Bartolo Alvarez

Bartolo Alvarez (November 9, 1914 – March 24, 2017) was a Puerto Rican musician and entrepreneur best known for establishing Casa Latina in East Harlem, New York in 1948. This record store still stands today, and was the first Spanish-language music shop opened in the United States. He was the father of five children.

Bartolo Alvarez
BornNovember 9, 1914
Yauco, Puerto Rico
DiedMarch 24, 2017
Fort Pierce, Florida
NationalityPuerto Rican
OccupationMusician

Biography

Inspired as a youngster by hearing Rafael Hernández Marín play at nearby Almacenes Hernández, Bartolo went on to found Alba and Rival Records, recording some of the era's most popular artists. Unlike the mega-music stores of today, Casa Latina and other neighborhoods music stores were gathering places for local and visiting musicians.[1]

In 1948, musician and entrepreneur Bartolo Alvarez established Casa Latina, a music and instrument shop that becomes the primary destination for Latin music lovers. In 1962, the store moved to 151 E. 116th Street, where it continued its reign as the longest-running music store in East Harlem.[2]

After another twenty years, he sold the business and retired with his family to Florida, dying there at the age of 102.[3]

Hunter College, City University of New York's Center for Puerto Rican Studies recently dedicated a special section to Alvarez's work. The "Bartolo Alvarez Collection" consists of 0.12 cubic feet of correspondence, song title sheets, music notes, writings, newspaper articles, concert programs, photographs and music CDs of Alvarez's from the period between 1953 and 1971. It was donated by Ewin Martinez Torres.[4]

References
  1. "Place That Matters". Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. "The History of El Barrio". El Barrio. Archived from the original on 18 September 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  3. "In Memoriam: Bartolo Álvarez, Founder of Casa Latina". Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
  4. "Personal Papers: Centro Library". Hunter College. Archived from the original on 17 November 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
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