus on political science and government from UC Santa Barbara. From there, he taught political science at Dominican University from 1996 to 2023 and purchased The Magic Flute along the way.
Osheroff met Dean at San Francisco’s iconic DNA Lounge in 1988 while she was there celebrating a friend’s impending wedding, The two hit it off and tied the knot in 1997 with a wedding at San Francisco’s The City Club featuring swing dancing and a performance by local stalwarts Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums.
It’s refreshing that Dean and Osheroff hope to sell the store to someone who will carry on what they’ve built. Dean says, “We’ve had interested parties that gave us a sense of what their strategy would be. One talked about, well, I’d like to take your brand name and your website, but I don’t want your rental business. At that point, we just tell them, ‘You’re not really the kind of person we’re looking for.’”
The duo speak proudly about many aspects of the store and its outreach, but perhaps the most eye opening stat is their music lessons program. When Osheroff, who has over the years learned ukulele and piano as well as improving her vocal skills, jumped in to work at the store in 2010, she started the music lessons program, and it’s now grown to more than 400 students. With music in schools no longer being “a thing,” the impact this has on young people is immeasurable.
She notes, “We have nine teaching studios [throughout Marin County] that are primarily used for one-on-one private lessons. But we also have a youth and adult rock band program that are off-site, and one of our teachers here has his own studio that’s set up for rehearsal.”
These bands rehearse for nine weeks before taking the stage at the HopMonk tavern in nearby Novato. Osheroff adds, “It’s great for them to get in front of a crowd, great for us and great for the HopMonk because we pack that place.” She laughs.
These one-off concerts are also supported by free monthly open mic nights the second Saturday of each month. Talent of all ages and levels are welcome, and The Magic Flute has a stage with lights to really make the experience feel special.
As if this all weren’t enough, another popular, community minded event is the Magic Flute’s annual “Restring-a-thon” on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 3-6pm. This not only benefits local musicians; it also raises money for the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a national non-profit charity that provides financial assistance to career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling with illness, disability or age-related problems.
The Restring-a-thon invites anyone who needs their guitar or ukulele restrung (sorry, violinists) to do so for a suggested donation of $15, and Magic Flute staff will hook them up. Strings have been donated by Fender, Ernie Ball and D’Addario. Osheroff notes that D’Addario also has donated what they call their “Ready for the Road” package, which “has a case and strings, a tuner, string winder and all the tools, ear plugs and all kinds of stuff.” This will be raffled off with other items as part of the fundraiser.
If by now one hasn’t figured it out, The Magic Flute is more than just a music store; it’s been a continuous source of creativity and inspiration in and around Marin County for five decades. For Dean, that continuity is what defines the store’s success.
“We’ve built more than a store; we’ve built a place where music takes root in people and where that gets passed down,” he says. “Kids who took their first lesson here are bringing in their own kids now. Staff who started as customers are teaching the next round of beginners. That continuity is what I’m most proud of, and it’s exactly what I want for whoever leads this store next.”
So, who will be the next music makers and dreamers of dreams at The Magic Flute? Dean and Osheroff hope to choose their successors and make an announcement by early next year. Stay tuned.
For more information on all The Magic Flute has to offer, visit themagicflute.com.
