Main Street Music: Carrboro’s Oldest Specialty Music Store Caters to Musicians with a Personal Touch
By Pamir Kiciman
John Pardue has operated Main Street Music (204 W Main St.) in Carrboro for nearly two decades. He took over an existing music store at the same location and later changed the name. The peeling sign on the aging building’s exterior still reads Carrboro Music. Angus, his recently adopted rescue English bulldog, may greet you at the door, but he’s too sweet to be a guard dog.
A musician himself, Pardue grew tired of the only music store in town at the time. “It was crazy to me that there was no used guitar store,” he told The Carrborean.
He was working at a local brewery and having conversations with a coworker about opening a used gear shop, and he took the plunge 18 years ago. Having had a niche interest in and playing guitars since childhood, he helped someone open a music store in his late teens, placed the initial order with Fender, and worked in many music stores before opening his own.
Along the way, there were still lessons to be learned. Pardue found that consignment wasn’t a good business model for his shop. He experimented and found that new lines from known brands and new guitars didn’t do well.
“People don’t come here for new guitars,” he said. “They come here for used guitars.”
His clientele is looking for instruments they might not find elsewhere. “People buy new instruments as gifts, but for a player who’s out gigging, they’re looking for something used,” Pardue explained.
Main Street Music offers curated pre-owned and vintage gear and buy-sell-trade services. An independent, neighborhood guitar shop, it’s valued by area musicians for the intimate vibe and local character.
The extensive and longstanding local music community is built on relationships, shared band members, mutual fandom, and support. Having a brick-and-mortar shop is an essential part of that. But most of Pardue’s transactions happen on Reverb — the largest online instrument marketplace. “It’s kind of like an eBay for music. I’ve been selling on the site pretty much since they started (2013).”
As a songwriter and vocalist, Pardue regularly crafts songs on his own, whether the several projects he has or is a part of are active and gigging or not. When projects coalesce, or he plays live, there’s a ready repertoire to explore. On August 21, he will be playing at The Cave (452 ½ W Franklin St.) with a full band he’s calling Johnny Goodwater.
Since January of last year, Pardue has also hosted the Monday open mic night at Speakeasy (100 E Main St.). He kept casually suggesting to Nona and Josh (owner and sound person) to start an open mic. “I guess they talked about it and decided to do so and maybe I should be the host.”
With an 8 pm start time, sign-ups for the open mic are at 7:30 pm. Musicians can share up to three songs. “We have comedians and poets, and everyone is encouraged to come. And Speakeasy does have great drink specials that night.”
Pardue mentioned that the majority of Main Street Music’s clientele are musicians. “Typically, if someone is starting out, they’re purchasing a kit on Amazon that has everything you need in one box.”
Whether it’s people playing at home or playing out, musicians make up the bulk of the shop’s business.
While most of his sales happen online, he said, “The biggest plus of the store is in acquiring merchandise.” Face-to-face, in-person, and analog.
“I have met lots of people because of the shop, and for my friends and a lot of people I know, it’s become a hub and a hang out.”
A very compact space which adds to its homespun charm, the store has no room for drums, and Pardue prefers to deal in items he’s familiar with. You may find keyboards, but a violin, for example, is unlikely. There are no employees, and Pardue is there as the proprietor every day the store is open providing a personal touch.
Main Street Music is open Tuesday-Friday, 11 AM-6 PM, and 11 AM-4 PM on Saturdays.