Almost 100-year-old Wichita business sells outside the family for the first time

Paul Colella has always had what he calls a fascination with sound systems, which is why he studied technical theater at Wichita State University.

Straight out of college, he became an hourly installation technician at McClelland Sound, which now is known as McClelland Inc.

Though he worked his way up to being in sales and engineering and then vice president over almost two decades, he was content to not climb the work ladder any farther.

“I’m sure it doesn’t get any better than this,” Colella said he thought. “I was able to turn a hobby into a career.”

Then owner Janice McClelland gave him the opportunity to buy the business — the first nonfamily owner in the company’s history, which dates to 1928.

“I take it pretty seriously that it’s somebody’s family business, and they entrust me to keep it going,” Colella said.

In an e-mailed statement, Janice McClelland said the business is in good hands.

“Over the years, Paul has increasingly taken on responsibility and become an invaluable asset to the company.”

‘The radio goes pfftt’

Janice McClelland’s grandfather, Herbert “Mac” McClelland, started the business with a focus on radios.

A 1930 advertisement touted “Factory trained men” who could fix radios.

“Rather embarrassing, is it not . . when you have guests in for the evening . . . listening to a particularly good program, and the radio goes pfftt,” said a 1935 ad that ran in The Eagle.

The store offered “day or night service on any kind of radio.”

Another ad, which advised a once-a-year inspection and cleaning for all radios, said “Ask About Our 10-Point Radio Check-up—Clean-up for the Small Sum of $1.50.”

After all, as a 1938 McClelland ad in the Beacon put it, “The full, rich tones of the modern broadcast cannot be fully appreciated with tubes that are worn or faulty.”

The business also had public address systems available.

Colella said Herbert McClelland is credited for creating one of the first — if not the first in the United States — wireless microphones in 1951 that baseball umpires used by strapping a transmitter to their backs.

The distinction is “pretty fascinating,” Colella said.

These days, McClelland Sound provides residential and commercial audio, video and control services.

For residential, that includes home theaters, whole-home audio and smart-home technology.

On the commercial side, the business handles audio for a lot of courtrooms and auditoriums.

Bill Self inspiration

Colella and his wife, Shonda, who handles payroll and human resources, don’t plan a lot of changes.

“For the most part, we’ll just stay the course,” Paul Colella said.

He said Janice McClelland is a KU grad — and he’s a KU fan — and had a Bill Self quote made into a canvas on a wall at work.

The ethos captured in the KU basketball coach’s quote is something Colella said he believes, too.

The quote says: “It’s one of those situations where you’re a part of something so much bigger than yourself, and all we are is caretakers during the time we’re here.”

“I asked her if I could keep it because I liked the message on it,” Colella said.

McClelland agreed, so now Colella is letting the saying guide him and the business’ future.

“I’m honored and excited . . . to be the next caretaker.”