Steve’s Music Store celebrating 60 years in Montreal

Steve's Music Store is a Montreal institution for performers young and old, and this year, the business is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

Steve’s Music Store, a Montréal institution for performers, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this month.

The shop is a unique place for musicians to shop for instruments as it takes the “try before you buy” mantra to a whole new level - especially in this era of shopping online.

“People are going to come in, they’re going to they’re going to try the instrument, they’re going to feel it, they’re going to touch it. They’re going to have the experience of putting in an amp and playing it as loud as they want!” Manager Franko Beaulieu explains.

Musicians come for the instruments and to exchange ideas.

Lee-la Baum of The Damn Truth remembers her first visit to the original store on St-Antoine when she was just four years old.

“Finding my perfect first guitar which was tiny, it was like a three quarter guitar, and taking it home and being so happy. That was my first experience with Steve’s,” says Baum.

Her husband and bandmate, Tom Shemer, says he is one of thousands of artists who renewed their love of music with each visit.

“Hearing from Dave and Sheldon, ‘Keep it up you got something,’ even when we were playing to 20 people. It was so encouraging hearing that from the manager at the biggest music store in Montreal, I took that to heart,” says Shemer.

Nine years ago, the downtown location moved to Sainte-Catherine Street – conveniently near a few music venues. If an artist needs a last minute piece of equipment, Steve’s has them covered and the show will go on.

Believe it or not, everyone who works at Steve’s is a musician – except Steve.

“The man who founded this company, Steve, was not a musician. He would jokingly say that his instrument was the cash register. That’s the one that he played,” said Beaulieu.

There are still impromptu jam sessions in the aisles – and sometimes touring artists will pop in.

Steve died 13 years ago, and his family says he would be happy the business is still doing well.

His son, Mike Kirman says they tried to keep his spirit alive.

“I think we still try to keep all of our old roots and still be very family oriented. Kind of rock and roll and just very friendly. So, to modernize, well … at some point I have to update the computer systems from the 1980s!” he says.

Many musicians got their start at Steve’s, and Montreal’s entertainment scene is richer for it.