The Band Shoppe

When you grow up like Lee Hirschmann, surrounded by music in a hometown that is now the Coolest and Best in America, it only makes sense to open a music store in that hometown. Lee prefers to play for fun instead of performance; his passion is to help others perform by repairing their instruments. He went to school to learn to build and repair instruments, but don’t be fooled – there is not an instrument in The Band Shoppe that Lee cannot play. The Band Shoppe offers lessons as well as instrument service, customization, and repair. Lee always wanted to have a store in Sykesville, and it seems serendipitous that he once assembled furniture in the very store where he now runs The Band Shoppe (in its former existence as Dunn Rite Furniture). Lee describes the community as loving and accepting and talks about how the shop owners look out for each other. This community of business owners is what drew him to Sykesville, but he truly experienced the community after his family suffered a house fire in 2023 and is forever appreciative of the support they received. “There is no place like Sykesville,” says Lee as he reflects on the transformation of the town where he was raised. He loves the history here and is glad to be part of this new era. The Band Shoppe was excited to participate in Sykesville’s Juneteenth celebration last year, a free event that was open to the whole community. The Band Shoppe was instrumental in bringing a musician to the event who demonstrated instruments from all different parts of Africa. When he is not in The Band Shoppe’s Sykesville or Catonsville locations, you can find Lee with his family enjoying dinner at Beck’s or a crepe at French Twist Cafe. They also enjoy visiting other small businesses and farms in the area.