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ALTON - A new music shop, the Alton Music Exchange, recently opened at 556 East Broadway in Downtown Alton and it is designed to help musicians find the right equipment at a reasonable cost.
On its surface, the Exchange is the kind of business that's designed to assist musicians by just about any means necessary.
"The Alton Music Exchange is, on the surface, a buy, trade and sell consignment music shop," said owner Jared Unfried. "Long title for we carry music gear for the gigging musician."
Unfried is a person who can identify with musicians who go from gig to gig, playing their music before audiences all over the area.
"For a year or so, I just did professional performing," Unfried said. "Super difficult, hard to do, very exhausting," he said with a laugh. "This store was kind of an in-between, the middle of that life and family life too. And I still get to do that kind of stuff, but all this fun stuff, too."
The Exchange couldn't have come at a better time, as the music scene in our very vibrant area is considered an up-and-coming.
"The Alton music scene itself is just super forthcoming," Unfried said, "and super helpful in every way. Lots of love. The river doesn't hurt, the views don't hurt. Honestly, when we moved up here, driving up the River Road, it just felt like home. Really, I think it was home for about a decade before we actually moved here."
The Exchange has attracted fans and musicians of all ages, who often talk to Unfried about concerts and artists both past and present. He can identify with genres of all kinds, no matter the era.
"I love talking to people about the music they make," Unfried said, "about gigs they have worked or performed. Older people come in and tell me about how things used to be, young kids, come in and tell me about how things are, and because I'm old enough but still young I like the different perspectives from everybody. I get a kick out of it."
Unfried is also getting assistance from other area music shops, such as Mojo's and Swing City Music. He sees them not as competition, but as fellow musicians and owners willing to help out when possible.
"The guys from Mojo's and Swing City, super nice guys, just very helpful every step of the way," Unfried said. "If there's a small amount of competitiveness, it doesn't show. We're all friends, we're all in this together. If they don't have something, I'll send it to them, and if I don't have something, they'll send it here.
Come in, play some music, tell me your stories. Enlighten me, and maybe I can enlighten you."Charles Thomas also contributed to this story.
