- Courtesy of Alexander Duvel
For almost 15 years, Andy’s Music has sat unassumingly at the corner of Belmont and Oakley. From the outside, it looks like a no-frills storefront, but entering the shop unveils a seemingly never-ending network of rooms stacked with instruments from all over the globe—almost like a world music version of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. But the city risks losing one of its most original music retailers this summer.
The couple currently has a GoFundMe site running to help with the purchase and transition. In a world where you can get guitars at Best Buy, purchasing and running an independent music shop is expensive and risky, and having a community to help keep the dream alive is important. “Our crowdfunding campaign has been a big success,” Duvel says. “It has allowed us to get the process of acquiring the legal foundations necessary much sooner, and has inspired some very important conversations with some caring friends and professionals that have helped us to expand our possible sources of financing.” On Fri 3/20, they’ll host a “metamorphosis” event to show appreciation for customers and donors. “We’ll do some sales, serve some refreshments and play live music continuously until 10 PM to celebrate the transition,” he says. Those plans are still being solidified, but an update will come along once they are.
