Hessy's Music Centre
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Hessy’s Music Centre – 62 Stanley Street Hessy’s was a family business run by the Hessy (Hesselberg) family. The location of the original shop, opened in 1934, was in Manchester Street. By 1959 Frank Hessy was manager of the shop, now located on Stanley Street where it operated for many years until its closure in 1996. However, Jim Gretty was the man to buy a guitar from, as he would apparently throw in a free lesson showing the three basic chords. Frank was willing to give credit to aspiring, young musicians, enabling them to purchase their first instruments in instalments, something the larger music stores in the city were unwilling to do. Frank also started a magazine publication called ‘Frank Comments’, written by then student Bill Harry on up and coming bands on the Liverpool scene. Bill Harry would go on to found music publication ‘Mersey Beat’. In July 2017 a blue plaque was unveiled at the site of the shop on Whitechapel, following a long campaign by former employee Tony Bolland.
Photo metadata - Hessy’s plaque on Stanley Street. Taken on 19 March 2021 by Vicki Caren.
