Selmer Company

The Selmer Company is located at 1119 Main Street. Frederic Selmer, a renowned clarinetist, was a father to two sons, Henri and Alexandre. The sons later established the Selmer Company in France. Following in their father’s footsteps, the two brothers learned to play the clarinet. Early in Henri’s career as a clarinetist, he noticed intonation problems with the clarinets and he yearned for a better sounding instrument. In 1885 he founded Henri and Alexandre Selmer and Cie Company, thus abandoning his clarinet career. Alexandre continued his career as a clarinetist, which made him popular among orchestras in both the United States and France and played with popular orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic. Alexandre always played Selmer made instruments, making them popular among musicians. Demand for Selmer instruments, on the rise, created a need for a store in the United States. Alexandre established a store in New York City, which was managed by a student of his, George M. Bundy, a native to Indianapolis. Eventually, in 1929, American Selmer Company was founded here at 1119 Main Street with the help of Carl Greenleaf. The company continued for a little over thirty years until 1963 when Vincent Bach purchased the business.

Your next stop on the Buescher Company, located at 1100 West Beardsley Avenue. From Selmer, turn south on Main Street for about three blocks and turn west on Beardsley Avenue. Located on the northwest corner of Beardsley and Ward Street is the Buescher Company.