Schafer’s House of Music — long the center of Livingston County’s music universe — is closing at the end of February.
The business at 113 W. Grand River Ave., which has been open for 67 years, is one of the oldest continuously operating in downtown Howell.
But like owner Steve Schafer said, “Time’s change.”
“Today I had a person call on the phone to ask if we had a certain reed in stock,” Schafer said. “I asked if he wanted a single reed or a box of five. He said he’d like the box of five and asked the price.”
When Schafer told him the price, the man said he found it for $2 cheaper on Amazon and would be buying it there.
“That’s what we get every day,” Schafer said. “People shop here. They try stuff out. They take pictures with their phones. Then they buy online.”
Schafer’s mother, Loretta Powell, started the business as an accordion studio in 1957, back in the day when accordions were popular. Then, she added teachers and a couple guitar studios, and eventually expanded to band instruments and pianos.
“We had nine studios going full time until Covid,” Schafer said. “Covid kind of killed us. Some of the teachers didn’t want to come back after Covid.”
Schafer’s family has been in Howell for generations.
“Some of the old sidewalks in Howell say C.C. Schafer on them,” he said.
C.C. Schafer is his great great-grandfather, who was involved in the construction of the old Livingston County Courthouse, as well as the Howell Carnegie District Library.
“He did all the stone mason work there,” Schafer said.
The music store also had a location in Brighton, but closed it 20 years ago.
Schafer, who had put his retirement into the business, will still keep busy with his family farm and the Irish cows that he’s raised for years.
The new owner of Schafer’s House of Music will be turning the three rental units upstairs into two “luxury apartments,” Schafer said. “We’ve had tenants who have been there 20 years. We had to give them their 30-day notice.”
Schafer said the new owner will also be renting out the commercial space on the first floor.
