This “one-stop shop for music” keeps its doors open in the face of difficulty
By LAILA AZHAR — features@theaggie.org
Watermelon Music is described by those who operate it as a “fiercely independent” music store. The shop has been considered a Davis staple since its opening in the 1970s and is proud to be a non-commercialized, family-friendly store that has aspired to be a “go-to” for musicians based out of Northern California.
Following COVID-19, the store was facing serious financial struggles; in the face of these hardships, the business decided to make some alterations in order to prevent Watermelon Music as a whole from going under.
On May 3, local Davis music store Watermelon Music announced its closing with the Davis community.
“It is with a complex mix of emotions that I must announce the winding down of Watermelon Music,” Jeff Simmons, an owner who has worked at the store for 35 years, said. “I have always tried to operate with integrity and transparency, and it is important to me that I exit on my own terms, with clean hands and obligations met.”
Initially established as Second Street Music, the store has been around for over 50 years, existing as Watermelon Music for 28.
Brian Aguilar, who has worked at the store for 12 years, described it as “a one-stop shop for music,” providing instruments, sheet music, lessons and other equipment.
In recent years, the increase of online sales has put Watermelon Music in a difficult spot. COVID-19 in particular sent the store into debt, as equipment was purchased in anticipation of a school year that never came.
During the summer of 2023, a GoFundMe aimed to help the store financially and keep its doors open raised over $100,000. However, unsure of how stable the future would be, Simmons made the difficult decision to begin closing operations.
“I can’t see a clear path toward becoming profitable again, without a complete rethinking of the model that has worked for so many years,” Simmons said.
Despite this, members of the store and members of the community came together, refusing to see a beloved pillar of the Davis music community close its doors.
Aguilar, along with another employee, Eric Wellington, stepped in to become the managing partners of Watermelon Music. This transition involved downsizing — the store will no longer carry orchestra or band instruments or provide instrument rentals. Additionally, the amount of sheet music the store carries will be significantly reduced, going from 30,000 titles to 300, specifically keeping the sheet music needed by local teachers.
The instructors who taught music lessons at the store have now formed the Watermelon Music Academy, which will be continuing as an offshoot of Watermelon Music.
Additionally, a non-profit organization called the Friends of Watermelon Music rallied to support the store, taking over part of the building with the goal of providing instrument rentals.
Aguilar said that during this transition, Simmons was encouraging and supportive.
“He has facilitated this transfer of leadership here to Eric and myself in a way that would not have been possible with almost any other business owner,” Aguilar said. “He wants to see what he built live on, and he wants to see the community be served.”
It is precisely this loyalty to the community that has saved Watermelon Music. The store hosts a variety of open events and communicates with local schools to ensure that students and teachers have the equipment they need.
Customers often express how long the store has been a part of their life when they come in, according to Aguilar.
“There are so many people who are like, ‘Oh I’ve shopped here for this many years, and I’ve known Jeff since he was in college,”’ Aguilar said.
This close relationship among local people and businesses is something that an online retailer or a large corporation could never replicate. Even as the store faces difficulty, the community’s connection to Watermelon Music motivates them to ensure it remains an available resource.
Aguilar said he hopes to host one community-oriented event each month. At the end of October, Watermelon Music will host a family-friendly haunted house. In November, the store plans to partake in its annual “Strings for Food” initiative, in which they restring guitars in exchange for two cans of food, which will be donated to a local food bank.
Friends of Watermelon Music has plans to offer classes in non-western music, as well as to become a consignment store where people can sell their old music equipment.
Jenny Le, a second-year managerial economics major, said she was excited for the future of the newly modified store.
“Online shopping and big retailers have made life difficult for small businesses and locally owned businesses,” Le said. “It’s cool to see a store like Watermelon Music manage to stay open despite that.”
Rania Asad, a second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, said she appreciated the community aspect of local businesses like Watermelon Music.
“People learn music alone or with a very small group a lot of the time,” Asad said. “But it can really connect a lot of people, and a store like this is a space for that to happen.”
Currently, as the store is clearing out items they will no longer continue to stock, many items are on sale at 50% off. In partnership with the local art studio, a kiosk at Secret Spot offers Watermelon Music items. As changes take place, Aguilar encourages folks to take advantage of these resources offered by Watermelon Music, as well as to support the business so that it can remain a part of the Davis community for years to come.
Written by: Laila Azhar — features@theaggie.org
