They manufacture musical string instruments by hand - Kolstein Music in Baldwin is celebrating 80 years of business.

The current owner had a passion for playing the violin and little did he know how the store would change his life.

The string instruments and other musical accessories are all made, repaired, and restored inside a 15,0000 square-foot warehouse.

Barrie Kolstein's father Samual Kolstein started the business in 1943. Since then, the company has strum along.

Manny Alvarez took over the company in 2019.

As a kid, he played the violin at the East Rockaway School District and remembers his mom taking him to Kolstein almost 20 years ago to get his first instrument.

"Unfortunately, it was a little bit more expensive than we could afford and I sadly had to say to Mr. Kolstein I couldn't afford the instrument and he turned around and offered me a job," says Alvarez.

Barrie Kolsetin says instrument making is a form of art and he's happy Manny is taking charge of his family business.