Premium music shops of South Windham: Our Top-20 selection

Ruth is one of the rare few who is not only musically talented but her personality and spirit are evident in the piece she plays.

Wide variety, cool live shows and the nicest owner you could ask for.

Retro fun ..

One of the best record stores in CT hands down! I walked in and the first thing I see and hear are artists expressing themselves through improvisational clarinet and percussion. I enjoy community venues that organize events to highlight smaller artists who may play music not everyone wants to hear, so I can enjoy while browsing CDs and vinyl. Which brings me to another thing, the selection is eclectic and full of unusual gems, a lot of them highlighting local artists. The owner and workers are wonderful and knowledgeable, as well.

Reopen in the Bliss market. He has lp,cd and shirts. Great selection of used.

Large selection of vinyl, CDs, and cassettes. Average prices, it is located in a strip mall. Easy to miss, there are several other stores. Fluff and Fold sign is closer to street.

Owner not on premises for questions.

Worst Record Store in CT hands down! walked in and the first thing I see and hear is somebody purposely playing the clarinet terribly, followed by somebody putting an object in a metal bowl and than moving it around making this terrible scraping sound. I have autism and sensory issues, which really bugged me when looking through their CDs, which brings me to another thing. terrible selection of vinyl’s and CDs with nothing appealing whatsoever, the awful “music” makers and people spectating were in the way of parts of the Vynil/CD collection too, making it difficult to see what they had. 0/10 would not recommend to anybody

Drove 45 minuets for the owner to tell me I didn’t think you would actually come I thought I told not too. When in reality he said they range from.05¢ to 200$ making me think I might leave with 20 or 30 bucks but no. He offered me 10$ for over 300 records.

He was fun . Show was pretty good

This workshop is full of the love of art in all things guitar and music. The guitar instructor is very loving, patient, and knowledgeable not only as an instructor but also in repairs.

Great selection awesome staff

Bien

The staff is friendly. They have everything you need. I’ve known them for a very long time and i think they are aesome people. They carry all kinds of wine.

Nice place

Ok, not every brand of liquors are there

Very very very helpful staff…but if they don’t have what you want…what can you do?

I found myself going here less and less in search of wine only because their entire wine selection is placed in front of giant windows with sunlight beaming down on all their bottles. Something that can easily deteriorate a good bottle. You won’t get much in terms of recommendations, but the girls here do their best to help you find what you need. I’ll stop in if I need something on the run while I’m in the area, but I save the specialty items for other shops.

Terrible costumer service

Too noising, customers playing loud music in parking lot.

It was a nice experience.

Terrible terrible terrible. Wmart is going downhill. I can’t wait for something else to take it’s place

NÍTIDO

The staff is always friendly and helpful .
They don’t seem to have a lot that I want to buy in the store they want you to go online to order .
9/9/22 updated .
The store greeter wasn’t greeting anyone
I always look forwards to saying hello and now
I can be like that too .
Also self check out . The guy watching was leaning back on the ice machines with no cares or worries and seems like having a job is a burden to him .
Ya Walmart has changed . I see why they have robots now .
To think these are the people that will be taking care of us when we can’t. God help us all .
Updated 7-15-23
Pick up order
App said all set . Later another notification we are short 1 item . Went back on site and reordered .
It took 3 people to get my 2 orders .
They were very nice to me

It ok

It’s a Walmart. You should know what to expect by now.

Horrible customer service

Almost none of the shoppers wear their masks correctly, leaving their nose uncovered. Staff/management doesn’t care. Stopped going here entirely.

This location does not keep its groceries in stock. I don’t have a nearby alternative so I shop here often, and in the past several years I’ve seen them run out of such items as bread, peanut butter, various brands of soda, yogurt, spices like black pepper and cinnamon, and so much more — sometimes for weeks in a row. I’ve tried asking employees to check if more stock arrived, and the answer has always been no. They suggest that I check back after the next truck arrives, which usually means after Saturday, and when I do the item in question is usually still out of stock. I have never had this problem at any other Walmart or at any other grocery department anywhere.

So I have been battleing this in my head for awhile so I just happen to notice this little shop walked in knowing very little, was super friendly, and answered all my questions, by the time I left he had me set to buy one, So today I’m going to go buy it, I. So excited !!!

Personal and attentive, knowledgeable and professional. You’re not getting treated like a faceless wallet in a warehouse shop here!

Great lessons, friendly environment, incredible music. Highly recommend.

This business has changed hands a few times. But still has a great selection of core instruments and accessories. Also offer lessons.

Finally made it to the new location of Trailside Treasure in Columbia, right around the corner from the old location! The new space is amazing. So much to see, and great displays. I picked up a few things today, and will be back soon! (Took a few pictures of my favorite room, maybe because of the cats!)

Lots of cool stuff!

Just moved to the area and found several cool pieces to decorate with

Neat stuff. Love the alien metal statue

Lots of treasures! Plan to spend some time there.

Nice little place but a little pricey.

Pretty high unrealistic prices unfortunately. I think they have some amazing stuff though. We got a few things. The $32 License plates were kind of high. ‍♂️

Disappointing not one of the better thrift, consignment, antique shops in Connecticut and I frequent many. May give this location another shot sometime.

Excellent!! Needed specialty strings and they had them! Great people…

Friendly service….very nice store

They spent a lot of time with my son helping with a trombone purchase.

Big selection!

Gerry’s Music Shop, where my parents rented my clarinet, I rented my kids instruments & so on…great little place.

Warm and welcoming staff, who have a large knowledge of the instruments and inventory. Will assist with any musical needs, large selection.

I rented an instrument for my sister in 2013, pick up was arranged and instrument left with the music teacher for pick up. When I got the first collection bill I was confused because the instrument was returned and pick up was arranged. I called the school and they claimed they did not have the instrument, neither did the music shop. I was so confused, I disputed the charge because the instrument was returned. Well recently I find out that the school returned the instrument four years later in 2017 and the shop charged me four years of rental fees. So the SCHOOL misplaces it, tells me they don’t have it but they actually did, returns it 4 years later and I have to pay the fee. I might as well have purchased the flute. Regardless of who signed the contract the protocol was followed, pick up was arranged and the school should be responsible for the bill and the shop should not be charging me. This means that pick up can be arranged but if the school or teacher misplaces it and the shop says it wasn’t there when they picked it up you still get the bill. That is ridiculous. Here we are in 2019 and I still have to deal with this on my credit report.

Poor selection of audio cables

I found the staff a bit ignorant and dismissive. I was questioning the cost of a particular item (cost is another issue) and instead of the employee detailing any reason for the price merely bragged that his trombone cost $5,000. NOT impressed by any of it!

Shadow has done a great job teaching my 12 yr old daughter foundational guitar skills like notes, string/frets, chords, and how to hold a guitar. He also recommended a great beginner guitar that was reasonably priced and high quality, which we were able to get from a local shop. Thanks Shadow!

I’m an adult beginner who thought I could teach myself how to play guitar. Shadow was able to correct months of bad habits in just a few lessons. Shadow makes learning guitar theory and techniques fun and easy to understand. He has years of experience and knowledge and it’s obvious that he enjoys teaching! I would recommend taking lessons with Shadow no matter where you are in your guitar journey.

This guy seriously knows his stuff, and presents it in a very professional manner. Theory has never been easier to learn! A comprehensive study of how to play the guitar, of music theory, and of music composition, great for beginners to experts. Flexible pricing and the fact he’ll come to you a bonus. Lessons are tailored to your individual needs, pace, and comfort zones. Also willing to teach other instruments! Five stars all the way.

They can transfer any media on tape or film to a DVD printed with graphics and titles. Very nice finished product with a personal touch. On-site videography for your event, video editing and full production services. Highly recommended.

I recently contacted Doug to inquire about a project I was interested in starting. Fifty years ago this September my buddy and I recorded a record album at his studio which at the time was in East Hartford. I was 17 and my buddy Rich was 16 at the time. We were interested in remastering the album and converting it to CD for it’s 50th anniversary. Doug took on the project and did a fantastic job ! It meant so much to have the man involved in the original recording help us out 50 years later. I recommend Doug highly to do audio and video projects. He is so kind, professional and just a pleasure to work with. Thank you Doug for still being there when we needed you !!

Doug is a good guy to work with.

Good customer service

Nice fast service

Love this place and the service.

Loved it

Bathroom closed even for customers, but I found was looking for.

Cheap

The one line was way too long and cashier happened to be very sweet. I’d rather be in Dollar Tree for the same items only a DOLLAR!

First time in this fairly new store. First, the staff person at the register was friendly and helpful. However, wow, this store is not managed well! Product in multiple isles, one isle blocked, the delivery area piled high with boxes. Heaven forbid there was ever a fire – no way to get out through there. Probably had not been swept in months. Loose shelving in one isle – a child could get hurt.

They have a veritity of items

That was likely the most pleasant guitar buying experience I have ever had. I could not recommend patronizing this amazing store more. Thank you so much!!

Phenomenal shop that really personifies customer service! Pete is a great guy to deal and talk shop with. My guitar arrived safe, secure AND quickly. I can’t recommend DuBaldo enough, just give them a call or stop by already!

I’m not sure how long this review will be, but I will say upfront that buying a guitar from DuBaldo Music was a great experience, from day one until I took delivery of my instrument, and beyond!

I ordered an Alvarez-Yairi Honduran series (FYM66HD) guitar from Pete at DuBaldo music in April 2021.

For those reading this review in the somewhat distant future, allow me to set the scene a bit:

There was a LOT going on in the world during this time. The COVID Pandemic was still raging, and supply chains were snarled at every turn.

Ports were closed, dock workers and truckers were striking or working limited hours under delayed timelines. Parts availability was questionable at best, etc.

VERY long story short: The guitar had to be hand built in Japan, then shipped to the west coast, then shipped to St.Louis, MO, then shipped to DuBaldo Music in CT before I could take delivery. All the while, considering the conditions of the world as described above.

Pete, Lisa and everyone else at DuBaldo music helped me along at every stage, kept me updated, empathized with and tolerated my frequent calls for updates, contacted the distributor in St. Louis on my behalf, and were generally very pleasant to work with over a period of just over one full year.

I will not pretend that I wasn’t itching to receive my guitar, or that the extended delay didn’t bother me. It was a maddening wait!

But I want to make it crystal clear:

DuBaldo music did their absolute best to get it to me as quickly as possible, considering the extremely challenging circumstances. I can’t say enough about their customer service. It was exceptional at every stage!

When I made my order over the phone, Pete answered all my questions and made sure I was comfortable with what I was ordering as far as the specs were concerned. We made a deal on a VERY good price, and the wait began.

I won’t bore with the details, but between Japan and Connecticut there were numerous significant delays. Mostly unavoidable and one or two caused by decisions that St.Louis Music made, and/or failed to communicate ahead of time.

Pete and Lisa worked through all of this for me deftly, and professionally.

I am not local to the store. I live in DC, about 6 hours away. When the guitar finally arrived, there were 3 in the order, and Pete and Lisa let me know that I could have my pick of the three. Instead of having Pete play them for me over the phone and choosing from pictures, I decided to drive up and try them out in person, and drive it home myself.

Lisa and Nick were more than accommodating, and I was made to feel very comfortable while taking my time to decide. All 3 guitars were incredible instruments and it was a tough decision. Nick provided periodic feedback and assistance as I tried them over a period of about 3 hours. I never felt rushed, bothered, or unimportant. They made sure I was attended to but was not hovered over.

They knew exactly how to help a musician pick an instrument, and it is clear that they wanted to make sure I was equipped to make the right choice, and leave satisfied.

On the way out, as they knew I was a visitor, they even provided local restaurant recommendations, since I had mentioned that I was making my best effort to eat at great places while I was on the road.

I was, and am still, very happy with the decision I made, and with the entire experience of buying from DuBaldo music.

I cannot recommend them highly enough!

My only disappointment was that after a year of talking to him several times a month on the phone, I didn’t get to meet Pete in person, since he was out sick the day I visited.

Hopefully he’s feeling better now, and if I’m ever back in CT, I’ll be sure to stop in and thank him personally!

Thanks again to Lisa, Nick, Pete, and everyone at DuBaldo for a trying, long lasting,, but ultimately completely satisfying experience! The guitar is utterly amazing and will be with me forever, as will the experience of shopping with you.

Great service

Tremendous quality education, supportive community efforts, and gifted individuals that deliver and a provide place for all to experience outstanding music.

Derek Waldron is an extremely excellent musician and teaching artist. He creates individualized curriculum for every private student, and teaches innovated and engaging group classes that enhance a life long live of music. Not many musicians are able to teach both piano and voice with his level of expertise for such a broad range of styles from classical to rock. The exciting exponential rate that Waldron’s Studio 88 has grown since it opened just a few years ago is a testament to Derek’s dedication to high quality musical and educational experiences.

Also, the space itself is GORGEOUS. Lesson rooms are spacious, yet welcoming and cozy. The performance area is the perfect size for intimate performances where students can share their work in a supportive environment, and all members of the community can enjoy regularly scheduled concerts performed by professional musicians. The waiting room area for parents and siblings is super comfortable and thoughtfully decorated with colorful and interesting music themed artwork.

Oh yeah, and there is a recording studio, and photography studio! Waldron’s Studio has it all!

My daughter has received voice lessons at Waldron’s Studio 88 for a few years. She’s been challenged by the coaching which has remained constructive and positive throughout. Their attention has drawn out my daughter’s innate talent which was somewhat masked by some shyness and insecurity, and I am now pleasantly surprised to be watching her talents blossom. The Studio provides the safe and nurturing environment that budding artists thirst for, and I whole heartedly recommend it to everyone. Share your talent with the world- believe me, it waits for you with open arms!

I live in Brooklyn, NY, where there are lots of good and unique coffee shops, but this is definitely one of my current favorites. My family and I were taking a leisurely drive through CT and randomly saw this place and stopped. I’m glad we did. Beautiful spot with delicious drinks. I got an iced Honey Latte. I’ll be back for more. I also loved the little table and chairs with crayons and paper for kids. My boys loved it as much as my wife and I did.

I love this coffee shop. The baristas are great and knowledgeable!

Love it here! So cute and coffee and food are really good! There’s limited space so I wouldn’t recommend if you’re looking for a place to stay for a while but it’s great for a quick bite and chat!

Great coffee and quiche..perfect for mommy/daughter time

Cozy place. Great views of historic Main Street in downtown Romantic Willimantic. Wireless. Limited menu.

Very nice atmosphere, but chai latte wasn’t very good and very overpriced.

This place is very tastefully decorated and comfortable inside. But, the service is terrible. I will not go back, and urge friends not to go there either.

Very pricey for little cups of coffee

Coffee and food are good but 5 out of their 6 tables were occupied by students on laptops or studying that were no longer drinking coffee or eating.