Quintana’s Music Center gets $20,000 grant for lesson space upgrades

A quieter lesson room at Quintana’s Music Center could be the first change people notice downtown. The $20,000 grant the Gallup shop received will go toward upgraded soundproofing for its music lesson space, a practical improvement that should make instruction more comfortable for students, teachers and local musicians.

The money strengthens the educational side of the business as much as its retail floor. Quintana’s, which operates at 223 W Coal Ave. in downtown Gallup and also has a location at Rio West, has built its reputation on more than selling instruments. The store opened in 2017 on Coal Avenue, works with schools to help students get the instruments they need, and has long pointed toward more dedicated lesson space as part of its growth.

That makes the grant especially relevant for downtown foot traffic. A music store that can offer better lesson rooms can draw families back more often, create a steadier flow of students and parents, and give local performers a place that feels more professional. Visit Gallup describes Quintana’s as carrying instruments, pro-audio equipment, recording equipment, lighting, apparel and new and used vinyl records, but the new funding is aimed specifically at the part of the business that supports instruction and practice.

The award was part of the 2026 Amex Shop Small Grants Program, announced May 20 by American Express and Main Street America. More than 500 small businesses across the country received grants totaling over $10 million, and each recipient got $20,000. The program was first launched with a $5 million contribution to support 250 small businesses, making this year’s round much larger in reach.

For Gallup, the grant lands in a downtown corridor where independent businesses often carry both economic and cultural weight. Quintana’s has been part of that mix since Rhonda and Ryan Quintana opened the store on Coal Avenue, and earlier reporting noted Rhonda Quintana wanted to build COVID-safe rooms for music lessons. The new soundproofing push extends that same idea: a better space for learning, teaching and making music in the heart of town.

The award gives Quintana’s a chance to improve a part of the business that is less visible than the retail displays but central to its role in the community. In a downtown built on local traffic, school ties and regional visitors from across the Four Corners, that kind of upgrade can matter far beyond the lesson room itself.