JULY 15 I DRUM HEADQUARTERS I CLOSURE
Drum Headquarters Shutters Its Doors

On July 7, Drum Headquarters in St. Louis closed after 30 years in business. The drum and percussion specialty shop had been owned by Rob Birenbaum until he sold it to longtime employee Jim Uding in 2005.

At press time, Drum Headquarters did not have a liquidation sale scheduled, according to a note on the company's website. Its music lessons are to continue through July, and the note said customers with unfinished business would be contacted directly.

Uding cited a "perfect storm" of factors contributing to the store's closure, including "epic negative economic conditions" and "accelerating changes brought on by technology." According to a St. Louis Magazine article, a major highway near the store was also closed for two years after he purchased the business. At its peak, Drum Headquarters had 11 employees, but by February of this year, just Uding and one part-time employee ran the shop.

"I've been part of Drum Headquarters since 1983, so this is not an easy announcement to make," he wrote on the company's website. "But I've done everything in my power to keep the doors of Drum Headquarters open, and it is no longer possible."

Uding said there's currently a deal in the works that could result in "sunny skies."

Drum Headquarters was on the cover of Music Inc.'s September 2006 issue.