The family-run Sydney music store has thrived for nearly 50 years by prioritising community, hands-on experiences, and genuine relationships.
Turramurra Music first opened its doors on the North Shore of Sydney in 1976. Beginning merely as a small record store that sold a select range of instruments, Turramurra has grown to become one of the most reputable musical instrument and gear stockists in the country, and a leading supplier of flagship brands including Neumann and Sennheiser. The shop’s impact on the music community, however, extends far beyond its sales floor.
Catch up on all the latest features and interviews here.
Despite the increased digitisation of retail and the absorption of independent stores by chains, Turramurra Music has remained a family-owned and operated physical retail store in Sydney for nearly 50 years. It was founded by Rob Stevens, who still continues to manage the store and helps work the shop floor on busy Saturdays. Rob’s wife, Anne, continues to run the education sales team as she has done for several decades, and their two sons, Mat and Dave Stevens, have taken on much of the day-to-day management.
Although the family has played a key role in ensuring the legacy of Turramurra continues, it’s been the staff, the immediate music community and the relationships with specific music brands that have resulted in Turramurra keeping its doors open and its shelves fully stocked.
Turramurra Music in the ’70s
“Mum and dad are both still here,” says Mat Stevens. “Dad started the shop in 1976, and we’re still a family-owned, family-operated independent music store. And that’s, I think, pretty key at the moment, when there are fewer independent stores around these days.
“I think our industry loves stuff to be independent, just like musicians and artists, too. We’re still flying the flag and continuing to be strong here. There’s also so much about music, so much about gear, that is a hands-on thing. We’ve built our philosophy on this, and it’s why we invest so much in the store itself.”
Turramurra renovated the store years ago as a means to provide customers with a unique experience of demoing gear. They built a dedicated PA demo area, expanded guitar, drum and keyboard areas, and a sizeable studio department with a fully stocked premium mic cabinet.
“We never had anything as extensive as we do now as far as the studio section goes,” says Studio Product Manager Matt Paxton. “It’s basically two studio spaces now, with one housing smaller studio monitors and the other for larger monitors and outboard equipment. It’s great because it allows us to break up the spaces so people can really spend some good time testing out gear.
“They also act as flow-on spaces for our events, which we host a fair number of. Recently, we did a Neumann monitor listening night, and we had an artist, Antonia Gauci, who came through and was demonstrating some mixes that she’d been working on. The two rooms meant we could break up the audience.”
It’s events like these that maximise the use of the studio space, creating rare experiences for their customer base.
“It’s a modest-sized studio space which is ideal for intimate events,” Stevens outlines. “Then there’s the PA area in the back of the shop, where we can hold more people in a seated capacity for larger events. We’ve done some great events with Sennheiser recently, showcasing their new EW-DX and Spectera wireless systems.”
Turramurra have also collaborated with Sydney-based manufacturer Franklin Audio, a company specialising in re-amping. “They’re a cool company that has some innovative products, and the fact that they are actually manufacturing their products in Australia is quite significant,” adds Paxton. “There are not many manufacturers in our industry that are operating in Australia.”
It’s dedication to relationships like this that make Turramurra so unique. It’s quite possibly contributed to the longevity of the store–that is, how emphasis is placed on creating a dynamic offering to customers of all demographics. “Basically, we try to meet customers at the point they are at,” offers Stevens. “And it’s all about trying to join the dots as well. We’re quite conversational and want to get to know these customers who are coming through the store.
“Whether it’s talking out someone’s concept or idea and trying to fully understand it so we can help, or just allowing a space for people to verbalise their idea, only to realise they’ve already got something great at home; it’s really important for us that our staff members treat each customer with the same level of focus, from students all the way to professional musicians.”
The store has also hosted various professional workshops, one of which saw Grammy-award winning jazz fusion band, Snarky Puppy, lead participants through a masterclass. The staff working at Turramurra are also routinely going above and beyond to allow members of the musical community more opportunities to engage. Ultimately, it’s about fostering community wherever possible.
“We’re always trying to build community and engage with our customers,” says Paxton. “We love customers to just come in for a chat, come in to try out some gear, come hang out with our staff, whether that’s at one of our events or just in the shop.”
Turramurra will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year, a truly special milestone for a music retail store that is like no other.
Check out Turramurra’s extensive range of gear, events and their Black Friday sale here.
