Music & Sound Retailer August 2020, Vol 37 No 8

Page 36

SHINE A LIGHT

ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW AT OLD TOWN SCHOOL MUSIC STORE By Michelle Loeb Old Town School Music Store sits tucked away inside the former Hild Library, an eye-catching Art Deco building from the 1930s that housed a WPA-era Regional Branch of the Chicago Public Library. But once customers enter the giant marbled foyer and turn right at the greeter’s desk, they are met with “a wall of glass that invites you into our intimate 1,000-square-foot sales floor,” said Tim Joyce, the store’s director of retail operations. The store is part of the Old Town School of Folk Music, which has been fostering a love of music within the Chicago community since December 1957 and today offers hundreds of classes and workshops in music, dance and visual arts that ser ve approximately 6,600 students per week. Joyce works closely with the school, making sure the store is carr ying the books, accessories and instruments their students need, but that’s hardly the only customer base the Old Town School Music Store looks to ser ve. “We have made a concerted effort to let the greater Chicago area, and the rest of the country, know that we are not just a store for students of the Old Town School, but a friendly place for anyone looking to start playing or take the next step,” Joyce explained. Joyce and his buying team make sure the store is stocked with a large selection of instruments, gear, and accessories for the folk and world music communities, including many items that aren’t typically found in other Chicago music stores. “Whether it is vihuela strings, oud risha or hammers for a dulcimer, we pride ourselves on having the basics for local learners and players,” he explained. 36

The store also offers a robust rental program and a wide variety of repair services “ranging from a simple in-house restring and cleaning service to setup and major repair on stringed instruments and percussion done through local repair partners,” Joyce explained. Regardless of what the customer comes in looking for, or what level of playing ability they may have, Old Town School Music Store is specifically designed to feel welcoming to all. That is something of particular importance to Joyce, as he recalls his own experience navigating the music scene in his youth. “As a kid and a college student, I was always both endlessly fascinated by and a little intimidated by music stores,” said Joyce, who primarily played piano and guitar, in addition to being a self-described “home-recording nerd,” before joining the store in 2001. “I think that plays a large part in my current desire to make sure customers always feel welcome and part of our community. When someone is new to this whole music thing, whether 13 or 83, we want to start them off with the most fun positive experience we can give them at the start of their music journey.” Part of what makes the Old Town School Music Store welcoming is its design. Joyce and the entire Old Town School Music Store team have thoughtfully created a space that is peppered with “unique seating areas for people to be able to sit and play,” he explained. “The front of the store is open with low displays and two chairs and a coffee table, a great place to sit and pick or have a discussion with a classmate about which djembe

Old Town School Music Store 4544 N Lincoln Ave. Chicago, IL 60625 (773) 751-3398 www.oldtownschool.org Mon.-Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tim Joyce, Director of Retail Operations

AUGUST 2020


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