The hills are alive with the sound of even more music, as Weed Patch Music Company has expanded its storefront.

The small shop has been open in the side street next to the courthouse since 2006, and was owned by Kara Barnard until she sold it to banjo-maker Jeff Russell. Barnard took ownership again along with Kristen Thompson in 2016. This year, they expanded the original space into the neighboring shop, taking down a wall for a more open and functional space.

Barnard was Thompson’s banjo instructor before Barnard came to her with an opportunity to open up the shop. Now, Thompson spends her time in the shop and instructing six students, while Barnard is a full-time music instructor from home to about 50 students in a variety of instruments.

“Kara and I both had a lot of big visions for what Weed Patch could become,” Thompson said. “When the opportunity to expand came up, it was something we always wanted to do, so we decided to take the leap. If not now, when?”

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Nashville Spice Company had opened a home goods shop in the space in March, but then those owners decided to go a different direction.

Barnard and Thompson spoke with their landlord and got the ball rolling for the expansion. The shop closed for the last week of September for renovations and reopened the first weekend of October, just in time for a busy Brown County autumn season.

Pandemic closures weren’t easy for the shop; Thompson said they were closed for three months. Still, faithful customers supported them. “There was definitely a lot happening,” she said. “With COVID, the expansion and October — it’s been a big several months.”

The expansion not only gives them more space for merchandise and business, but for customers as well. With their small shop, they couldn’t allow multiple shoppers into the store in a safe, socially-distant way. Now, they can.

They’re excited to be able to expand workshops, events, group lessons, performances and more, hopefully by next spring or summer.

Weed Patch carries a wide range of instruments and supplies, from beginner to professional level. Professional banjos, guitars and more are handmade locally, with one supplier from Seymour and one from Bloomington.

“We do try to focus pretty heavily on what we can buy locally,” Thompson said. “You have to provide things that people can get started. Anyone should be able to play guitar, banjo or ukulele without money being a stopping point, she said.

Their prices on instruments range from lower than $100 to as high as $8,000.

Banjos, guitars and ukuleles aren’t the only instruments available. They also have a variety of hammer dulcimers, handmade DIY-style items and even a children’s section for young musicians.

COVID has been hard for small businesses, she said. “We’re lucky to have the absolute best customers from around the world. The benefit is, music is something people will always want. During all of these hard times, people still want to play music and learn how to play.”

Wanting to take their business to the next level, they asked themselves how they could reach the community here and beyond, especially with beginners in music. They used the pandemic restrictions as a time to try something new.

Thompson said a lot of people have been getting into music while they’ve been isolated with more time on their hands.

“When I was stressed out, I wanted to sit quietly and play,” Thompson said. “Music is something people rely on for peace, and it gives them something to do that’s fun. It takes your mind off things.”

“In hard times, you realize how much you need that sort of stuff,” she said.

“People have gone back to an ‘old way’ — making music, baking, hiking, all of these things that are so important for your heart and soul.”

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Location: 58 E. Main St.

Hours:

• Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed early for lessons)
• Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.

Website: weedpatchmusicshop.com

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