RIP PMT and why music shops matter

If you’ve seen TM live over the past few years, you’ve probably seen me play the guitar in the picture above. That guitar was bought for me by my then girlfriend, now wife, Emilie from PMT when PMT was among the other shops in the central part of Cowley Road in Oxford. Over the years I’ve bought many bits and pieces from PMT and in general, the team there have been really helpful at both the old mid Cowley Road location or further up the road when they moved. They weren’t perfect* but they were generally really helpful, happy to talk through various options and occasionally do the odd deal**.

As you may have heard PMT as a chain has gone in to administration. Not just the Cowley branch but the whole chain. To me that’s a massive shame. Music shops are what skate shops are to skaters, record shops are to music lovers and book shops are to book lovers. They are cultural hubs where, yes, they will happily take your cash in return for something you may or may not need but also somewhere that like minded musicians can meet up, chat and exchange ideas. It’s difficult for any retailer with physical locations in this day and age but for something like an instrument shop, being able to physically see and ideally try the item is SO critical to making sure the item you are buying is what you actually want; whether that’s an instrument, effect, an amp, a case, etc. Having said that, it doesn’t stop people (including me) buying products from online retailers that don’t necessarily have to pay the overheads of a physical location but having a physical, real world shop where you can see and maybe touch the item you are looking to purchase makes a difference. On the whole music equipment doesn’t come cheap so you want to make sure that you are getting what you need.

As I understand it from people that worked there, it all happened pretty suddenly. Administration and restructures are never fun and I sincerely wish all of the former PMT employees in Oxford and beyond all the best with whatever they do next.

I guess the point of this post is that if you’re thinking of getting a musical widget, alongside or before checking online retailers, maybe try a near-ish physical shop if you can. I know it’s difficult in many places and in Oxford we’re lucky to still have The Music Box and even Smith and Low for various types of connectors and stuff. Yes we all want good deals but purchases in real shops do matter.

*one time one of the members of staff drilled a hole in to the neck my resonator when I asked them if they could move the strap button. They couldn’t and it still has a hole in it.

** I got a pretty good deal when my old guitar amp stopped working on the day of a gig and I traded it in for the Boss Katana I still use today.