Bananas at Large® is excited to announce that we've moved locations in Santa Rosa! You can now find us at 531 College Ave., the former Toyworks building, in a larger, 14,000-square-foot location right off of College Avenue. 

“The new location is clean, with lots of natural light, and a better layout,” owner Alan Rosen says. “It’s easier to find and has a sizable parking lot, which we envision using for events, concerts, and fundraisers for our Community Action Programs, among other projects.” 

The central Santa Rosa location will offer the same services as the former location and its flagship store in San Rafael, which includes a wide-ranging selection of new and pre-owned products, rentals, service/repairs, lessons and professional audio design and installation. 

“We curate our inventory,” Rosen says. “Bananas is truly the most complete music store. We offer more product lines and choices than any other store, which ranges from major brands to boutique, independent and local brands you won’t find elsewhere.” 

In mid-April, Bananas at Large® sponsored Santa Rosa High School’s Battle of Bands, providing gift packages that included strings, microphones, picks, and drum sticks to all of the student participants. 

“We are a music store that gives back—we donate over $100,000 in goods, services and products every year to your local schools, school-fundraising programs, nonprofit making-music programs and more,” Rosen says of one of the store’s core ethos. “We wanted to give a gift for participation in music to all the bands in the event,” he adds, “not just the winners. There are no losers when it comes to playing music.” 

With the success of Battle of the Bands in mind, a goal for the new location’s increased space will go toward fostering a relationship between Bananas and the broader Santa Rosa community, and hosting community-based events. The store is in the process of planning a grand opening that will take place in early- to mid-June, which will feature top-industry specialists offering product demos, countless giveaways, food, beverages, and a contest giveaway for a U.S.-made guitar. 

In addition to its community efforts, the store’s rock-star clientele is unmatched, and often provides Bananas with the opportunity to offer the largest and best selection of used and consigned products in Northern California. 

Bananas has a friendly and knowledgeable staff, all of whom are professional, working musicians. From taking guitar lessons with Americana master Rik Elswit, former guitarist of Dr. Hook, to purchasing your first acoustic or electric, Bananas welcomes all customers. 

“We welcome and encourage all to play music: young, mature, male, female, experienced, beginner—we don’t care, we want you to be happy playing music, and we will do whatever you need us to do to get you there,” Rosen says.

Come visit us at our new location, and stay tuned for more information on our official Grand Opening event! For more information, visit bananas.com or call (707) 542-5588.