On June 1, West Music Co. Inc. took another step toward its goal of bringing music to the masses with the opening of an Urbandale store.

“Music should be for all ages and abilities, and we’re trying to remove every barrier,” said Robin Walenta, the Coralville-based company’s president.

Walenta, a 28-year employee of the nearly 70-year-old business, which began as a repair shop, took the helm in 2007. This year, with the opening of West Music Piano Gallery, she hopes to continue her company’s mission of enriching people’s lives through participation in music.

A full-line music retailer, West Music sells trumpets, guitars, drums, pianos and other instruments in its other five markets: Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Ottumwa, Waterloo and Moline, Ill.

But the Urbandale space, which West Music took over following the closing of Critchett Piano & Organ in April, focuses solely on pianos and offers everything from portable keyboards to a nine-foot concert grand piano.

West Music remodeled the nearly 7,000-square-foot space into less of a showroom and more of an interactive setting that includes a Disklavier, which Walenta said is essentially an electronic piano that interfaces with digital video.

The retail outlet, which features “lifestyle graphics” of West Music customers practicing their craft, also includes five studios for individual lessons and offers training in a group setting. It hopes to soon add music-therapy sessions in Urbandale as it continues to focus on education.

“We are very in tune with the teaching community and want to give teachers and customers the experience to come and perform or to be entertained,” Walenta said, noting that the No. 1 objective is to get each of Iowa’s 3 million residents involved in making music.

West Music employs 175 workers, including five new hires who are located in Greater Des Moines, and it plans to add more.

“Music does enrich your life,” Walenta said. “We’re here to help you accomplish that.”