However, the music shop owner has always held a passion and appreciation for music, and when Li moved to the United States in 2001, that passion never faded.
It didn’t fade in 2006 when Li moved to the Dallas area, and it didn’t fade in the period after when Li served as a consultant for major oil companies.
It was not until 2010, when Li’s children reached five years old, that his passion and love for music would manifest into the early beginnings of what would eventually become the Katy Violin Shop.
“When my kids were 5-6 years old, I was trying to find an instrument for them to play,” Li said.
Eventually, Li landed on string instruments, but a financial challenge arose from that decision: having to buy bigger-sized instruments as his children grew older, from the ¼-sized violins recommended for children ages 6-7 all the way up to the full-sized violins for kids ages 12 and older.
As a result, Li opened up a violin, viola, cello and bass-focused store in Dallas, warehousing instruments out of his garage sourced from China.
Li and his family would eventually move to Fulshear in 2013. In 2014, given strong school districts in the area with robust music programs, Li saw an opportunity for a successful music store and opened Katy Violin Shop.
The music store offers instrument sales for violins, violas, cellos and string basses, along with rentals, instrument accessories and sheet music, repair services, as well as private lessons, Li said.
The shop has had its share of challenges, however, like in August 2017 when Hurricane Harvey moved into the Houston area and caused massive water damage.
Katy Violin Shop wasn’t spared. Neither Li nor the rest of the music shop staff was able to access the store for two weeks because of 2-3 feet of standing water. The shop’s entire instrument inventory ended up ruined.
Still, the music shop persevered, and several months after closing and moving locations, Katy Violin Shop reopened.
That same perseverance showed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were closed and the shop needed to pivot to virtual lessons. Through it all, Li remained optimistic.
“When these kinds of events happen, I never give up hope,” he said. “I always look forward to the future.”
Katy Violin Shop
5131 S. Fry Road, Ste. 500, Katy
281-755-4169
www.katyviolinshop.com
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Sun.
