Mike’s Drum Shop is getting out of the retail game. Beginning October 1, the longtime hub of equipment sales and instruction will no longer offer gear, instead focusing solely on its Rockshop Academy. Owner George Pendergast explained the rise of the Internet combined with brand names peddling cheaper, overseas-made versions of their authentic instruments slowly turned the location’s brick and mortar dealings into a bad business model. The Rockshop Academy hosts numerous, full-band sessions throughout the year, prepping young musicians for kid-friendly stage shows put on around town. Pendergast said the store is actually heading back to its roots: When it was originally started in 1968, it was called Mike’s Drum Academy and was staffed only by instructors.
