Filling the void between mom and pop music stores and corporate franchises, Baton Rouge Music Exchange offers a consignment-based shop catering to musicians from all frequencies and skill levels.
Located behind Black Torch Tattoo on Perkins Road, BRME brings its customers a cozy atmosphere complete with a small lounge area situated between the bass and guitar amplifiers. The shop acts entirely on consignment and trades and encourages musicians to post inventory on consignment for free, ranging from newly released cassettes, artwork and older equipment.
There is no strict time limit for how long the items need to stay on consignment.
Baton Rouge Music Exchange manager Mike McAllester said prices at BRME fluctuate with new items brought in every day, but the buyer has the ability to use the shop as a middleman between themselves and the seller when it comes to haggling and the choice on how they receive the gear.
Products can be paid for in full or gradually paid off, he said, which allows for a variety of musicians to finance their latest purchase however it works best for them.
Beside fostering a habitat for the boutique instrument market, BRME offers private lessons and facilitates many types of repair, including work on amplifiers and drum kits. McAllester said without seeming like a third party, BRME openly directs musicians to the resources they need with a friendly spirit.
He also pointed out the growing need for a jam space among local musicians, promoted the opening.
“Baton Rouge used to have some really cool, small, local shops where musicians could just sit down together with one another,” McAllester said. “We want you to buy something, but you don’t have to.”
Despite opening only three weeks ago, BRME started to stake a claim in the local music market.
The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is insured and protected by security cameras. McAllester said the benefit of having security allows shoppers safety instead of having to meet a stranger in a parking lot with a $2,500 amp. He said the shop offers relief to musicians by having somewhere to have an instrument set up or quickly repaired.
BRME also has a collaboration with local business Riverfront Music. The shop sells some of Riverfront’s products in-house, along with sending musicians out for specific purchases and repairs.
“If it’s something big, we send it out to Riverfront. … Those guys are experts,” McAllester said. “There probably isn’t anybody in the state who’s better at working on that stuff than those guys.”

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Emily Brauner

New instrument repair and store, Baton Rouge Music Exchange, opened it's door to the public a few weeks ago at 4262 Perkins Road.