Mattingly Music celebrating 50 years

You can almost take a step back in time when you walk into downtown mainstay Mattingly Music and Book. With the 80 year old wallpaper still up from the original owner and a toy train that circles the store around the ceiling, it is a piece of history unlike any other.

“People like the old tin ceiling, the wood floor. There is a peculiar smell when you come in. It is sort of an old fashioned type of store,” Owner Paul Mattingly said.

Mattingly, 113 W. Second St. N., is celebrating its 50th anniversary in business, capped with an open house Saturday complete with cookies and punch. The open house will be in conjunction with Ridiculous Day and Newton Fest.

“We’re having all sorts of specials for our 50th anniversary. We’re raffling off a beautiful Fender guitar,” Mattingly said.

Select guitars will also be 25 to 50 percent off and sheet music will be on sale. All are welcome to help them celebrate the milestone with Mattingly’s mom, Joan, stopping by to say greet friends.

Mattingly Music and Book opened in 1965, as an endeavor of Paul’s father, William. It was originally owned by Orville Dooley, who opened his store in 1932 and continued until William purchased it 33 years later. The wallpaper Dooley hung is still up today.

“My dad was a music teacher, and he got tired of that after about 10 years and decided to he wanted to open a music store,” Mattingly said.

William ran the store until about 10 or 11 years ago, Mattingly said, when he took over. It is full of a variety of items including unique toys and gifts, today’s bestselling books along with popular name brand instruments, music, accessories and a big selection of instruction books for piano students and teachers. He also stocks a smattering of hobby items, mainly for more “brainy hobbies” he said.

“Our mainstay has always been the renting of musical instruments to kids at school,” Mattingly said.

The store supplies instruments to Marshalltown, Newton, Pella and Peoria. It also employs a full-time certified instrument repairman who sees his fair share of work from kids and adults alike.

After so many years, it is hard to keep track of the amount of people that have stopped in, purchased or just enjoyed the store. Things have changed, Mattingly said, with the rise of the Internet, but he still enjoys sharing his piece of history with those who stop by.

“It’s just fascinating the people that come in, all different types, all have a story,” Mattingly said.