Outer Banks Community Celebrates Grand Opening of Jubilee Music Store

Some great hard driving rock outside and bluegrass inside at the Jubilee Music Store Grand Opening and Fundraiser.
Some great hard driving rock outside and bluegrass inside at the Jubilee Music Store Grand Opening and Fundraiser.

Here’s what makes for a great day on the Outer Banks—some music, a great cause to support and helping a friend. Oh…and some free food is always nice.

That pretty much sums up what Jubilee Music Store’s Grand Opening and Fundraiser was all about on Sunday.

About a month or so ago, Ronnie Swaim, the owner of Jubilee Music, moved his store about 20 yards from his cramped quarters on the tip end of Seagate North in Kill Devil Hills to his new digs in the middle of the plaza.

The new space is more than twice as big, so he finally has all his instruments on display, although a rumor is floating around that there are still some he doesn’t have out. The new store also has a small stage where he’s planning on having an occasional acoustic group play and some open mics.

So a Grand Opening was certainly called for.

But it ended up being more than a grand opening. During the move, Ronnie and his wife Nancy found out she was in stage four cancer, and in typical Outer Banks fashion, what was just a grand opening became a Grand Opening and Fundraiser.

Ronnie is a heck of a musician, plays bluegrass guitar about as well as it can be played. But like musicians the world over, it’s about the music, not one style. 

Because of that, he is genuinely respected and liked by Outer Banks musicians. So the day had bluegrass and acoustic music inside and some great hard driving rock n’ roll outside. 

And hotdogs and sodas too.

Which made it a fantastic day and real tribute to the affection the community feels toward Ronnie and Nancy.

The Outer Banks community is remarkably friendly and giving. Spend some time with and see what the real life on a sandbar is all about. Check out our listings at Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associate.

Jubilee Music Store Move-Short Distance, Big Change

A small--very small--sampling of the Jubilee Music Store inventory.
A small–very small–sampling of the Jubilee Music Store inventory.

As moves go, Jubilee Music Store in Kill Devil Hills, the distance was not far. But when it comes to what the new store looks like and what it has to offer—well, that’s a completely different story.

The old location was kind of crammed into the a store on at the end of plaza. It gave the store a kind of an old-fashioned pre-slick looking retail feel to it. Which was great, perhaps, for ambiance but wow were things packed in there.

The move to where Mom’s Sweet Shop used to be was not very far at all. Both stores were in Seagate north and the moving consisted of loading guitars, mandolins, a few trumpet and just about every other instrument imaginable onto carts and wheeling it about 40’ or 50’. 

The change, though, to what the new location offers is monumental.

Suddenly everything is on display and seeing how much is still hanging from all the walls and how filled the store is that is actually slightly more than twice as big, it gives pause to wonder how everything ever fit in the old store.

Jubilee Music is a musician’s dream store. Owner Ronnie Swaim encourages shoppers to pick up instruments and try them out. He seems to believe—quite correctly—that the best way to sell a guitar is for someone play it.

Good news about the old location. The Mustang Outreach Program will be using it for their studios. The Mustang Program works with young musicians (eight years and up) to hone their performance skills. Under the direction of Ruth Wyand, the program has been tremendously successful.

Mom’s Sweet Shop seems to have hit a bit of a snag in getting their new store ready for the season just north of Seagate. They’re taking over what was the Kitty Hawk Duck Village Outfitters. Workers are there every day, so they’ll probably be open soon.

There’s a lot happening this summer and Joe Lamb, Jr. & Associates has the best homes in the best locations.