DUVALL — The first annual Youth Friendly Business
Award couldn’t have been given to a more deserving company, organizers said.
The Teens Acting for Tomorrow (TAFT) youth council recently
named Main Street Music as this year’s “Youth Friendly” store in
Duvall. “They won because they were being nice to youth and they let us stay
in there and look at CDs and stuff,” said Marcus Ballard, a TAFT
member. “Some CD companies are really mean, but [Main Street Music] is really nice.”
The group plans to hand out certificates of recognition twice a year
to Lower Valley businesses that show a strong commitment to treating
youths fairly, said Lorry Kaye, TAFT coordinator.
“The council wants other businesses to stand up and take notice
that all youth aren’t bad,” she said.
“There are some businesses that are suspicious as soon as a youth walks in.”
But that’s not how students are treated when they’re at Kathy
Nelson’s Main Street Music.
“That’s why I opened the store, for the kids in the Valley,” Nelson said
of the store’s recent opening in May. “There’s not enough for these kids
to do around here, and we promote all the local bands and let them play
in the store.”
The TAFT council — a group that handles youth issues in the
Lower Valley — overwhelmingly voted Main Street Music’s comfortable
chairs, music stations, karaoke nights and live bands the best in Duvall.
To Nelson, the recognition was a confirmation that she made the
right decision to open up a place for people of all ages to gather.
“I worked with kids in the Riverview School District, so
that award did mean very much to me,” she said. We have a small, nice
community, and I don’t think we do enough for the kids.
“And, no matter what, I’ll be helping kids forever.”
Main Street Music is located at 15315 First Ave., Suite 7A.
Special Christmas hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.;
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Main
Street Music can be reached at (425) 844-2988.
Main Street Music’s next concert will be held on Dec. 18 from 6:30 to
9 p.m. featuring three local youth bands, including the Hooligans.
