The definition of "drum shop" can vary according to local music styles and customs. At Local Drum Shops, we include retail stores that specialize in drums and/or other percussion instruments and have a physical location where customers can visit.
Some of the stores here sell only new merchandise, others only used and vintage, and most sell both. Some stores sell only drums they make themselves but also sell supplies and accessories from other manufacturers. Some are distributors but with a retail outlet open to the public. A few of the shops, especially those in smaller markets, may sell other types of instruments, but only as a minor sideline. In every case, the shops on Local Drum Shops are retail stores with someone you can talk to in person.
You walk into a shop, and the room is full of cymbals hanging at eye level. You reach for a stick, tap a ride cymbal, and hear the difference between the one you were going to order online and the one you actually want. That's the thing a website can't do for you — and it's why these local shops are here. Nine in ten have a showroom you can simply walk into. Every single one lets you pick up in person. Almost all keep used and vintage gear on the floor, which means there's always something in stock you weren't expecting to find.
These shops are the people who keep you playing. They do repairs, tune up your kit, and teach lessons — with many running programs directly in local schools. They host clinics, run workshops, put on drum circles, and rent gear when you need it for a show or a session. Whether you're after a cymbal, a kit, concert percussion, or a vintage snare that's waiting for the right person, there's a shop on Local Drum Shops with the answer — and a real human behind the counter who wants to share it with you.