A list of all drum shops in the US. How many have you been to?

[mikesdrums]

You missed Cadence Music in Rochester, NY. Percussion only.
And Drum Center Portsmouth is in North Hampton, NH.

Added Cadence. Changed DCP's city to North Hampton. Thanks!

 

[idrum4fun]

Very interesting about Lone Star Percussion moving to Monrovia, CA! Makes me wonder if they'll be moving to the building formerly occupied by Monrovia Travel for over 40 years! Sadly, Monrovia Travel had to close down due to Covid-19. My sister worked there and now works out of the owner's home in Monrovia. The travel building is located at 401 S. Myrtle Ave, on the corner of Myrtle and Lime, a very prime spot! Will be interested to see if this is the place!

-Mark

 

[afwdrums]

I didn't add Mike's yet because it looks like they just offer lessons.

I haven't been there for over 25 years, Mike's definitely used to be a legit drum shop, but I can't confirm they still are, things certainly could have changed a lot since then...I was actually a bit surprised when I googled to see that the shop still seems open

 

[Rich K.]

I still haven’t been to visit Keith in Baltimore. Did he change his name from Mid Atlantic Drum? Somehow I missed that.
Yes, Drums On Sale is still alive and well. That was my local drum shop (45 minutes from) where I grew up so I have been there and bought a lot from them. Still ordering from them, a couple times in the past few months in fact.
Does Steve Weiss Percussion not have a retail location for customers to visit? I’ve only dealt with them online. My best guess (including Weiss) is that I’ve visited 5 of these and ordered from another 10-12 online.
BTW @Johnny K the criteria that Mike stated would have to leave out Washington Music Center. They are definitely a full line store and have been known for guitars, PA, band and orchestra, etc for a LONG long time.

Steve Weiss is mail order only

 

[komodobob]

I've been to 6.

Cadence Music in Rochester.
Dale's in Harrisburg Pa.
Maxwell's NYC
Dynamic Ct.
Drums on Sale Maryland
Drums Etc. Lancaster Pa. (Not on your list)

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

We have five dedicated drum shops just in the Greater Toronto Area
Just Drums
Century Drums
Drummer’s Hangout
Drumland
Soul Drums

I am not including the full instrument
Long and McQuades
Steve’s Music
Cosmo Superstore
All three of which have excellent drum departments as well .

We are fortunate here.

 

[Skyrm]

I went to Droste's Drum Den (Billings, Montana) many years ago. But I think they closed.

 

[Murat]

We have five dedicated drum shops just in the Greater Toronto Area
Just Drums
Century Drums
Drummer’s Hangout
Drumland
Soul Drums

I am not including the full instrument
Long and McQuades
Steve’s Music
Cosmo Superstore
All three of which have excellent drum departments as well .

We are fortunate here.

I am hearing Century is just going online, closing the physical location. I hope I am wrong.

 

[drummer5359]

I retired from my day job in September of 2009. My wife and I did a lot of traveling the first four or five years after. I made a list of all of the drum shops in the US at that time and loaded their addresses into my old Garmin GPS. When we would enter a state we would put up all of the drum shops and stop at any in our path.

We've lost a lot of shops in the past ten years, but we've picked up a few new ones

I've been to nine on the current list.

Dale's in Harrisburg, and Columbus Pro Percussion are both great shops with excellent service in person or over the phone. One is a three hour drive east of me, the other is a three hour drive west. I tend to make it to each of them once or twice most years. The next time I'm on the west side of Ohio I intend on making it a point to stop at Badges near Cincinnati.

I made it to Drum Center of Portsmouth this past year. The selection is over the top, although it doesn't have the friendliest vibe in person. I have bought online or over the phone several times. They are great over the phone.

I love Steve Maxwell's shops, have not been to either in a couple of years. I need to remedy that when things open up. I do shop with him over the phone. His shops are worth a call if you can't get there in person.

I stop at Fork's in Nashville anytime that I get near there, it's always been a great shop. Memphis Drum shop is the other shop that is a must stop if you are able.

As a few others pointed out, Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center is a great place to shop for drums. I understand that they don't meet the "drum only" criteria, but they have a friendly knowledgeable staff, great selection, and have given me excellent prices over the years. It's not your average music store that sells drums. It is more like a drum shop that just happens to be inside of a music store. They deserve an honorable mention to be sure.

There are a lot that I have yet to make it to in person that I shop at regularly online or over the phone.

 

[Tama CW]

Wood & Weather looks like an awesome shop. I didn't include them, though, because according to their website they're only open by appointment.

Village Drum and Music is another cool place, but it's not a dedicated drum shop. They sell string instruments and electronics, too.

Village Drum Shoppe does claim to sell Ukelele's and provide guitar/uke lessons to those who ask. And they might sell an occasional used mixing board from time to time. If that disqualifies them from being a 99% drum-only shop.....so be it.
I would image a significant percentage of the drum/percussion "only" shops listed already have "other" instruments around whether they be recorders, organs, harmonicas, etc. I'm not being paid for this shop "promotion"....lol. Just noting what seems logical.
I've only visited VDS once. Still have to make it W&W. But of the current list, I've visited only 2 shops....both in CT.

 

[kickassdrummer]

Recommend adding Arizona Drum Shop in Scottsdale, AZ. Ron is a terrific dealer.

Arizona DRUM Shop 480-947-2222

Check out this GoDaddy hosted webpage! http://arizonadrumshop.com.

arizonadrumshop.com

 

[mikesdrums]

Recommend adding Arizona Drum Shop in Scottsdale, AZ. Ron is a terrific dealer.

Arizona DRUM Shop 480-947-2222

Check out this GoDaddy hosted webpage! http://arizonadrumshop.com.

arizonadrumshop.com

Added. Thanks!

 

[Trilock_Gurtu]

I am hearing Century is just going online, closing the physical location. I hope I am wrong.

Wouldn't surprise me. I hope he steps his online game up; more pictures, video/sound examples, etc. Chris at Hawthorne's does a great job of that, and he'll send a ton more pictures, on request (and no whining about it). He deserves a shout out.

 

[feelyat]

I just went to Mike’s in Villa Park today. Nice guys and great selection. I went there in favor of the two nearby big box music stores to pick up what I needed.

 

[Johnny K]

I still haven’t been to visit Keith in Baltimore. Did he change his name from Mid Atlantic Drum? Somehow I missed that.
Yes, Drums On Sale is still alive and well. That was my local drum shop (45 minutes from) where I grew up so I have been there and bought a lot from them. Still ordering from them, a couple times in the past few months in fact.
Does Steve Weiss Percussion not have a retail location for customers to visit? I’ve only dealt with them online. My best guess (including Weiss) is that I’ve visited 5 of these and ordered from another 10-12 online.
BTW @Johnny K the criteria that Mike stated would have to leave out Washington Music Center. They are definitely a full line store and have been known for guitars, PA, band and orchestra, etc for a LONG long time.

My bad, it is Mid-Atlantic Drum. I was using the old name. I go there every couple of weeks to see what he has in the used cymbals and to just buy anything, even if I don't really need it. He's not far from my office in Fallston, MD. When I buy something he will call me by name, even if he just read it off my credit card, which even though I know he did that, I get the warm fuzzy's. 2 years ago, he helped me out fixing a Pearl Piccolo snare and I was just so impressed that he spent the time to help me out. I really like Keith, he truly cares about his customers. He seems to always have that small part that I need. I'll probably go there next Saturday. I go there hoping he might have some used K Zildjian Constantinople high hats an/or crash cymbals at a decent price.

Chucks is just an awesome store. I've been going there since the early 80's. But I get why its not on the list now.

 

[CSR]

According to my wife, EVERY ONE.

 

[NobleCooleyNut]

I am hearing Century is just going online, closing the physical location. I hope I am wrong.

You aren’t wrong

 

[Johnny K]

It's there. In Towson, right?

It's Mid Atlantic Drums now. Still there, near the corner of Joppa Rd and Loch Raven Blvd.

 

[jb111]

Recommend adding Arizona Drum Shop in Scottsdale, AZ. Ron is a terrific dealer.

Arizona DRUM Shop 480-947-2222

Check out this GoDaddy hosted webpage! http://arizonadrumshop.com.

arizonadrumshop.com

I get most of my stuff from Ron, even though I'm in San Diego. Always enjoy working with him.

 

[Pat A Flafla]

Is Steve Weiss disqualified for some reason?