Tributes to man who built up a 'music empire'
John Holmes started his business in the 1960s and had shops in places like Swindon, Bristol and Cheltenham.
Tributes to man who built up a 'music empire'
A man who created a "music empire" across the West of England has been remembered by family and friends following his death.
Born in 1933, John Holmes launched his business in the early 1960s and eventually ran eight shops in places including Swindon, Bristol, Cheltenham and Oxford.
Musicians such as Joshua Hayward of the rock band Moody Blues and Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull were regular visitors to Holmes Music.
John's son, Alan, said: "He was a workaholic - in the best way - and was rightfully proud of what he created. Music and customer service were in his blood and these things remained his driving force throughout."
John's family moved to Wroughton in 1939 when his dad, Bert, took a job at the ammunitions factory Marine Mountings.
He was given an accordion as a child and later led the Johnnie Holmes Dance Band, which played at venues including The Empire and The Playhouse.
Alan added: "He started the shop in 1961, a little shop in Morse Street that was a driving school.
"And then somebody asked him to sell his instrument in his window, and that's where it [Holmes Music] all started from."
As the business expanded, helped in part by the popularity of the Beatles and "everyone wanting to buy a guitar", John relocated to Faringdon Road when he needed more room.
Alan continued: "At its peak, dad's music empire had shops in Bristol, Oxford, Cheltenham plus additional outlets in Swindon's Brunel centre and a concession in the Debenhams department store."
In 1993, the recession forced Holmes Music to close every shop except the one in Swindon.
John died aged 93 on 29 September. Since then, many former customers, colleagues and friends have paid tribute.
Jamie Stapleton is the pub landlord of The Tuppenny, a pub in Swindon's Old Town known for live music.
He spent 20 years working at Holmes Music.
"I saw first-hand just how much one man, driven by a genuine love for music and people, could shape a town," Stapleton said.
"When John and his wife Jean opened their first music shop in 1963, they weren't just opening a business, they were laying the foundation for generations of Swindon musicians."
Stapleton said Holmes Music is a "time capsule of what retail used to be".
He added: "They say we're a nation of shopkeepers, and John was one of the best.
"Few people have contributed as much to the rich and diverse fabric of Swindon's music scene as John, his family, and their shop."
In 2013, John was asked by the Swindon Advertiser, external whether Holmes Music would still exist in 2063 - 100 years after it was founded.
He replied: "Oh yes, I believe so. It's my dream anyway. It's my legacy to my children and grandchildren."