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The Old Town School Music Store, Chicago, IL
March 27, 2025 gabriele schwibach

The Old Town School Music Store, Chicago, IL

    Explore the Old Town School Music Store: A Chicago Institution Sharing the Magic of Hokema Kalimbas

    At We Play Well Together, we’re always honored to collaborate with music stores that bring heart, history, and craftsmanship to their communities. One such standout is the Old Town School Music Store in Chicago — a cornerstone of the city’s musical life since 1957.

    As part of the renowned Old Town School of Folk Music, this store has grown from a humble student resource to one of the NAMM Top 100 music stores in the world. Known for its carefully curated selection and deep local roots, it’s a place where musicians, educators, and sound explorers alike discover instruments that truly inspire — including our beloved Hokema Kalimbas.

    We caught up with the team to learn more about their story, their customers, and what makes the kalimba such a beautiful addition to this iconic space.

    1. Can you tell us a little about your store? (When did you open, and what inspired you to start it?)  

    The Old Town School Music Store is actually one of the oldest continuously operating music stores in the Chicago area, opened as part of the Old Town School of Folk Music in 1957. While our shop initially opened to support rentals and instrument purchases for Old Town School students, we're now one of the NAMM Top 100 music stores in the world, and a top seller on Reverb, making both our city and the whole country a more musical and inspired place every day. 

    2. What makes your store unique compared to larger retailers?

    We're physically a fairly intimate store space, so we do need to curate our instruments to the good, better, and best at each price point. This selectiveness has earned Old Town School Music Store a genuine reputation both in Chicago and nationally as a place to find the best hand-selected acoustic instrument, whether your budget is $500, or $5,000. 

    Because we're staffed by Chicago musicians, we also genuinely work to carry instruments by regional and local luthiers, like Robinson guitars in Evanston IL, Claseman guitars out of Minnesota, and Michigan-based Northfield instruments. Recently, we're also huge fans of Pisgah banjos, sustainably built by hand in Asheville, North Carolina. 

    3. Why did you decide to carry We Play Well Together instruments, specifically Hokema Kalimbas, in your store? 

    Hokema kalimbas first caught our attention because they're just designed so beautifully and simply. They're fun to hold, and their tone is balanced and full. Being able to plug-in to an amplifier effects, or even play with a friend, is just icing on the cake!

    4. What has been the customer reaction to our instruments? Any favorite stories or experiences?

    Hokema kalimbas definitely play a role in our shop as "step-up" instruments for folks who might be upgrading from an entry-level instrument, or are looking for a beautifully designed kalimba they can have in their living space or studio. We've definitely sold a few to Chicago-based musicians or recording engineers who use the Electro model as a "wild card" instrument in the control room to add flavor and depth to recordings.

    5. Do you or your customers have a favorite Hokema Kalimba? If so, what do you love about it?

    I'd say the Electro is an easy shop favorite, and customers love to hear it run through effects or amplifiers. 

    6. Who are your typical customers?

    We have a really varied customer base, including parents of young students, local and touring musicians, older beginners, and other music professionals like sound healers and therapists. 

    7.  What advice would you give to someone new to sound healing or intuitive sound exploration?

    I'd say equip yourself with enough basic knowledge that you're able to make creative decisions, rather than just stumbling into something that sounds good—so that you can really explore directions that inspire you. Kalimba is such a visual instrument that folks can really get a sense of pattern, rhythm, and melody quickly, and start making art! 

    Where to find The Old Town Music Store:

    We're located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood at 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago, IL. 60625

    https://oldtownschool.store

    You can also find us on social media at 

    Instagram: https://instagram.com/oldtownschoolmusicstore

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldTownSchoolMusicStore

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/oldtownschoolmusicstore

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