Online competition has brought tough times to music shops nationwide.
Even some of the most storied shops are closing because the demand and pricing just isn’t competitive enough.
That is unless you’re Drum City Guitar Land in Wheat Ridge.
The store is one of Colorado’s longest-running, opening in the 1960’s.
“Music is therapy,” says owner Tim Kae. “Buy a drum kit, buy a guitar and you’re going to get therapy.”
Kae has been running the shop with his brother, Jason, since the 90’s. They’re known for limited one-of-a-kind instruments some consider the gold standard.
“Yes, I am the drum hoarder of the United States,” Kae joked, referencing his collection. “People will sometimes come [to the store] and look around for hours.”
The business model is simple: Tim focuses on selling drums, younger brother Jason focuses on selling guitars. They have pieces that range from $5,000 to $10,000 depending on its exclusivity.
“He just tells me what to do and I do it and everybody is happy,” Jason joked about their relationship.
The brother inherited the store from their father, famous drummer Ronnie Kae.
“Our father showed us how to do [this],” Tim said. “He was a real hard head as far as keeping us working and showing us how to work.”
“If he wanted something done he would just do it. He would tell you,” Jason said.
Ronnie grew up in Brooklyn. He studied hotel management at a local college while drumming on the side.
The bothers say he would play any gig, sometimes for just $30 a night as an excuse to play.
“He just lived and breathed drums,” Tim said.
Kae developed a reputation for himself and began performing for larger audiences. He even sat in for Frank Sinatra one night.
“He had a bunch of famous drum records that he did in the 60’s,” Jason said.
The brothers agree that their father’s crowning achievement was reaching number 2 on the charts with his single Drums Fell Off the Cliff.
Kae moved to Colorado and opened up Drum City Guitar Land.
“I think I’d get here around two o’clock every day and I’d instantly grab a broom, and start sweeping the parking lot and cleaning the toilets- just to be here and be part of this store,” Tim said laughing.
But in Ronnie’s eyes his greatest achievement wasn’t reaching No. 2 on the charts. It was buying the world’s most expensive drum kit: a 6-piece Sonar kit covered in 14 karat gold that cost him $30,000 to buy in 1993.
“We feel like all those $30 gigs he played all his life; he took that money and bought the world’s most expensive drum kit,” Tim said.
But the thing is, the brothers can’t bring themselves to sell it.
““I believe in ghosts in a way and I really feel our father will turn an alarm on at night if that drum set is missing,” Tim joked.
“I don’t believe in ghosts like my brother does but [our dad] is here [at the store]. He’s looking down,” Jason added.
The brothers claim they’ve been offered as much as $60,000 for the drum kit, but haven’t budged on selling it. They say even $100,000 wouldn’t get them to sell it.
“Well we all thought he was nuts when he went and bought the world’s most expensive drum kit,” Tim said. “But now, 20 years later, we’re glad he did. It’s better than having money in the bank having something like this around.”
