Tyler Bridge offers many services from whatmight first appear like a simple retail music shop.

    Bridge owns Brookhaven Music and Sound Co. and was the Junerecipient of the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce’sSmall Business of the Month Award. Chamber of Commerce PresidentAlvin Hoover presented the award to Bridge Thursday.

    Bridge said what Brookhaven Music and Sound provides can be dividedthree ways: Approximately one third of his business is retail,music lessons are another third; and sound system and home theaterinstallation comprises the last third.

    What unifies the services is Bridge and the attitude he operateson. Whether sitting down with an employee to inspect a piece ofsound equipment damaged out of the box or recommending a specificPA system to a potential customer, Bridge possesses enthusiasm forboth music and the people around him. Bridge himself summed this upbest.

    “Music is me,” he said, while describing the different bands he hasplayed with.

    He went on to explain the sort of attention he tries to give hiscustomers.

    “I like it when a guy comes in, and I know what kind of strings heuses and what guitar he plays,” Bridge said.

    Some of the very first music stores Bridge visited when he wasyoung have influenced how he approaches his own business and hisown customers.

    “I remember what stores treated me good, and I remember what storestreated me bad. Serving my customers is very important to me,”Bridge said.

    Because of the emphasis Bridge gives his customers, he wants to domore than sell them things.

    “I remember the guys that worked in the music stores that sat downwith me and showed me how to do different things. I like doing thatsame thing. I like seeing the light go on for a kid,” Bridgesaid.

    Cliff Brumfield, Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerceexecutive vice president, highlighted Bridge’s attitude towardcustomers at the small business award presentation.

    “His availability to his customers is an important reason for thisaward,” Brumfield said.

    Bridge takes that motivation with him in his work for localchurches.

    “My heart is on the church,” Bridge said.

    He readily accepts jobs to install sound systems in smallchurches.

    “Other places will only take the big jobs at the big churches,”Bridge said.

    However, Bridge said that in small churches many times no one knowshow to operate a new sound system. If that is the case, Bridgesteps in to change things.

    “We educate as much as we do anything else,” Bridge said.

    Formal music lessons are another means by which Bridge tries toeducate. His employees provide instruction in guitar, bass, drums,piano and the violin.

    Bridge purchased Brookhaven Music and Sound from its previous ownerin 2009, but has been with the store from its beginning.