Joe Petosa, Jr (Sept. 20th). – Petosa Accordions, Inc., How a 100-year-old 4th-generation Seattle Family Business is Still Going Strong

President/CEO, Petosa Accordions, Inc.

Joseph Petosa, Jr is President/CEO of Petosa Accordions, Inc. The company is located in Lynnwood and is celebrating its centennial anniversay this year.

Joe began learning to play the accordion at age seven and played professionally for 15 years. He began working in the family business with his father, Joe Petosa, Sr., at age ten. Now, his son Joey Petosa – representing the 4^th generation of family ownership – is working in the business.

Petosa Accordions was founded by Joe Jr.’s grandfather. In 1907, Carlo emigrated alone from Italy to the US when he was 15 years old, and performed as an accordion player on the vaudeville Pantages circuit throughout the country. He learned how to make the instruments as an apprentice with the Guerrini Accordion Company in San Francisco. Carlo began building accordions in the basement of his Wallingford home in 1922.

Now, Petosa Accordions is the last US-owned manufacturer of accordions and one of the few remaining accordion repair shops. Petosa accordions are among the best in the world and are known for their very high quality. Their flagship model, the Artist Model 1100, sells for $18,000, takes 18 months to build, and is known as the Stradivarius of accordions.