Nazareth Music Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

And despite the ups and downs of the economy, the center has not only reached a milestone anniversary, but has continued to grow over the years.

"We are still very much a family business," said Scott Brodt, who owns the center along with his mother, Edith, and his brother, Ralph III.

It all began in 1960 when Edith and Ralph Brodt Jr. opened a music store in the building formerly known as Zeller's Music on Main Street in Nazareth.

"Originally my father wanted the business to be called Brodt's Music Center, but C.F. Martin III, a friend of my father, suggested he call it Nazareth Music Center, giving it a more regional name," said Scott.

For the next 20 years, the music center continued to give music lessons and sell, repair and rent band and orchestra instruments, as well as sell and rent music.

During the mid-80s, when the business continued to expand and some of the Brodt children became actively involved with the day-to-day operations, Scott's father remodeled a barn behind the store and connected it to the music center to create additional space.  The original barn beams are still visible today.

"It was very important to my father that the beams be incorporated in the building's design," added Scott.

The store now has rehearsal/lesson rooms, instrument repair stations and special rooms for testing instruments, in addition to storage for the instrument inventory of approximately 2,000.

Two things that contribute to the continued success of the business, according to Scott, are the instrument rental programs with Lehigh Valley schools and the sales of quality guitars built by C.F. Martin and Company of Nazareth.

"Several brands of musical instruments have remained with the store through the 50 years like Conn, King, Buffet and Martin, but the connection with Martin Guitar is very strong," said Scott.

The music center has a special room just for the Martin Guitars where the climate can be controlled and the humidity kept at a proper level.

"We have a dehumidifier running and the doors to the room can be closed to seal off the room and better control the humidity if need be," explained Scott.

Martin Guitars are such a large part of Nazareth Music Center's history that it is the focus piece of the center's anniversary.

"When we decided to celebrate our 50th year in business we wanted to do something special to thank customers for their support," said Scott.

After some debate on what the store should do, it was agreed upon that a hand-built Martin Guitar be given away.

"It is the world's greatest flat top guitar and no matter what instrument you play, whether you sing or you play clarinet, virtually everyone loves Martin Guitars," added Scott.

The center is holding a drawing at the store on December 21, where Chris Martin IV and the mayor of Nazareth, Fred C. Dougherty Jr., will draw the name of one lucky person who will win the custom guitar. The winner will be picked from a drawing pool that consists of every person that has purchased an instrument from January 1, 2010 until December 20, 2010.

"With the help of several custom guys [at Martin Guitar], we built a guitar out of exotic African wood called 'makore.'  As far as I can tell there are virtually no other Martin Guitars made out of this wood," said Scott.

Even though the business did not want to put a lot of Nazareth Music Center markings on the guitar, "1960-2010" can be seen printed in pearl on the 12^th fret and on the inside of the guitar, there is a little paper signed by Chris Martin IV that says "Nazareth Music Center Anniversary Guitar."

Scott explained that four guitars were actually made for the celebration.

"We will keep one, one will be given away in the drawing and two will be for sale to the public," he said.

When asked what are some of the reasons for the success of the business, Scott had a simple reply.  "We are a bricks and mortar business, we only sell quality instruments and you can come in and talk to us."