“>The writer confesses his shameless envy of the interviewee.Whenever business is slow, he notes, Carson Farley can just walk across the room, pick up a guitar and noodle away the afternoon.Or a keyboard, in my case, said Farley, plunking out a tune on a flashy Yamaha at the new Island Music store, upstairs at Winslow Mall. But last minute organizing kept Farley too busy for music-making Monday. Even as he readied stock for the next-day’s official opening, curious shoppers straggled in to check out instruments, with one committing to the purchase of a guitar.A violin and keyboard were already spoken for.We’ve got to figure out how to work our cash register soon, Farley said.But at Island Music, manager Farley and owner Allison Legendre hope retail will play second fiddle to education. The pair say they would like to see the business become a hub for local performers, students and instructors as well as a source for equipment.The business will include a small performance stage, and bring in instructors for small seminars on a variety of instruments and styles. It’s amazing, the caliber of musicians around here, Legendre said, and some of them haven’t even met each other.Echoed Farley: The store’s really here for educational purposes as much as anything.A music theory and history graduate of the University of Washington, Farley toured the Northwest for a number of years with a dance-rock outfit called Energy. He also apprenticed in the instrument repair field for eight years, and is a recent alum of the Deering Music outlet down the street. Legendre, also a music school graduate and former dentist, most recently taught at UW. Partner in the business is Legendre’s husband Scott, a developer at a large Redmond software firm.With the advent of the Internet age, many smaller, Main Street retailers find themselves challenged by the discounts computer-savvy consumers can find with just a few keystrokes.That’s certainly true in the musical instrument business, where numerous on-line outlets and catalog distributors offer instruments and related equipment at prices far lower than buyers would ever see on a dealer’s floor.Also, stocking up a store means a significant cash outlay. So rather than putting up big dollars and buying in to the full lines of a few manufacturers, Legendre expects the store to carry a few products from an array of companies and sources. Prices, Farley said, will be set based on what a buyer could find online.We can pride ourselves on our connections, Legendre said.On hand this week were a high-end acoustic guitar by the legendary Martin outfit – sold to a passerby for the benefit of his very lucky daughter – as well as instruments by Fender, Yamaha and others. Farley promises the finest selection of sheet music on this side of the water, in styles including classical, jazz and folk, with instructional videos, student rentals and perhaps a repair service in the works. They will also specialize in the burgeoning field of computer-assisted composition, music education and recording, Farley said.A number of inexpensive digital recording products have recently entered the consumer market, making high-quality home recording a snap on the average Mac or PC.This is not exactly a for-profit venture, Legendre said. We have a break-even mentality. Community members can keep it going for as long as they want to see it continue.”