Spicer’s Music was awarded the Auburn Chamber of Commerce honor for Best of Small Businesses.
Owner off the start-up music shop Tim Spicer said he was proud of the award.
“It is just a huge honor, we opened almost three years ago now, and we have done our best to engage the community in music as much as possible," Spicer said. "It meant a lot to hear that we were nominated."
Spicer’s Music, located on East University Drive north of Auburn Mall, holds music instruments available for rental and purchase along with practice rooms for budding artists and music enthusiasts.
The shop also conducts instrument repairs, holds open-mic nights and events.
Upon entering the shop you can smell the polished wood and rosin of the modest-sized collection of guitars and violins. Not a minute went by without a customer entering Spicer’s Music during The Plainsman's interview with Spicer.
“We were incredibly honored ... blown away, surprised,” Spicer said about receiving the award. “There are tons of incredible businesses in town and we are just honored to be in the running at all."
The family-owned music shop opened Dec. 1, 2012.
Currently Spicer’s Music boasts 17 music instructors, seven employees, a full time technician and a general manager. Inspiration to start up the store stemmed from a family of musicians.
“Music is powerful," Spicer said. "I grew up a in a musical family. I witnessed first-hand the power music has over my life. My dad plays music, my brother plays music, my mother loves and enjoys music."
Although successful, Spicer’s Music has experienced hardship.
There were times that the store needed assistance, he said. During these times The Auburn Chamber assisted Spicer’s Music in creating connections with other businesses that would in-turn help the growing instrument shop in its time of need.
“We owe much of our early success and growth to the assistance of the Auburn Chamber,” Spicer said.
When asked about the honor, Spicer was unsure about what inspired the Auburn community for choosing his business over the other contenders such as Ace Hardware on University Drive, Hamilton’s, Auburn Reprographics and Wrapsody.
He believes, however, that his store’s mission may have been a contributing factor.
“I think we were just very passionate about music and music education as a family, as a store," he said. "We just want to share our passions of music with others…music brings people together. It doesn’t divide, and so we want to build a stronger community through using the power and tools that music has to offer."
Spicer’s Music has been awarded Top 100 Music Store in the World (2015, 2016) by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) that includes 10,000 member companies. According to Spicer, Spicer’s Music has also been awarded for being “Top Music Store in the World Under Five Years."
Spicer sees his business expanding in the future and hopes to find a bigger space for the growing store, impacting lives as he goes.
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