I see where Ronnie Alvaro has posted on Facebook that he has not found anyone who wants to buy the business, so he plans to close the shop at the end of May. "I'm in my 43rd year of operation," he wrote "It's time to move on and start a new career!" Folks in the Albany, NY area who need work done on stereo equipment will sure miss this place. The Stereo Workshop, Inc.
Today, Ron announced he will stay open another year; one of the effects of the pandemic—it delayed his retirement.
I'm from the area (only recently moved West). Looking at the map, it's a bit off the beaten path. Good service shops have a hard time staying afloat in busy strip malls and main street, he must have been really good at what he does to stay in business so long.
Has American Pie in Ventura closed? He had a "I'm moving to South America" ad thing for years: will sell the contents. They stopped. I think it is a reconverted storage unit.
Not many of those good places left! Glad to hear he is still open..... Does he have 8tracks and all as well??
Does he have price tags on his merchandise, or does he want you to ask about each item you might be interested in? It's been years since I've visited but I thought I recall the latter...
Damn, I didn't even see that. Kapets, it's a shame, I just recently showed this place to my son and he liked (((
Sad to report that Ronnie passed away earlier this month, and it seems the stereo workshop as well as his wife is holding an estate sale early next month. Ronnie was a great guy, and I'm sure everyone audio enthusiast in the Albany-NY region crossed paths with him at one time or another. Ronald Alvaro Obituary (2022) - Clifton Park, NY - Albany Times Union
I went both Friday and Sunday. I picked up a sealed Discwasher kit, you know the one with the zerostat gun, teak base and cover. Also a Maxell tape deck cleaning kit. Make for cool decorations. Sunday they had reduced the common record from $5 to $1 along with all the cassettes, CDs, DVDs, etc. I grabbed a bunch of CDs and platter mat. Just an absolute ton of stuff in a small space. Condition was an issue on many of the common records and the rarer records were over-priced IMO.
It was a strange thing being there when Ron wasn’t and knowing he never will be. I had sent him a Facebook message about servicing a turntable on November 14 (only learned later he died that day). A couple days later, I checked back on Facebook and saw he had (I thought) left a message saying his father had died, so I laid off on the turntable business. (It was Ron’s son, of course, saying Ron had died.) By the way, Ron was a guitar player in a band. A week or so later, I saw an online ad: Ronnie Alvaro Estate Sale. I thought, Ah, he’s using this avenue to finally close shop after trying for years to retire. But when I saw his guitar and on-stage gear on display, I realized, and went back to Facebook to read his son’s message more closely. Then I took a walk for a couple hours. Ron wouldn’t sell the NOS blank cassettes nor the Discwasher kit described above. “They look cool.” “Yeah, but I could actually use ‘em.” “Nah.” Funny. Ron was great. Now I have those tapes and a cassette deck Ron had been hesitant to sell, and also a “Rock-and-Roll Theatre” poster that figured prominently on the wall behind the counter. (Surprised it was still there when I got in after waiting outside an hour.) A few records and CDs, some headshells and a new (looks and sounds new anyway) Grado cart/stylus. I sure am going to miss him.
I took a trip up north the other day and went to where his shop is.... I got a VHS tape that said "RONS JAM 96" on it......... It is his band playing at some birthday party (They only charged me $1) Whats gonna happen to the rest of the stuff??
Usually a liquidator/junk buyer comes in and takes the remaining for pennies on the dollar, and sells the items wholesale or at flea markets, whatever their outlet for used merch is. Sad hearing about the loss, wish I knew about the shop prior to moving away from the area. It's possible I knew/met Ronnie, sounds like he was gigging around the time I did some local shows. My CRS for that era is strong due to copious amounts of drugs. lol