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
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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Explore our Air (A-minor) Collection
The products are already available and the videos going to be released Spring 2025
Explore our Water (d-minor) Collection
Learn more about the Instruments of this collection and watch our bautiful videos
Explore our Fire (G-Major) Collection
The products are already available and the videos going to be released Spring 2025
I just took the week-long monochord training with Joule and fell in love with my Monolina. Joule is a fun, engaging and knowledgeable teacher who brings deep reverence to her instruments and the art of playing them. We got to experiment with and experience all the different ways of expressing through our monochords and came away with a proven, complete and beautiful 45-minute session we can now offer. I highly recommend this class.
Quick delivery, wonderful company and lovely instrument!
It is always a pleasure to speak to Gabriella and her customer service is top notch
this set is legit sounds like little angels 😇
I am new to the Monolina world but have been around stringed instruments all my life. I'm so excited about its possibilities as a solo instrument for use in Reiki, as well as in an ensemble setting. It helps me to meditate as well.
We have a full set of crystal bowls, and the low C monochord adds a wonderful depth to their sounding. I also find myself humming/singing over the low C drone in a quite natural way. Very happy with my new instrument.
I've wanted to purchase a Sansula ever since I first heard one, two years ago. I finally purchased one and upon receiving it was disappointed in it's sound. Customer service was extremely helpful and promptly replaced it. Couldn't have been a better experience. I highly recommend the instrument and the company is top notch.
Works well. Delighted to have the ability to tune my Sansula myself.
We Play well together has been a resource for instruments for, at least, 5 years. The quality of the instruments, customer service, kindness and expertise of the staff has been a huge bonus and blessing in our interactions. I am grateful for their service, friendliness and flexibility. thank you so very much VLamura
These mallets are super fun to use and I love the sounds they create. I purchased a pair of each set of mallets and I love them all so much, I'm planning on keeping the pair I thought I would send back originally.
I have a set and love these so much. They are well made, and the sound is solid and carries well in small and large spaces. Highly recommend!
Wonderful instrument. It’s easy to travel with and well crafted. Customer service is wonderful as well. Very responsive. I am always impressed with the attention to customer service and care of the instruments. This instruments complement my crystal singing bowls and monalina nicely.
My G Monolina is perfect! Beautiful to play in a group, as well as on the body.
Absolutely in love, but should have ordered the bag! Ordering it now as it is was too fragile to travel with without the bag.
The instrument brigs such an amazing quality and super easy to play
I recently purchased a D Monolina. Meditative and meditative; a full immersion sound experience that simply wraps you in a beautiful feeling and sound. What an incredible instrument this is! I highly recommend purchasing one, or more, for meditation, relaxation, or sound baths.
This set elevates one’s instruments to the next level. Having all these components really sets one up for success and allows room for growth to grow into your sound practice.
The versatility that comes with having the leg extensions allows the player to be comfortable in a variety of ways while playing. The mallets add additional ways to play.
Tuning is a breeze with the template. When not being played or on the go with this monolina, the mats keep everything safe and the backpack makes it so you can take it to the studio or out into nature to play.
I can’t say enough great things about it, it’s a must have in the sound tool kit for sure.
The floor model sale price feels too good to be true for such a fabulous instrument. So easy to create varied, beautiful sounds. This is the 3rd instrument I've purchased from WPWT and they're always efficient, friendly and helpful.
My first experience with a Hokema Kalimba was at the gift shop of the Music Instrument Museum in Phoenix, AZ. I was blown away by the big, beautiful sound of those instruments, but I wasn’t ready to plunk down $200 for it.
Fast forward, I read about the Twin Kalimba and was encouraged by a review that suggested it was great for events. This particular person, evidently a musician like me, gave out ten of these during his shows and was thrilled by how the audience members enjoyed the experience.
So, given these two experiences, I had high hopes for the twin.
It is a sweet sounding instrument, but the sound is very quiet. The wood is solid so it doesn’t resonate like its higher priced solo cousins (that feature a resonator) or traditional kalimbas that have found holes.
So, I’m a little underwhelmed by the sound, but it’s still a great concept. Perhaps it will be fine and dandy when I share it with audiences. Let’s see!
Joule is an excellent teacher! Her lessons flow from topic to exercises with so much ease and class time is so enjoyable. Joule makes sure everyone's questions are answered before going to the next lesson. Before this training, I had no idea of all the many different ways to play the monochord. After this course, I now have so much more knowledge and I'm able to tap into my creativity with a deeper love and appreciation with this beautiful instrument.
I love the "water" collection and this chime is one of my favourite instruments (so far!). The D minor tuning is said to be the "saddest" key, but I find it soothing, ethereal, and utterly charming. The gentle tones of this chime bring gentle, meditative tones. Do yourself a favour if you can and get the matching Koshi chime. They sound absolutely amazing together!
Thank you for sending me the Hokema Sansula Deluxe. I am enjoying the unique sound as I relate it to similarly designed instruments in parts of Africa. It creates a beautiful sound world with which you can improvise and expand infinitely. I will be using the small ones for my gatherings. It's a beautiful instrument and as I explore and improvise with it, I'm sure I will find something new that I will want to share with you. - Kevin Nathaniel
Wonderful, perfect to play on top and bring my sansula basic everywhere!
E
Hokema - B9 Kalimba It’s my first Kalimba and I absolutely love how it sounds, such a magical instrument