About

Mingo Tull and Roseann Natale first opened Musician’s General Store in October of 1993. At the time, Mingo was out of work, recently divorced, and his father had passed away. He was inspired to create something uniquely his own. Mingo had experience with merchandising and, as a musician himself, a passion for music. At the time, his neighborhood was full of musicians — the closest music stores were in Manhattan or farther into Brooklyn. Mingo had found a niche.

Meanwhile, his partner, Roseann, was working at Met Life and studying art & design. The two wanted to build a store that would act as a networking and socializing place for the neighborhood. Inspired by the communal nature of the Old West, Roseann designed the company’s visuals in the style of a general store. That year, Mingo and Roseann opened their first location — a 250 square-foot musical instruments and accessories store at 192 Amity Street in Brooklyn.

Throughout the years, the store has moved, expanded, and even took a brief hiatus. Mingo and Roseann have also added new divisions to the company — Rock’Scool Brooklyn, a music school, and Metropolis Productions, a live event production department. While much has changed in their neighborhood since MGS first opened, Mingo and Roseann’s music school continues to be a vital part of Brooklyn’s local music community.