Walk into The Music Room in downtown Palatine, and you’re struck, not so much by the sound of music, but by a fun vibe that makes it feel as if everybody just really enjoys being there. “You feel you are walking into a cool place to hang out,” said longtime customer Karen Dickerson, whose four children have all been students of The Music Room. “It’s warm, friendly and inviting and they try to make it that way,” said Dickerson. The Music Room sells, rents and repairs instruments, in addition to providing specialized musical instruction for a wide array of instruments. 

“All the teachers approach music as just a fun thing to do,” explained Dickerson. “Even if my kids are having a bad day or haven’t practiced before a lesson, they always come out smiling and happy.”

The fun vibe starts with the owners Carol Cook and John Giovannoni, who are celebrating 15 years in business this month. They launched The Music Room in 1994 from 49 W. Slade Street, a historic building in Downtown Palatine that housed a butcher shop for more than 40 years.

“I was teaching music and John was managing a music store in Barrington, when we decided to start the business from scratch,” said Cook. “John started taking in students, and by the end of the year we had 75 students and we were so happy. We were learning every step of the way, trying to provide good service.”

The Music Room has come a long way since that first year, but the owners clearly haven’t wavered in their passion for what they do, or in their desire to provide a great experience for all of their customers. And they’re still in Downtown Palatine. More than 500 students per week now attend lessons in a 10,000 square foot facility that houses 10 state-of-the-art soundproof studios. Giovannoni says the studios are a stark contrast to what you see in many music stores. “All our studios have their own ventilation systems so the temperature is always constant, and windows provide a level of comfort to parents who want to watch what is going on in a lesson.”

Cited by Music Inc. magazine for exemplary store design, Editor Zach Phillips said, “The Music Room combines the best aspects of a full-line retail environment with a music school. Students can learn their instruments in cozy-state of the art lesson studios, while the vast, well-stocked showroom reminds them of their many options for upgrading.”

As welcoming as the environment is, customers say that what makes The Music Room special is the people. “A good teacher has to connect with their student and be able to teach the student at the level they are at,” explained Lorenzo DeLeon, who has taken piano lessons at The Music Room, for the past two years. “I think the store has been able to hire teachers with that ability.” Twenty-four degreed music teachers provide specialized instruction for just about any instrument or voice.

“There is a great social aspect to learning an instrument,” said Cook. “It’s fun to play with your friends.” The Music Room encourages the fun with group lessons, jazz bands, a School of Rock and even adult guitar jams. Performances are also part of the fun. The Jazz Band recently played at the Downtown Palatine Street Fest and students routinely perform throughout the community. For the past two years, The Music Room and Palatine Bank & Trust have sponsored a community Shred-A-Thon event for local teens. Dozens of teens showed off their guitar playing prowess and competed for great prizes. [Shredding is the act of playing fast passages on an electric guitar.]

“Even the recitals are fun,” added Dickerson. “It’s more relaxed and interactive, so the kid doesn’t feel like they are freaking out on stage. Everybody gets their moment to shine.”

When it comes to instrument purchases, Giovannoni’s philosophy is to guide people through those decisions, no matter what the size of the purchase.

When DeLeon needed a bass guitar for his college-bound son, Giovannoni advised him to purchase a guitar “that was good enough, but not very expensive. “It was an incredible instrument,” said DeLeon. “They will sit down with you and understand what you need, and not sell you the most expensive guitar in the store.”

“They just seem to know everything about every instrument on the face of the planet,” kidded Dickerson. “They are very good at educating. They know their customers so well; they know what price or budget; and they lead you where you need to go.”

“Increased competition from big box retailers and Internet providers are part of the new reality for small retailers like The Music Room. However, both owners believe they are strong contenders, offering a level of service that is hard to match. “I am on the Internet on a daily basis to be sure we are at or below market pricing,” said Giovannoni. “We can change on a dime when we have to. If there is a product line that works, we go after it. We are always trying to keep ahead of the curve.”

Well known brands such as Fender, Washburn, Line 6, Mesa Boogie and Ibanez fill the soaring two-story space, while a unique loft space is reserved for high-end acoustic and electric guitars and amps. Special customer events are also part of the mix at The Music Room. For example, during the kick off anniversary week (Sept 28-Oct. 3) the company will bring out an array of sales, string clinics, performances and food.

And of course there’s fun. So stop by The Music Room and feel the vibe.

The Music Room (www.the-music-room.net) located at 26 N. Brockway in downtown Palatine, is open Monday through Thurs, 10a.m.-9p.m.; Friday 10a.m.-6p.m.and Saturday, 9a.m.-5p.m. Call (847) 934-5540 for more information.

 
Giving Back to the Community through Gear Shift

These days, there’s another reason good vibes are coming from The Music Room. To celebrate their 15th anniversary, Giovannoni and Cook have launched Gear Shift, a program that provides musical “gear” to the area’s disadvantaged.

Under the program The Music Room will collect the community’s unwanted instruments in repairable condition and turn them into instruments that will fulfill the dream of a disadvantaged child or adult who might otherwise not have the chance to play.

“We really wanted to do something that would directly affect members of our community,” said Cook “So we are partnering with Clearbrook and other community organizations to ensure that the instruments get into the right hands.” At Clearbrook, the instruments will be used to enhance the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities.

The Music Room will donate their time and expertise to bring the instruments back to good working condition, utilizing their in-house instrument repair capabilities. In conjunction with the program, The Music Room staff will also be donating several hours of musical instruction each month to qualified students.

“Nearly every kid wants to learn how to play an instrument. And nearly every parent wants their child to know music,” said Cook. “We’re happy to do this for our community and we’re hoping our customers and the community will respond by bringing us their unused and worn instruments.”

Instrument donations can be dropped off at The Music Room any time during store hours: Monday through Thursday, 10a.m.-9p.m.; Friday, 10a.m.-6p.m. and Saturday, 9a.m.-5p.m. The Music Room is located at 26 N. Brockway Street in Downtown Palatine. Call (847) 934-5540 for more information or visit www.the-music-room.net.

 Fore more photos of The Music Room click here.