The Al and Ed’s Story

Back in the early ‘50’s, the mobile electronics industry was non-existent. The major auto manufacturers devoted limited focus to automobile accessories and mobile electronics. But in 1954 a young Al Brotzky commented to representatives of the Ford Motor Company and General Motors at a local tradeshow that “what you do best is build cars, what I do best is install car radios”. What followed from that comment was the birth of an industry.

Together with then partner Ed Zionts, Brotzky founded Al & Ed’s Autosound. With a focus on experimentation and research, Al and Ed’s was an instrumental player in the pioneering of such innovations as FM radio for the car and car tape players, even inventing the first car alarm. Al and Ed’s was at one point the largest installer and repairer of factory radios for Ford and GM using a fleet of vans to service car dealerships throughout Southern California. Later, as more radios came installed from the factory, Al and Ed’s shifted their focus from the wholesale side of the business to the retail side, growing from one store to at one point being the largest mobile electronics specialist in the country. It was Al Brotsky, thru Al & Ed’s, that helped create today’s standards of excellence with the founding of the Mobile Electronics Certification Program for installation technicians, as well as the mobile division for the Electronics Industry Alliance, which currently resides under the Consumer Electronic Association. The company’s foresight helped establish it today as a dominant player in the mobile electronics industry.

With the retirement of founder Al Brotsky in 2001, there was a change in the leadership of the company. Gabi Mashal, a 15 year Al and Ed’s veteran who owned three franchised stores, took over as President. Mr. Mashal, along with a team of experienced mobile electronics veterans, drives the vision and innovation that powers Al and Ed’s success.

Today, Al and Ed’s focus is not just on the traditional head units, amps, speakers and alarms, but more cutting edge mobile electronics products such as GPS/Navigation, Satellite Radio, HD radio, iPod and MP3 integration, Bluetooth hands free kits, mobile video, OEM integration vehicle tracking and in-car computing. Al & Ed’s Autosound is viewed as a barometer for the mobile electronics industry. If there is a new Mobile Electronics technology or product Al and Ed’s probably has it!

Since 1954, Al and Ed’s has preformed well over 1 million installations. With a heritage like that in the installation market, Al and Ed’s prides itself on having highly trained, experienced sales consultants, Franchise owners and installation technicians. This allows Al and Ed’s to specialize in the types of difficult OEM integrations, semi custom and custom installations that most big box and regional retailers cannot or will not even attempt.

Headquartered in Van Nuys, CA, Al & Ed’s Autosound sells and installs most of today’s major mobile electronics brands such as Alpine, Kenwood Excelon, Pioneer Premier, JL Audio, Rockford Fosgate, Focal and many others. Today, Al and Ed’s has 24 franchised stores. Al & Ed’s plan for 2007 and beyond is to start expanding by targeting new and underserved markets by bringing independent (“Mom & Pop”) shops aboard as franchisees and by opening new franchises throughout the US.

With over 50 years of experience in an industry they helped create, Al and Ed’s in poised for growth as the car manufacturers continue making their vehicles electronics systems more complicated. This means consumers will need experts to help them not only choose the right products but also have the expertise to do the installation work needed to integrate these new products and technologies into their vehicles. That is what Al and Ed’s Autosound is all about.