Uniquely Qualified

Bill Behrens liked his 1973 summer job so much he never quit. This "stereo shop" gig was intended to be a short break after college, but went on for two years during which Behrens realized he had found his calling. He and a partner started the The Stereo Specialist in 1975 and then Behrens forged his own way in 1978 with what would become Jacksonville's go-to business for everything stereo: Behrens Audio Lab.

As the audio industry evolved over the years, so did the company name. Behrens Audio Lab morphed into Behrens Audio-Video as the company moved away from box sales and toward a custom business involving home theater, surround sound and multi-room entertainment. Instead of selling products to the do-it-yourself customer, Behrens began creating solutions based on customers' lifestyles. Behrens developed a reputation for taking the frustration out of sophisticated home theater and multi-room audio systems and delivering a user-friendly customer experience.

Behrens may have been before his time but the custom electronics trend soon caught up to him, and he helped forge a nationwide revolution in A-V retailing. Other specialty audio dealers saw similar trends emerging and in the late '80s Behrens became a founding member of CEDIA, the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association. CEDIA has since grown into an influential international trade association with thousands of member companies.

As his custom business grew, Behrens made another savvy move. He shifted Behrens Audio-Video from a retail environment courting walk-in traffic to an appointment-only business. By narrowing the field of prospective clients, the Behrens team is able to give more attention to individual clients and provide focused demonstrations of audio/video systems in a relaxed, no-rush environment.

While adapting to a changing market over the years, Behrens has remained true to his original vision: a commitment to client satisfaction in the pursuit of outstanding audio-video performance.