By Katie Kailus I Photos By Mark Pointer Portman’s Music Superstore has spent 90 years doing more than selling instruments. It’s been busy building school music programs, supporting educators and growing generations of musicians. Today, that legacy reaches more than 200 schools, with no signs of slowing down. J erry Portman can’t go many places in Savannah, Georgia, with- out someone recognizing his name. An encounter at the grocery store can turn into a story about a clarinet bought decades ago. A handshake with a sheriff’s deputy can lead to a fond memory about his family’s business, Portman’s Music Superstore. A fixture in the Savannah community, Portman’s turns 90 this year and, as such, has been deemed the oldest music store in the state of Georgia, an honor Jerry doesn’t take lightly. “This anniversary means that for 90 years we’ve helped tens of thou- sands of people enjoy learning and performing music,” Jerry said. “And the fact that we’re still doing it is amazing to my wife Myra and me.”
32 I MUSIC INC. I OCTOBER 2026
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