Had the most pleasant experience at Hoffman Strings picking up a full size cello for my daughter. Considering the COVID-19 issues, they made it sure we are the only ones in the room, and we’ve spent quite a bit of time trying out a few. We’ve been renting from them for the past 8 years and never had any problems. The cellos and service are top notch, and will go back there again. Thank you!!
Awesome place, very nice & Friendly
Staff is knowledgeable about music instruments and have implemented good safety measures in this COVID-19 era. Requirement of providing SSN on top of Credit Card seems unnecessary and risky in today’s time.
Extremely helpful
Update: Stopped by a few days ago for a fingerboard that broke on one of the instruments due to being dropped. Service was prompt and insurance experience was hassle free. Greatly appreciate it.
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We stopped by to rent multiple instruments. I appreciated history of the store and how long its been in the community. The team member we were originally working with was pleasant work with. I was happy to support a small business.
One of the kids was super excited about getting very first instrument as he was beginning orchestra but the other team member was very rude to the child. Given that they work primarily with schools and families renting for kids in elementary & middle school, I was very disappointed to see that attitude. I am hoping its only because everyone has bad days once in a while and not a recurrence.
Mr Hoffman you should really thank God that I am not complaining about you to police because the way you behaved and talked to my son,any other parents action would be the first one to call 911
P.S. I am one of those parents who tells kid to take care of their stuff and don’t encourage when they are wrong. Here my kid wasn’t at fault at all,check your documents, your viola had a mark already. Secondly I am paying for the insurance for the last 2 years and never even misused the instrument.
Learn how to speak well with others kids. You have no right to show finger and give lecture to anyone’s child.
Also you have 2 months of extra payment from us so get your instrument fixed and hopefully you will realize in your life that talking like that to a kid impacts his emotion.
Terrible customer service experience—was made to feel like an ignorant annoyance. I will not return nor recommend this business to anyone in the north shore community.
3. Sam Ash Music Stores
Address: 1305 W Dundee Rd, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089 , Long Grove , Illinois , United States
They have great and helpful people to help you find what you are looking for and how to use it. Everything you need is all there in one place. Great variety to choose from and you are able to try instruments out so you know you picked out what is right based on your ability.
Went there to buy a very specific guitar. I called to verify it was in stock (as a lot of other retailers had it listed as a product but not in stock). Matt, who manages their guitar dept, verified and offered to put it on hold for me. They also honored a coupon so I got by far the best deal available on a nice instrument.
Their service is great and they take care of their clients. Matt was particularly awesome.
I had a wonderful experience with this shop. Alex (the guy in glasses and with a beard) was incredibly helpful with choosing an acoustic guitar for me. He spent more than 2 hours with me helping to understand the pros and cons of each guitar I tried and sharing his valuable and fair opinion when I had any concerns. He even forgot that his shift is over and overtimed one hour for me. His colleague Matt was really flexible on discounts and helped me to fit my budget, even threw in an ukulele for my wife as a bonus!
It’s incomparable with the Guitar Center Arlington Heights I visited the day before: I asked a salesman for a help, he gave me two guitars and said he will check on me soon – I’ve never seen this guy anymore. The same story with his colleague. When I asked for some discount on Taylor I liked he couldn’t even move a dollar!
The Sam Ash guys are amazing! I will be a regular customer of this place!
The store seems to always be in disarray. Every time I go there, the place is a mess, and I can’t tell if I’m looking at new or used items. The prices are usually reasonable on most things.
Sam Ash employees do not harass the customer into making purchases. My experience has been very positive and I have found the sales people to be very helpful in their attempt to satisfy my musical needs.
Very friendly and enthusiastic people and good selections of products.
High prices. One of the managers was rude and lied to me on purpose.
I am always getting Emails from Sam Ash to trade in used gear. I brought in a load of it and they were only interested in complete drum kits, not my 2 bass & 2 tom drums. They gave me $50 for a Pearl snare in new condition and $100 for a Yamaha mixer. I was completely low balled. The only good that came of it was they told me to sell my 60’s vintage mint Ludwig Supraphonic snare online because they could not give me even close to what it’s worth. Sam Ash is not a good place to bring used gear!
Do not recommend to buy an electric guitar there and do not buy their service plan. I purchased an electric guitar there and ask them to set it up. When I pick it up two weeks later, the problems were not fixed.
William Gerdes is a great piano teacher with decades of piano teaching experience. Not all the teachers can teach to all ages but William Gerdes is great in teaching piano to young as well as to adults . My both kids love his class . William is very patient, creative and have a pleasant temperament which made it so easy for my kids to learn piano over the zoom during the pandemic. Newly remodeled studio has also enhanced the overall learning for my kids as it provides calm, quite and right ambience to focus and learn piano .
We are lucky to find William as my son’s piano teacher. My son had learned piano in other places for a year but I didn’t see much progress. 2 months after switching to William, he started playing his favorite song in full. William knows how to set targets and teaches many techniques, so my son can effectively practice at home.
Mr. Will is the most passionate and dedicated teacher I have ever come across. Every time you meet him, he’s so happy to explain music, lesson plans and techniques. He’s so nice with the kids. My son loves learning drums from Mr. Will!
Detailed lesson notes are sent after every lesson. There are plenty of resources in the parent portal – a well updated portal calendar, logging of hours practiced at home and you can even upload a video of the kids practicing.
The winter recital was such a treat to watch, well thought out and organized! And all the kids performed wonderfully!
7. Paddy’s on the Square
Address: 228 Robert Parker Coffin Rd, Long Grove, IL 60047 , Long Grove , Illinois , United States
I always find something. They have Irish themed gifts, as well as food items. Friendly staff.
Great place to spend Sunday
Waiter was very professional, friendly.
Food was good. Service timely.
I always find something new to look at, or to purchase.
We were there for the strawberry festival this weekend. I haven’t been to Paddy’s on the square in years. It used to be a must stop when we used to go there back in the day.
Now you could pretty much find everything online and cheaper.
Also, if you see a young girl there with blonde hair and about 14 or 15 years old working the counter, You might want to leave.
She clearly didn’t want to be there and made sure that the other people who worked there, who she’s probably related to, knew that as well.
She made snarky comments about the things that I was buying. I chose to ignore it but definitely made a decision that if I ever walked in there again, ever again, and I saw that girl I would turn right around and leave.
8. Long Grove Coffee Co.
Address: 126 Old McHenry Rd, Long Grove, IL 60047 , Long Grove , Illinois , United States
Just opened and the quality of the mocha is sooooo good. They even gave me a free nonperel!!! Will definitely be back!
Love the ambiance of this coffee shop. It’s so much better then the big name brand coffee shops.
Nice local coffee shop located in historic downtown
Cute country-chic place with coffee and hot cocoa options. Sadly, they only serve apple haus apple cider donuts on weekends. I got a hot cocoa and it was decent. I wish they had more coffee house music than top 40 pop music. Service was great
Definitely willing to come back and try more when it’s not close to closing time!
The service staff was rude and incredibly inconsiderate. Go anywhere else, thisnplace is truly awful.
Coffee is good, but the staff is rude.
The worst experience ever!
Disrespect to the customers, used grounds left over Coffee to make drinks,very poor service and rudeness.
Besides being so friendly, the owner stands behind his merchandise (we had a malfunction which was our fault) We have been repeat customers and that’s not stopping. #shopsmall #shoplocal
We had a really wonderful experience in this store today. The owner gave us enough space to look but, also offered us his knowledge without being invasive. I didn’t feel pressure to purchase and felt like I had time and space to consider what I wanted. We purchased our first wind chime and I am sure it will lead to more in the future. Without a doubt we will return to this store when we are ready to expand our collection.
What an amazing wind chimes excellent customer service.
11. More Gain Music
Address: 17 E Palatine Rd, Palatine, IL 60067 , Long Grove , Illinois , United States
The atmosphere in the studio is pure and vibrant. I love the LED lights and the sound proof padding.
The atmosphere in the studio is pure and vibrant. I love the LED lights and the sound proof padding. I recommend calling to set up appointment. Ji is very responsive to phone calls or text messages.
Both of my kids have taken lessons at The Music Room and we have managed to hit quite a few instruments and genres – brass, woodwind, vocal and strings. I’ve always been impressed with the commitment and passion of the teachers for sharing and developing musical skill and appreciation. It has been interesting to experience the range of individual approaches to teaching and motivating. The common thread has been a willingness to genuinely work with my kids to build their skill, confidence and competence. There’s always just a great vibe there, too, though that has diminished a bit during COVID as hanging out to wait during your child’s lesson isn’t done as much as it was pre-COVID. But there is generally good music playing (or someone talented – staff or student practicing) and it’s a great place to sit and chill.
As a teacher of 20 plus years at The Music Room, I am also a parent of sending my three boys to The Music Room while they were learning their instruments. I appreciated the special attention they received from their teachers, and the specific lessons for each of them. Our sons still love music. They are very successful (now in their 30’s) and they love to play their instruments. Trumpet, guitar, drums, piano and trombone. They received expert advice, more than from their band directors at the time. I love The Music Room! I recommend it to everyone!
I really like reading the news letter from The Music Room. It is fun to read and it helps me with my music experience.
Walked in this place for the first time being a non musician. Looks like a great selection of instruments and several training rooms. They have two floors of products and friendly and knowledgeable staff who can help you purchase. This is on the corner of brockway and slade.
If you want to learn how to play an instrument, don’t take lessons here. It may be good for children, but for the adult, not so much. Lots of theory, folk songs out of a book. A year or so of lessons, and I couldn’t play a thing, 4wks of lessons elsewhere and I can play 5 rock songs, this sums up the wasted money. Also instruments and gear over priced, and not gig quality.
Friendly service. Went in for instrument repair and walked out with vinyl. They have instruments and music lessons.
Support your local music shop.
Very cool little place. Had a guitar set up by them. Service was fast, fair and clean. Awesome people work there make you feel very welcome. Love the room full of wornstar products. Strongly recommend this place for your music needs.
Staff is very friendly and knowledgable .. Live the record room in back !
Friendly people
Music store with a nice selection of instruments. Some vinyl and CDs too, although it has very few, if any, hidden treasures. 2 stars removed because the one employee and 2 of the customers were not wearing masks when I visited. I would have spent more time and money here if they were. Stay safe, everyone.
I was very dissatisfied with this location as they don’t offer any instruments that would allow the user to produce the sounds of Echolocation
20. Vintage Charm Homestead
Address: 243 Robert Parker Coffin Rd, Long Grove, IL 60047 , Long Grove , Illinois , United States
Vintage Charm Homestead has an amazing variety of high-quality home goods, decorative stamps, decoupage papers, moulds, inks, paint, and DIY tools and tutorials for turning your furniture into showroom pieces and your house into a home. Great customer service as well!
We have loved Vintage Charm Homestead since before they had their original location in Libertyville. Their new location in Long Grove is absolutely gorgeous! There is so much charm (pun intended!) Their soaps and tea towels are our go to items for our own needs, and when looking for gifts we usually purchase teas, candles, or bigger items like pillows and blankets. Some of my crafty friends utilize their collection of molds and paints as well. I would recommend you check them out next time you’re in Long Grove.
Love this shop!! The up-cycled refurbished furniture, handmade soaps, candels, Decoupage And Creative Papers are beautiful. One of my favorite places to stop every time I am in the area.
